WHOOP VP of Performance Kristen Holmes sits down with Dr. Samer Hattar, a world-renowned expert in the field of non-image forming photoreception–how light affects circadian rhythms, sleep, mood, learning, stress and hormone levels, appetite, and mental health. Dr. Hattar is credited with discovering neurons in the eye that set our circadian clocks and regulate mood and appetite, which was a groundbreaking discovery in the field of circadian health.
Dr. Hattar explains what the consequences are if you view light at the wrong time, the importance of light exposure in the morning, and how light exposure can affect our next-day mood and behavior. He also discusses synchronizing eating windows and meal timing with our internal clocks and explains how disruption of the circadian rhythm has significant influences on exercise function.
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3:44 – The light-dark cycle and the circadian clock
6:34 – Consequences of viewing light at the wrong time
9:26 – Sleep behaviors
12:44 – Light exposure in the morning
15:35 – Viewing light during the day and blocking blue light
16:55 – Light exposure at night
19:37 – Circadian health and digestion
25:07 – Eating windows and meal timing
28:46 – Exercise routines
34:25 – WHOOP Journal additions on circadian health
36:37 – Time zones and shifting your circadian rhythm
40:15 – Your body’s temperature minimum
