How to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm With Sunset or Sunrise Jogs

Your circadian rhythm is the internal clock that controls your sleep-wake cycle. It plays a significant role in regulating your mental and physical health. If your body is out of sync with this rhythm, it can lead to fatigue, anxiety, and poor performance. However, there are simple ways to ensure you’re never out of rhythm. 

A jog at sunrise or sunset can help you reset your circadian rhythm, boost your mental clarity, and improve your overall mood. For athletes and runners, this is a powerful tool for optimizing performance and mental wellness. Explore how morning and evening jogs can be your ticket to a calmer mind, more restful sleep, and a more focused training routine. 

What Is the Circadian Rhythm? 

Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock, which dictates when you fall asleep and wake up. It also plays a role in when you feel hungry and even how well you perform during workouts. It runs on a roughly 24-hour cycle and is primarily influenced by light (which is why artificial light such as the blue light from your phone can affect your sleep cycle). When the sun rises, your body gets signals to wake up and be alert. As the sun sets, those signals shift to encourage rest and recovery. 

When your circadian rhythm is in sync, you feel energized during the day and sleep soundly at night. However, if it is thrown off due to things like late-night screen time, lack of a consistent sleep schedule, or lack of natural sunlight, you might find that you're more tired than usual, have poor focus, and are more anxious. The good news is that regular exposure to natural light at the right times—especially when doing activities like running—can help reset your circadian rhythm and improve your overall well-being. 

How Circadian Rhythm Disorders Affect Mental Health and Performance 

When your circadian rhythm is out of whack, your sleep isn’t the only thing that’s affected. It can also throw your entire mental and physical well-being off balance. A disrupted sleep-wake cycle can be linked to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Without proper rest, your body produces more cortisol — the stress hormone — making it harder to stay calm, focused, and motivated. 

For athletes and runners, sleep deprivation can have a direct impact on performance. Poor sleep leads to slower reaction times, decreased endurance, and a higher risk of injury. Your muscles don’t recover as efficiently, and your coordination suffers. This makes even routine workouts feel harder than they should. The key is resetting your internal clock with light exposure, something that sunrise and sunset jogs effortlessly provide. 

The Mental Benefits of Sunrise and Sunset Jogs 

Running at sunrise or sunset has many benefits other than the workout. It’s a natural way to reset your brain, calm your nervous system, and boost your mood. With one in five people going through mental health struggles, this can be invaluable. Here’s why timing your jog with the sun can have powerful effects on your mental well-being. 

1. Sunrise Runs: Wake Up Happy and Focused

Morning sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that boosts your mood. Your brain will also create cortisol, and exercising can help you burn off any excess.

Regular daylight exposure helps align your sleep cycle with sunrise and sunset, making it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Aside from that, running in the morning creates a sense of accomplishment, setting a positive tone for the rest of your day. 

2. Sunset Runs: Unwind and De-Stress

Jogging in the evening can help clear your mind after a long day, reducing mental clutter and stress. When it gets darker, it naturally signals to your brain that it’s time to start winding down, helping you transition into a restful evening. Too much cortisol can keep you up at night, but a run could lower your anxiety levels and improve your relaxation before bed. 

The Science Behind Exercising in the Morning vs. the Evening

Running triggers the release of endorphins, which help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of well-being. When it comes to syncing your circadian rhythms, both morning and evening jogs have unique benefits. Here’s how the science stacks up.

Morning Jogs: The Ultimate Reset Button

Running in the morning releases cortisol naturally and healthily. This helps you feel less stressed and can better your interactions with others. Getting out in the morning also enhances your sleep quality by reinforcing the sleep-wake cycle.

Morning sunlight acts as a form of light therapy, sending strong signals to your internal body clock that it’s time to be awake and alert. This early exposure to natural light helps anchor your circadian rhythm, making it easier to wind down in the evening and fall asleep at a consistent time.

Evening Jogs: The Perfect Wind-Down

For night owls, an evening jog might be a better fit. Although high-intensity exercise too soon before bed can be stimulating, a sunset run long before you climb into bed can help you transition into a restful night’s sleep by naturally tiring your body.

As daylight fades, your internal body clock begins shifting toward rest mode. Pairing your jog with a relaxing bedtime routine — like stretching, dimming the lights, or sipping herbal tea — can signal to your brain that it’s time to power down. This one-two punch of movement and mindfulness helps reduce anxiety and sets the stage for deeper, more restorative sleep.

Practical Tips for Sunrise and Sunset Jogs 

Whether you’re embracing the fresh start of a sunrise run or unwinding with a sunset jog, a few smart strategies can help you maximize the benefits while staying consistent.

1. Time It Right

For sunrise jogs, aim to start soon after sunrise to soak up the morning light and kick-start your circadian rhythm. For sunset jogs, aim to finish your run at least an hour before you’re planning to go to bed so your body has time to cool down and transition into sleep mode.

2. Choose the Right Route

When choosing your route, stick to open areas like parks, trails, or quiet roads where you can get the maximum natural light exposure. If running near traffic during the darker hours of the sunrise or sunset, wear reflective gear for safety. 

3. Stay Consistent

You can make sunrise or sunset jogs part of your routine by setting a schedule that fits into your lifestyle. If waking up early is too tough for you, ease into it by setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier each week. If that’s still too much, stick to evening jogs to fulfill the purpose.

4. Dress for the Conditions

You can generally expect that it will be cooler when you’re running in the morning, so wear layers and moisture-wicking fabrics to stay warm. In the evening, it will likely be warmer, so opt for breathable clothing and stay well hydrated. It may also start getting cold soon after the sun sets, so you may also find layers beneficial on these runs.

5. Pair It With Mindfulness

Take a moment before and after each run to stretch, breathe deeply, and simply appreciate the sunrise or sunset. Focus on the sights, sounds, and sensations of your run to turn it into a moving meditation. This will help relieve your anxiety so you can get the most out of your run.

Additional Mental Health Benefits of Running

Beyond resetting your circadian rhythm, running offers powerful mental health benefits that can improve your mood, reduce stress and enhance overall well-being:

• Boosts mood and fights depression: Regular aerobic exercise increases levels of serotonin and dopamine — neurotransmitters that help regulate mood and motivation.

• Improves focus and mental clarity: Running increases blood flow to the brain, enhancing cognitive function and attention sharpness.

• Builds resilience to stress: Regular jogging strengthens the body’s ability to manage stress and could reduce your risk of the negative health effects of excessive cortisol. It also creates a healthy outlet for frustration and negative emotions, helping you cope better with daily challenges.

  
  

Chasing the Sun

If you’ve ever felt like your sleep schedule is a mess, your anxiety is through the roof, and your energy levels are all over the place, the answer might not be another cup of coffee. It could be the sun. By syncing your runs with sunrise or sunset, you’re not just getting in a solid workout—you’re giving your internal body clock the light signals it needs to function properly.

Morning and evening jogs serve as a form of light therapy, which can help reset your circadian rhythm and bring your sleep-wake cycle back into balance. When you consistently expose yourself to natural light at the right times, you're reinforcing the rhythm your body thrives on—and that can make a huge difference in how calm, focused, and well-rested you feel.

Running with the sun is also a powerful part of practicing good sleep hygiene. Pair your jogs with habits like turning off screens before bed, winding down with a relaxing bedtime routine, and going to sleep at the same time each night. It’s a small shift that can lead to major improvements in your mental health, mood, and sleep quality—one sunrise or sunset at a time.

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Beth Rush is the fitness editor at Body+Mind. She writes about how women with PCOS can hack their exercise routines to balance their hormones naturally. She covers topics like plant-based recipes for athletes and preaching the benefits of green exercise. You can find Beth on X @bodymindmag.