Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Biorhythm is a rather mysterious term that can be read in two ways. On the one hand, biorhythm simply means the biological rhythm, the rhythm of life, which is determined by, among others, time of day and season. On the other hand, the biorhythm for each day determined by a special calculator is associated with theories on the borderline of esotericism. What exactly is a biorhythm in both senses and what is worth knowing about it?
Biorhythm – what is a biological rhythm?
Biorhythm in the sense of biological rhythmo can be defined as the commonly present cyclical intensification and weakening of life processes that take place in living organisms under the influence of the natural environment. The biorhythm is dependent, among others from weather conditions, such as temperature and the amount and intensity of precipitation, as well as from astronomical phenomena, which are related to, for example:
- time of day and the sequence of day and night (rotation of the Earth around its axis);
- changing seasons (orbital movement of the Earth around the sun);
- the influence of the moon on the Earth (sea tides).
The biological rhythm, of course, concerns not only humans – all living organisms are subject to it, from the smallest, single-celled, to huge redwoods or the largest mammals walking on our planet. No wonder that a biorhythm can be very different in nature. Chronobiology (from the Greek “chronos” – time), that is, the science that studies biological rhythms, divides them essentially into:
- circadian rhythms – determined by the time of day and usually lasting about 24 hours;
- and seasonal rhythms.
Within the latter, seasonal ones, one can distinguish:
- monthly rhythms – e.g. related to the menstrual cycle in women;
- and annual rhythms – during such a cycle there is, for example, a change in growth, coloration, behavior or reproductive activity; this rhythm is also associated with winter hibernation and animal migrations.
How does a biological clock work?
It is a certain internal “tool” with which the biorhythm is closely related biological clock. This is our internal timer, which corresponds, among others, to for the flow of energy and regulating the rhythm of sleep or for the condition of the heart, brain and digestive system. How it works i how the biological clock determines our biorhythm?
A complex set of biochemical processes occurring in cells and tissues is responsible for the proper rhythm of our functioning. Controlled by genes, this mechanism makes it possible internal timing – regardless of changes taking place in the outside world. The biological clock is therefore responsible for the synchronization of our life processes with the cyclical changes taking place in our living environment.
The factor that coordinates our biological clock and the entire biorhythm is melatonin – an important hormone synthesized in the pineal gland. It is primarily responsible for regulating sleep and wakefulness. For this reason, people with sleep disorders are often recommended preparations with melatonin.
- Read what health problems can result from disturbances in the biological clock.
Biorhythm and time of day
What does this mean in practice? Our inner biorhythm determines the way we function in time. When thinking about it, it is worth taking into account both the smaller and the larger time plan – the biorhythm, as already mentioned, is influenced by both the times of the day and the seasons of the year.
Diurnal biorhythm suggests to the body, for example, when to get up, go to bed, eat or go to the gym. Each of us has his own individual biorhythm – this includes therefore, some people find it easier to get up early and work or study in the early morning hours, while others prefer to sleep longer and function best in the evening and at night. Thus, recognizing your biological rhythm and the body’s performance depending on the time of day can make everyday functioning much easier.
A very important factor that influences the circadian biorhythm is the amount of natural lightwhich reaches us depending on the time of day. Melatonin, the master regulator of the biological clock, is produced by the pineal gland when it gets dark outside. The body then slows down until we fall asleep – then it can regenerate, cleanse and rest, preparing for the next day.
In the morning, the production of melatonin drops – then we wake up and the body starts working. The work of the heart speeds up, grows blood pressureas well as concentration adrenaline and serotonin.
- Learn more about melatonin and its effects on the body.
An interesting fact is that our organs and systems also “recognize” the times of the day when they function best. It turns out, for example, that many people show little mental toughness in the morning. This is related to the brain crisis, which is then not properly nourished – so it is always worth remembering about a healthy and nutritious breakfast.
Biorhythm over the course of a day it is largely an individual matter. By default, it is said that our mind and body are at their best between 11:13 and XNUMX:XNUMX, and after this hour, intellectual performance decreases, because the body then focuses on work digestive system. However, this is not a rule – in some people, depending, for example, on their work system or on their rather active or more passive lifestyle, the issue of physical and intellectual fitness may look completely different.
Regardless of the individual circadian rhythm, it is worth remembering that the body regenerates itself throughout the day. We usually feel tired and lose energy approximately every 1,5-2 hours – then it is worth taking a short break to relax, doing a few exercises or eating a healthy snack.
Biorhythm and seasons
Our body also reacts significantly to changes in nature related to the sequence of the seasons. In spring we usually have more energy and enthusiasm to work. March, April and May is a good time to start Weight Management In addition to being more energetic, fat burning can be accelerated then due to higher iodine levels and more intense thyroid function. Fresh fruit and vegetables, which are readily available in spring, are also conducive to changes in the diet.
For many of us, summer is a time when we have a lot of energy and we usually feel good. Thanks to a large amount of sunlight, our body produces a lot of vitamin D, necessary for proper functioning. In combination with well-being and a diet rich in nutrients obtained from fresh vegetables and fruits, health is usually good. We get sick much less often in summer than in winter.
The biorhythm clearly changes in the fall. The sun is then less and less, the days are shorter, and we often feel sleepy and without energy. This is related to the increased activity of the pineal gland, which secretes more in short and dark days melatonin. Worse, the body produces less in the fall serotoninwhich affects our good mood. Therefore, in the fall we are more prone to stress and all sorts of mental health problems, such as seasonal depression.
In winter the biorhythm changes considerably again. This time of year, we slow down our turnover and the thyroid gland produces fewer hormones responsible for the metabolism. As a result, cellular metabolism is much slower, and fat stores accumulate in the subcutaneous tissue. In order not to gain too much weight, it is worth taking care of healthy and balanced diet.. The lack of exercise in the fresh air and the deficiency of vitamins and minerals also reduce the number white blood cells, and thus – the efficiency of the immune system. This is why in winter we get sick more often. To prevent this from happening, it is worth eating citrus, yoghurt and silage often. Movement is also advisable.
Check out how to support the immune system all year round.
Biorhythm in the pseudoscientific theories of Wilhelm Fliess
Referring to the concept of biological rhythm, although based on pseudoscientific claims, the meaning of the term biorhythm was created at the turn of the 1897th and XNUMXth centuries by the German physician Wilhelm Fliess. In XNUMX he announced his biorhythm theorywhich gained quite a lot of popularity – probably mainly due to its author’s friendship with Sigmund Freud – and which is used to this day in esoteric circles.
According to the theory formulated by Fliess, human biological rhythm is strictly subordinated to a mathematical pattern. In this scheme, periods of activity are sinusoidally intertwined with periods of inactivity, during which life energy is reborn. Fliess singled out two types of biorhythms – physical and emotional – and his supporters, after his death, added the third type – intellectual biorhythm.
- Physical biorhythm. It is to be associated with our skeleton and is responsible for energy, strength, willingness and enthusiasm to perform everyday tasks. Its cycle should last 23 days.
- The emotional biorhythm. It is related to emotions, perception of the world and the level of our creativity. The cycle of this biorhythm would last 28 days.
- Intellectual biorhythm. It is supposed to be related to the brain and guide our thinking, association, concentration and memory abilities.
All these cycles proposed by Fliess would start on birthday. They are described by a specific algorithm – today you can find them in many places on the Internet accurately calculating the individual biorhythm calculator. The biorhythm calculated in this way for each day determines which of the three phases of a given biorhythm we are currently in:
- positive (high) phase – beneficial, highly active;
- negative (low) phase – with low activity and efficiency, also known as the regenerative phase;
- days zero (critical) – an unfavorable phase when one cycle goes into another.
While there is no scientific basis for this theory, many people actually test theirs regularly biorhythm for every day and follows its indications when making important decisions.
Content from the site medTvoiLokony they are intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and his doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.