💊Daily Pill: What is Your Circadian Rhythm?
🕒Master Your Internal Clock
The Daily Pill is a series of very short daily posts where I share the definition of a medical term I think we should all know. Read it every morning and build up your medical vocabulary.
🕒 Circadian Rhythm
Circadian rhythm refers to the natural, internal process that regulates our sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. This pattern is governed by the brain's hypothalamus, and responds primarily to light and darkness in the environment. The circadian rhythm influences various biological functions including hormone release, body temperature, and digestion.
🤔Why you need to know:
Understanding your circadian rhythm is crucial for optimizing sleep quality, energy levels, and overall health. Disruptions to this rhythm, such as shift work or jet lag, can lead to sleep disorders, fatigue, and even chronic health conditions like obesity and diabetes. In fact, Studies have shown that poor sleep increases your risk for all-cause mortality by 15% - Cappuccio FP, D'Elia L, Strazzullo P, Miller MA. Sleep duration and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Sleep. 2010;33(5):585-592. doi:10.1093/sleep/33.5.585
Here is my post on how to improve sleep:
🧠Trivia:
The term "circadian" comes from the Latin words "circa" (around) and "diem" (day), meaning "approximately one day." In the 1970s, the study of circadian rhythms led to the discovery of clock genes, which are critical for maintaining these daily cycles.
