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What is circadian rhythm and how it affects our lives
We are discovering the main secret of maintaining good health, stable sleep and normal body weight.
In our body, there are a huge number of biological processes that affect health. All of them should proceed synchronously, rhythmically and complement each other. It’s like in an orchestra, where each instrument comes into play at a certain time and sounds only in the register in which it is assigned, which results in a single harmonious symphony. So, circadian rhythm connects the hormone receptors that are needed at the moment, which control the metabolism, our sleep and the immune system.
What is circadian rhythm?
The word circadian is made up of two Latin concepts: circa – circle and dies – day. That is, these are rhythmic changes that occur in the human body within 24 hours and are associated with the change of day and night. During this time, chemical, mental and physical changes occur with a certain alternation. Special molecules work like a clockwork and make any living organisms function properly, maintain themselves and recover. In 2017, Michael Young, Jaffrey Hall and Michael Rosbash were awarded the Nobel Prize for their discovery of the molecular mechanisms that control the cicadian rhythm.
Why do you need to know about circadian rhythms?
If you properly adjust to the 24-hour rhythm, you can:
regulate exposure to infections;
manage metabolism;
streamline sleep;
improve your psychological state.
For example, in the morning you are less likely to catch an infection than in the evening. The body reacts differently to a particular disease depending on the time of day. Knowing how the circadian rhythm works can help you determine when a drug will work best and thus adjust the dosage of a potentially harmful drug without losing its effectiveness.
Circadian rhythm of hormones
Depending on the time of day, the body produces certain hormones.
In the absence of light, it stands out melatonin – sleep hormone. Even the light from the lamp, TV, telephone and night light affects its absence. That is why in large cities it is necessary to have blackout curtains that will protect the bedroom from the light of street lamps.
Thyroid hormones are released when the metabolism slows down, and the body temperature shows the lowest values. It’s at about 3-4 o’clock in the morning. At this time, the normal functioning of the body is regulated and the process of growth of the bone apparatus takes place.
Hormone cortisol grows at 6 am. It is responsible for the functioning of muscle fibers, for example, smooth muscles of the heart myocardium. Suppresses infection and inflammation, but at the same time reduces the effect of histamine in an allergic reaction.
At night, the number of hormone ghrelinwhich makes you feel hungry and stimulates the production of growth hormone. For those who do not eat at night, the “hunger hormone” rises rapidly at midnight and reaches its peak at about 2.30, it stays high until the morning, which stimulates the desire to eat something after sleep. At the same time, melatonin greatly reduces the production of ghrelin.
Natural Mechanism for Losing Fat is inherent in us by nature itself, you just need to properly adjust it. Calorie consumption and constant body weight are mainly regulated by a hormone called leptin… It increases during the day and peaks at midnight. Disruption of this hormone is the main cause of obesity.
There are dozens of other hormones that the human body synthesizes in a certain circadian rhythm.
What rules need to be followed?
In order to maintain your health in proper condition, you need to understand that the circadian rhythm is influenced by various signals, which are called the German word zeitgebers (“giving time” or “synchronizer”). These are the very external factors that give a hint to our body to synchronize the biological clock and the correct functioning of the whole body. The main zeitgebers include:
light and dark time of day,
eating or fasting
air temperature,
Atmosphere pressure,
physical activity,
social interaction with society,
the use of drugs.
To keep your circadian rhythm correct, follow these guidelines.
Get rid of light at night. Even burning numbers on an electronic watch can slow down the production of melatonin.
In the morning, plant yourself with the sun’s rays, they correct the circadian rhythms. During the day it is necessary to “nourish” with natural light as much as possible. Owl people are considered more emotional precisely because of the external manifestation of a violation of circadian rhythms.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time. This is necessary for programming and synchronizing all processes in the body.
Do not eat 3-4 hours before bedtime. With this mode, the production of hormones depending on food intake will be corrected. The body itself will begin to regulate weight.
Most of the calories, about 85% of the daily value, need to be eaten in the morning and afternoon, leaving only 15% for the evening. If you wake up in the middle of the night due to hunger, then the rhythm is out of order.
Avoid exercising a few hours before bed. The best time for sports is before 17:00.
Reduce psychological stress that suppresses and disrupts your circadian rhythm. This can be facilitated by anger, jealousy, shame, hatred, anxious reflections, overestimated work plans.
Sleep in a cool room to keep your body temperature down overnight.
Go to bed as early as possible, the ideal schedule is from 22:00 to 06:00. If you are on a late regimen that is detrimental to your health, then you can readjust your circadian rhythm in three months. To do this, you need to go to bed every day no later than 10 pm. New weaves of neurons will line up in the brain, and you will develop the habit of falling asleep on time.
Circadian rhythm of diseases
All of the above helps to understand why some diseases are activated at certain times of the day. For example, heart attacks occur most often in the morning, and asthma attack occurs, as a rule, between 23.00 and 03.00. Swelling of the joints occurs after a night’s sleep due to the immune system being active in the morning. Arterial pressure and the heart rate increases in the early hours due to the rise in the hormone cortisol in the morning. Unfortunately, heart attacks и strokes Peak before 9 a.m. due to high blood pressure during this time. People with arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis they also observe stiffness of the joints in the early hours.
According to the laws that nature has established, our immune system works all day – day and night. We just have to listen to our body and help it work as rhythmically and harmoniously as possible.