We encourage our Day Planners to match their personal Goals with their body’s natural, seasonal rhythms in order to account for natural variations in the body throughout the seasons and reveal the effects circannual rhythms have on the human body.
“Environmental seasonality… a basic component of the ecosystem within which our ancestors evolved… left its mark indelibly upon the makeup of our biology and our behaviour.” — F.E. Johnston, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania
The importance of natural circannual rhythms cannot be forgotten. Once we are aware of it, we can plan our days accordingly.
Research suggests that mood and physical activity levels peak in the spring and summer months, while hitting a trough in winter. Similarly, sleep demands and desire to bond with established mates are strongest in the coldest, winter months with the shortest durations of sunlight.
For example, say you have a goal of participating in a physically intensive challenge, like running a 5K. Since research suggests that mood and physical activity levels peak in the spring and summer months, it could be beneficial to create a Day Plan to train for that to repeat during the Spring and/or Summer.