Circadian rhythm, we have all heard of this term, but what does it mean and how does it correlate to your health? Great question from a great friend of mine. Throughout this post there will be information that you may not find engraved into the "scientific literature." Much of the information will be based on generally accepted human body functions and conclusions that can be made regarding how these affect our health. Despite a large amount of research, there is a lot we still do not know regarding the phenomenon of sleep.
Let's start with circadian rhythm and what it means. Circadian rhythm refers to the idea that your body runs on an internal "clock" system. This means that your body is somewhat programmed by the habits that make up your daily life. Each person's clock is somewhat different and may be influenced by many different factors. How does this clock operate, you might ask. Your rhythm is highly influenced by light that enters your eye. When light strikes your eye, nerve cells communicate with your hypothalamus (brain center that controls rhythmic functions). From here some more communication goes on in your brain and melatonin is released, which many people know as the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. It is best to look at wild animals in this case because humans have created artificial light that alters this function. Most mammals wake up when the sun comes up, and go to sleep when the sun goes down. This happens because of the amount of light that hits their eye. You may have seen the recent commercials for Circadian Rhythm disorders that occur in people who are blind. This is directly due to the fact that their eye does not react to light stimuli.
Now that we have established how your body knows when it should be tired, let's talk about what it all means. Your body loves to operate in rhythm. Most people would agree that they feel better when they are on a consistent sleep schedule, and some people have experienced the negative effects of changing their work shift (and sleep schedule). One thing we know happens during sleep is the regulation of body hormones. Our hormones run throughout our bloodstream and have an effect on most of our body systems, from digestion to muscle and nerve function. Proper sleep is also essential for physical and psychological stress management. Growth hormones that are released during sleep help to promote repair and restoration of body tissues.
Melatonin has become a popular supplement to take to induce sleep. This is typically touted as a more natural method than drugs used to aide with sleep. This is certainly a better alternative than drugs like diphenylhydramine (Benadryl) or alcohol. These chemicals interrupt our normal sleeping rhythm by preventing the brain from reaching deeper sleep levels. Melatonin can be used in times of crisis but it should be used sparingly. Think of it this way, if your body becomes used to receiving that melatonin signal from the supplement, it does not produce as much normal melatonin.
The best thing to do to help with your normal rhythm is to sleep like the animals! When you go to sleep, there should be very little (or no) light in your room. Do not take your cell phone into bed with you (I'm guilty of this from time to time) and avoid having light from digital clocks. Some people enjoy wearing sleep masks to cover their eyes and this will certainly work. If you need to use the bathroom at night, do not turn on the lights! Stumble around if you must but it is better to stay in the dark. Avoid alcohol and other drugs that prevent proper sleep. Do these things and you will experience more restorative sleep and set your biological clock on a good rhythm!
Yours in Health,
Dr. Joel Ardner
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