{"id":320104,"date":"2021-07-13T19:25:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T16:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/?p=320104"},"modified":"2021-07-12T17:14:25","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T14:14:25","slug":"what-are-circadian-rhythms-and-how-to-set-your-own-biological-clock-circadian-rhythms-what-they-are-and-how-they-affect-our-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/what-are-circadian-rhythms-and-how-to-set-your-own-biological-clock-circadian-rhythms-what-they-are-and-how-they-affect-our-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"What are circadian rhythms and how to set your own &#8220;biological clock&#8221;. Circadian rhythms: what they are and how they affect our lives"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Are biological clocks and circadian rhythms the same thing?<\/h2>\n<p>Circadian rhythms and biological clock in humans are not exactly the same concept. The biological clock is the internal system of the body, an innate sense and sense of time, regulated by the nervous system. Thanks to the biological clock, some living organisms understand when to sleep, eat food, and perform any actions.<\/p>\n<p>Circadian rhythms in humans are a &#8220;subsystem&#8221; of the biological clock and regulate the cycles of wakefulness and sleep. The approximate period of circadian rhythms is 24 hours.<\/p>\n<h2>Norms and calculation formula<\/h2>\n<p>The formula for obtaining the circadian index in adults is calculated simply: you need to take the average heart rate in the period from 6 to 22 hours and divide it by the heart rate level in the range from 22 to 6.00. The resulting number will be the desired one.<\/p>\n<p>The circadian index rate is determined in the form of a decimal coefficient. The adequate value is in the range from 1.2 to 1.4, plus or minus 0.3.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The growth of the conditional level is considered not such a dangerous indicator. Occurs in athletes and people of physical labor. Less often for disease-causing reasons.<\/li>\n<li>The decrease in numbers is the result of the pathology of the cardiovascular system. The incidence rate directly correlates with the likelihood of death. It is considered an important predictive point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is possible to repeatedly conduct daily monitoring and, accordingly, calculate the circadian index. The frequency of changes depends on the probable pathological process.<\/p>\n<p>The classic scheme is a study before the start of treatment, during, about a week after the start of therapy, and after the course. This will allow you to see the picture in dynamics and evaluate the effectiveness of activities.<\/p>\n<p>The percentage rate is rarely calculated, because the level is difficult to perceive and is not widely used in medical practice. Standard values \u200b\u200bare from 120 to 140%, perhaps slightly higher, lower &#8211; no.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the types of biological rhythm disturbances?<\/h2>\n<p>Violations can develop when natural biological rhythms are disturbed. These disorders include:<\/p>\n<p><strong>sleep disorders: the<\/strong> body is &#8220;tied&#8221; to sleep at night. Disruptions in the body's natural rhythms can lead to sleep disturbances, including insomnia.<br \/>\n<strong>jet lag:<\/strong> Disruption of circadian rhythms when traveling across time zones or during the night.<br \/>\nmood disorders. Lack of sunlight can lead to conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder<br \/>\n<strong>shift work disorders:<\/strong> when a person works outside of normal work hours, it causes changes in typical circadian rhythms.<\/p>\n<h2>What is the &#8220;main pacemaker&#8221; (OVP)<\/h2>\n<p>The main pacemaker is a small area of \u200b\u200bthe hypothalamus, consisting of several tens of thousands of neurons. This section is located above the optic nerve junction and regulates and coordinates all of the body's clocks to keep them in sync.<\/p>\n<h2>Manifestations and mechanism of work<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Each cell in the body has its own clock that operates at the molecular level. With a frequency of 24 hours, proteins, called clock proteins, interact, as a result of which genes are activated that are responsible for certain processes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>For example, clock proteins are responsible for the production of melatonin, or sleep hormone. The more melatonin cells secrete, the stronger the urge to go to bed.<\/p>\n<p>Another phenomenon can be cited as an example. It has long been known that most strokes and heart attacks occur in the morning.<\/p>\n<p>Previously, scientists did not understand why this is happening. However, with the discovery of circadian rhythms, it became apparent that before waking up, the clock proteins trigger the process of increasing blood pressure, which helps wake up.<\/p>\n<h2>What are circadian and biological rhythms?<\/h2>\n<p>Biological rhythms or biorhythms are repetitive cyclical changes in the course of various biological processes.<\/p>\n<p>Circadian rhythms are freely flowing rhythms that are not associated with external conditions. It has been established that circadian rhythms regulate blood pressure, metabolism in body tissues, and temperature.<\/p>\n<p>Circadian and biological rhythms are closely related to each other. If a person crosses several time zones and moves more than 2 hours forward or backward, then his biological rhythms go astray. Circadian rhythms catch fluctuations of day and night at the expense of eye receptors and contribute to the adaptation of biorhythms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sds-iframe-wrapper fitvidsignore\" style=\"position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;max-width:100%;\"><iframe allowfullscreen style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mo-s5zOJ86g\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h2>The cycle &#8220;sleep &#8211; wakefulness&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>The constant change of day and night is a cycle on which the state of the human body, its circadian rhythm, directly depends. The cycle of changing night and day, responsible for the process of changing sleep and wakefulness. The course of many processes in the body, its normal functioning and ability to work depends on the cycle &#8220;sleep &#8211; wakefulness&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Insufficient amount of sleep can cause a decrease in concentration, a drop in working capacity. In the absence of adequate healthy sleep, intellectual functions deteriorate, metabolic processes in the body are disrupted. This is not all that disturbance of the circadian rhythm of sleep is fraught with for the body. It is also fraught with early brain aging, mental disorders and even schizophrenia.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5b5bdcf965126c62772357c55fbc3938-1.png\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-bGlnaHRib3g=\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"  title=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"SDStudio-light-box-enable SDStudio-editor-tools-md-imp\" src=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5b5bdcf965126c62772357c55fbc3938-1.png\" alt=\"What are circadian rhythms and how to set your own &quot;biological clock&quot;. Circadian rhythms: what they are and how they affect our lives\" ><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Does short sleep disrupt the circadian rhythm?<\/h2>\n<p>A short nap during the day (no more than 30 minutes) does not affect the established circadian rhythm, but it helps to restore performance in the middle of the day, reduce stress levels and allow the body to relax. In order not to feel overwhelmed and tired after a short sleep, you can sleep no more than 30 minutes.<\/p>\n<h2>Diurnal rhythms<\/h2>\n<p>Many scientists, myself included, continue to study the effects of circadian rhythms on physiology, metabolism, and even cognitive function in adults. We have found that rhythm, or strict regularity, is observed in almost all aspects of our daily life. Of course, human beings do not bloom like plants, and do not migrate long distances like birds, but we also have a circadian clock that is responsible for ensuring that almost all processes related to our health occur at certain times of the day or night. &#8230; We can say that our body is programmed to perform daily actions in accordance with strictly defined rhythms. In turn,<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>the activities you do in the evening have a particularly strong effect on circadian rhythms.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This is why you should keep in mind as you work through this book that the most important changes for life and health will be those changes that optimize your activities between 6 pm and midnight.<\/p>\n<p>Even before we wake up in the morning, the internal clock prepares the body to wake up. This preparation begins with the pineal gland stopping the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Our breathing quickens a little, our heart rate rises by a few beats per minute, and our blood pressure rises slightly. Internal body temperature rises by half a degree.<\/p>\n<p>Our general well-being depends on the consistency of circadian rhythms. Well-being in the morning means that we feel refreshed and rested after a good night's sleep, we easily empty our intestines, get rid of toxins accumulated during the night, we feel cheerful, light and hungry. Soon after we open our eyes, the adrenal glands increase their production of the stress hormone cortisol to help us perform our morning rituals vigorously. The pancreas prepares to release insulin to handle breakfast.<\/p>\n<p>After a good night's sleep and the nutrients at breakfast, the brain is ready to engage in learning and problem-solving throughout the morning. In the middle of the day, we will feel good if the amount of work done is sufficient to make us happy with the results of our efforts. (If you don't get enough sleep, you may feel a depressing feeling that you are wasting time.) By the end of the day, muscle tone reaches its peak, and after sunset, the body temperature begins to drop, the body's production of the sleep hormone melatonin increases, and the body prepares for sleep.<\/p>\n<p>Feeling well in the evening means less activity, a feeling of fatigue, and a slight fall in deep sleep. Sleep is not the body's default state, in which the brain simply shuts down. In fact, the brain is very busy during sleep. It consolidates memories based on the sensory information we receive throughout the day and stores this information by creating new synapses, or connections, between neurons. In addition, the brain produces quite a lot of hormones at night, in particular melatonin and human growth hormone. With a lack of sleep, the production of growth hormone decreases sharply, which is especially dangerous for children, as it can cause developmental delay.<\/p>\n<p>Human daily rhythms. Many of our bodily functions peak at certain times of the day or night. They are believed to be regulated by our circadian clock. If we are completely isolated from the natural cycle of day and night, the normal schedule of these rhythms will persist for only a few days.<\/p>\n<p>Among other things, the brain detoxifies at night. During the day, nerve cells absorb and process nutrients, and during this process, unwanted toxic by-products are produced. During sleep, these toxins are flushed out of the brain and new brain cells are created during neurogenesis. In this respect, the brain can be compared to the office: when you come to the office in the morning, you do not have the thought that someone was working there at night, although in reality the cleaners washed the floors, took out the trash, the system administrator upgraded the servers, the repairmen burned out lighting lamps. All this work must be done so that in the morning you can come and start working.<\/p>\n<h2>Why do you need seven to eight hours of sleep?<\/h2>\n<p>Some of the world's most significant human errors have occurred during the night shift. These include the Chernobyl disaster and the Three Mile Island disaster. In addition, most single-driver accidents occur before dawn, according to Cornell University.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of the brain and body, our bodies sleep at night. This is why we lack adaptations like night vision and improved sense of smell and hearing like nocturnal animals.<\/p>\n<h2>How to adjust the body's biological clock yourself<\/h2>\n<p><strong>You can try to adjust the work of the biological clock yourself, adhering to the following rules:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Try to stick to a strict sleep schedule. Every day you need to go to bed and wake up at the same time, on weekdays and weekends. Many people often want to &#8220;get enough sleep&#8221; on weekends and sleep more than they need to &#8211; as a result, the sleep rhythms developed during the work week are disrupted.<\/li>\n<li>Increased physical activity in the morning. All the most active things need to be done in the morning to &#8220;show&#8221; the body that daylight has begun. It will also help start metabolic processes in the body. If there is no time for physical activity, then it is recommended to take a short walk in the fresh air before work or stick to the brightest light (preferably natural).<\/li>\n<li>In the evening, it is recommended to eat easily digestible food, since the body spends a lot of time on digesting heavy food, and a person cannot fall asleep because of this.<\/li>\n<li>1-3 hours before going to bed, it is necessary to exclude or limit the use of displays and electronics as much as possible, it is also necessary to weaken the lighting in the apartment. It is recommended to take a warm bath, read a book (paper) to relax the body and the whole body.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It takes several days for the body to restructure the rhythms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It is also important to determine the hour of going to bed and the hour of waking up according to the following algorithm:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First you need to find out how much sleep is needed (this can only be found out empirically &#8211; on average, from 7 to 9 hours).<\/li>\n<li>For the normal functioning of circadian rhythms, you must go to bed until a maximum of 23:00. That is, in order to fall asleep, a person should go to bed at 22: 00-22: 30. An hour before bedtime, you need to start preparing &#8211; turn off the electronics, start relaxing and hygienic procedures.<\/li>\n<li>If a person needs 7 hours for a complete rash, then he should wake up at 6:00.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Circadian rhythms are an innate phenomenon of the body that regulates its activity and relaxation. Thanks to the tuned circadian rhythms in the human body, almost all biological processes are carried out correctly.<\/p>\n<h2>Chronotypes<\/h2>\n<p>Many people know about the existence of a classification of people depending on the peak of their daily activity. According to this classification, all can be divided into three types.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;Larks&#8221;. They wake up at sunrise, are most active in the morning. Larks should go to bed early. We can say that they wake up at sunrise, and should go to bed when the sun goes down;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Owls&#8221;. Without the alarm clock ringing, the &#8220;owl&#8221; will wake up late, at 10-11 am. The peak of activity of the &#8220;owl&#8221; falls in the second half of the day, and it goes to bed after midnight;<\/li>\n<li>&#8220;Doves&#8221;. They occupy an intermediate position between &#8220;owls&#8221; and &#8220;larks&#8221;. They go to sleep for an hour and a half before midnight, the activity is evenly distributed throughout the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In rural areas, practically all &#8220;larks&#8221;, in cities, they are only 20-25%, while almost half (45%) are &#8220;owls&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>It was possible to find out that the &#8220;owl&#8221; lifestyle in 1 case out of 70 is the result of a mutation of the gene responsible for the production of protein. He is able to delay the onset of drowsiness until early morning.<\/p>\n<p>True, this mutation is quite rare: such &#8220;owls&#8221; cannot force themselves to go to bed before the sun rises. Therefore, they have to adjust their entire lifestyle to this feature, for example, look for work related to night shifts.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Features of the work of biological readings depend on age: there is even a table of human circadian rhythms by age.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In particular, the baby spends almost the whole day in a dream, waking up in order to take food. An adult sleeps only 8-9 hours, the rest of the time is awake.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5ba80e1e8cfea5ade02898d9f15e2151-1.png\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-bGlnaHRib3g=\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"  title=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"SDStudio-light-box-enable SDStudio-editor-tools-md-imp\" src=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/5ba80e1e8cfea5ade02898d9f15e2151-1.png\" alt=\"What are circadian rhythms and how to set your own &quot;biological clock&quot;. Circadian rhythms: what they are and how they affect our lives\" ><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Regulation of circadian rhythms<\/h2>\n<p>A person should be able to adapt to any schedule, because life can provide many surprises that can be extremely negative on the work of the biological clock. Here are some tips that can help maintain a person's circadian rhythms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If a person has a flight, then it is better to choose a morning flight from east to west, and on the contrary, an evening flight from west to east. At the same time, before flying in the western direction, in five days, you need to try to go to bed a couple of hours later. To the east, on the contrary &#8211; a couple of hours earlier.<\/li>\n<li>Likewise, when you go to bed earlier or later, you can prepare yourself to switch the clock hands to summer or winter time.<\/li>\n<li>It is necessary to try to go to bed no later than 23:00 &#8211; this is provided that the sleep will continue for 7-8 hours. Otherwise, go to bed earlier.<\/li>\n<li>In case of shift work or some other circumstances, a person should get his portion of sleep in the other half of the day or, in extreme cases, the next day.<\/li>\n<li>Don't put off sleeping for the weekend. In 4-5 days, the body can get so tired that sleep on the weekend will not be enough. Or something else may happen &#8211; there may be a misleading opinion that there is no fatigue, and insomnia will torment the body. You cannot take the body to extremes, test it for strength. The consequences can be very serious.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Monitor your stress levels<\/h2>\n<p>Circadian rhythms suffer from psychological stress. Cortisol and other stress hormones disrupt biorhythms, which is why those who go to bed after midnight are more prone to anxiety. Often the causes of increased psychological stress are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>outbursts of anger, especially on the basis of hatred and jealousy;<\/li>\n<li>the desire to control everything;<\/li>\n<li>setting overestimated goals, excessive ambition;<\/li>\n<li>heightened feelings of guilt and shame.<\/li>\n<li>In addition to stress, there are a number of other negative factors:<\/li>\n<li>any inflammatory reactions;<\/li>\n<li>nervous system stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine;<\/li>\n<li>high levels of oxidative stress;<\/li>\n<li>fasting, lack of protein in the diet;<\/li>\n<li>excessive intake of salt and omega-6 acids;<\/li>\n<li>being overweight;<\/li>\n<li>the temperature in the sleeping room is too high or too low.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/db728a1ac9a0e87c9b20756448a420fd-1.png\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-bGlnaHRib3g=\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"  title=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"SDStudio-light-box-enable SDStudio-editor-tools-md-imp\" src=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/db728a1ac9a0e87c9b20756448a420fd-1.png\" alt=\"What are circadian rhythms and how to set your own &quot;biological clock&quot;. Circadian rhythms: what they are and how they affect our lives\" ><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Who is at risk for biological rhythm disturbances?<\/h2>\n<p>An estimated 15 percent of full-time workers work in shifts. Shift workers tend to work in services vital to the health and movement of society. They are also more likely to sleep less than six hours a night.<\/p>\n<p>Those who do shift work or work outside of the typical 9am to 5pm. working hours are especially at risk of biological rhythm disturbances. Examples of occupations that include shift work include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>healthcare workers<\/li>\n<li>drivers, pilots and others who provide transport<\/li>\n<li>food cookers and servers<\/li>\n<li>police officers<\/li>\n<li>firemen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The survey found that 25 to 30 percent of shift workers have episodes of excessive sleepiness or insomnia.<\/p>\n<p>Other groups of people who are at risk for biological rhythm disturbances include people who often travel across time zones or live in areas with fewer hours of daylight than the Arctic Circle.<\/p>\n<h2>Optimal working day<\/h2>\n<p>The human brain is most active between 10 am and 3 pm. Perhaps many of you have noticed that during this time you achieve the greatest success in work and study. Research shows that within this time frame, we are in the mood that is best suited for making the right choices, solving multifaceted problems, and dealing with difficult social situations.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The productivity-enhancing phase starts at 10 a.m. and peaks at around noon.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>During these few hours, your brain is working at maximum efficiency. Your attention, working memory and mood are at the highest level. In the afternoon, the brain begins to slowly slow down. This is a good enough reason not to waste an hour of peak performance on a long lunch. The fact is that a long lunch break is not consistent with the circadian rhythm.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Our research showed that when people worked at lunchtime or were content with a quick lunch, their productivity increased so much that the amount of work, which usually took 8 hours, they completed in 7 hours.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>By the end of the day, the brain gets tired, so we cannot cope with difficult tasks as well as in the morning. This trend is exacerbated by two factors that most people are exposed to. As we have said, the lack of sleep the previous night increases the need for sleep that increases during the next day. This is why if you don't get enough sleep at night, your brain will begin to feel this pressure by noon. In addition, studies show that for 1-2 hours after a hearty meal, you will be overcome by drowsiness. If you are used to taking a lunch break between noon and 1 pm, you have probably noticed that by about 3 pm your attention and mood begin to wane. However, if you optimize your morning and afternoon schedules, you will have done all the work by then.<\/p>\n<p>When sleep deprivation and a heavy meal are causing a particularly bad afternoon slump, you can try to deal with the situation with a snack. However, as we discussed in the section on positive and negative reinforcements.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that unhealthy, sugar-laden treats will only cause a short burst of energy, and very soon the feeling of hunger will play out with renewed vigor. And then, in order to hold out until dinner, you may need another helping of sweets. This is why these tactics are only successful for a very short time and ultimately lead to the opposite result.<\/p>\n<p>If you need to cheer up in the afternoon, don't crave sweets. Instead, drink a glass of water or a cup of hot decaffeinated tea, or refresh yourself with some fruit or a handful of nuts. A glass of water is the best option because it aligns with the circadian rhythm of hydration, which requires that we drink water regularly throughout the day. Unfortunately, many people neglect this requirement because they don't know that fatigue in the afternoon is a sure sign of dehydration. Try drinking a glass of water and you will feel an amazingly powerful burst of energy without loading the body with additional amounts of completely empty calories. Get into the habit of drinking water regularly and you'll never want to reach for a donut at 3pm again.<\/p>\n<p>Other common causes of fatigue include working in a windowless room and performing monotonous tasks. Break your day apart with a short walk in the fresh air. This will help you hold out until the end of the day. Even the simplest stretching exercises can help you stay focused. Perform them every hour without leaving your workplace.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes people return to work after dinner or stay late at the office. You probably know such people, or even you yourself are one of them. They equate their willingness to spend as much time in the office as possible and their high value as an employee. However, there are two things to note in your circadian rhythm that significantly reduce your evening productivity. First, during this time your natural need for sleep increases, and for alertness decreases. Secondly, you have to work in dimmer light than during the daytime, and dim light has a specific effect on the brain: it literally clouds your mind in order to deprive the brain of the ability to think clearly. No matter how hard you try, you still can't get your brain to learn and work optimally late at night.<\/p>\n<h2>Avoid the light at night<\/h2>\n<p>The synthesis of the sleep hormone melatonin slows down and stops under the influence of the blue and green spectrum of light during the dark period of the day. As a solution, scientists have invented special red glasses for use before going to bed, they protect the retina of the eye from unwanted color spectra. The design contains side filters, thanks to which the eyes are protected from rays from all sides.<\/p>\n<p>But even these glasses do not completely solve the problem, since the red light penetrating through them also affects the activity of the brain. Studies have confirmed that the reduction in melatonin production to a greater or lesser extent occurs under the influence of rays of any spectrum. In this connection, it was concluded that any lighting in the period after sunset has a negative effect on the body.<\/p>\n<p>It is optimal to go to bed immediately after sunset, but in the realities of the modern world, few people can adhere to such a regime. These recommendations will help reduce the negative effects of night lighting:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>use special red glasses every day from the moment of dusk until bedtime, or at least two hours before bedtime;<\/li>\n<li>set the light mode on the monitor, TV and gadgets without blue-green colors. Many smartphone manufacturers have taken care of the circadian rhythms of their consumer and added night mode to the starting functionality. If the function is not preinstalled, then it can be obtained by downloading a special application;<\/li>\n<li>avoid the &#8220;light bomb&#8221; effect. It explodes in a person's head every time he leaves a darkened bedroom and turns on a bright light in the closet or kitchen. So that natural needs do not become the cause of a malfunction in the production of melatonin, it is worth getting a dim night light or installing special orange bulbs instead of traditional lamps, their brightness is much lower;<\/li>\n<li>get blackout curtains. City dwellers also have to struggle with street lighting that enters the house through the windows. High-density curtains or blinds will protect it from it; with the right choice, they will not let a single ray from the street through and create pitch darkness in the room;<\/li>\n<li>put on a mask over your eyes. Melatonin production can be disrupted even by a dim light from a nightlight or the subtle backlight of an electronic clock. An eye mask will protect you from indoor light sources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A small amount of light may be sufficient to disrupt sleep-wake cycles. Studies have shown that only 5 lux of light can cause changes in food preferences. Exposed to this light at night, the mice began to choose higher-calorie and fatty foods, which caused an increase in body weight. 5 lux is a very low level, in comparison the brightness of daylight is about 50 thousand lux. It follows from this that it is especially important for overweight people to think about sleep hygiene. Also at risk are those who are prone to insomnia.<\/p>\n<p>People with light eyes suffer more from night lighting, they are more susceptible to the blue spectrum of light. Dark brown, dark green and black irises reduce the intensity of the negative effects of light at night.<\/p>\n<h2>Treating Circadian Rhythm Disruption<\/h2>\n<p>Circadian rhythm disorders are treated after diagnosis. The goal of the treatment is to return the human body to normal operation, restore the work of its biological clock. The main and most common treatment for circadian rhythm disorder is bright light therapy or chronotherapy. Bright light therapy is used to restore the normal functioning of the human body, to adjust the work of its internal biological clock. This technique gives significant results for people who have disturbed circadian rhythms of sleep.<\/p>\n<h2>Distribute daily calories<\/h2>\n<p>Most of the calorie content of the daily diet should be in the first half of the day. Following this principle has several benefits. If no more than 15% of calories are consumed at dinner, and the main part is evenly distributed between daily meals, then normalizing metabolism will allow the body to burn 6% more fat. If you forget to eat during the day and replenish the energy balance after sunset, then the internal biorhythms will be upset, there will be problems with sleep and lack of appetite in the morning. The interval between dinner and breakfast should not exceed 12-14 hours.<\/p>\n<h2>How do circadian rhythms affect the body? Basic properties<\/h2>\n<p>Circadian rhythms in humans not only affect sleep cycles, but are also responsible for the production of certain hormones that are responsible for physical and mental activity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also, these processes affect:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>body temperature;<\/li>\n<li>the speed and intensity of metabolism of various substances in the body;<\/li>\n<li>detoxification of the body and autophagy of cells (at night);<\/li>\n<li>the intensity of digestion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>QI deviation symptoms<\/h2>\n<p>The circadian index is not a diagnosis or even a manifestation of a pathological process. We are talking about the instrumental result, a specially calculated indicator. Therefore, it is incorrect to talk about the clinical picture.<\/p>\n<p>It is necessary to consider the pathological process that is behind this diagnostic finding, and there are many of them.<\/p>\n<h3>Heart rhythm disorders<\/h3>\n<p>Usually by the type of bradycardia of varying severity. From a slight drop in heart rate, which the patient does not even feel, to a critical level leading to Morgagni-Adams-Stokes attacks.<\/p>\n<p>Usually we are talking about heart failure, heart attack, cardiomyopathy and other abnormalities, including defects.<\/p>\n<h3>Dyspnea<\/h3>\n<p>Against the background of peace. After physical activity, it increases several times. In the supine position, it can result in asphyxiation and death of the patient.<\/p>\n<p>Usually, such a severe manifestation is observed in the decompensated phase of heart failure.<\/p>\n<h3>Pain in the chest<\/h3>\n<p>Slight to moderate in strength. It manifests itself at the end of intense physical activity. Similar to that of angina pectoris.<\/p>\n<p>Pressing or burning pains, spreading in character. They appear after activity, pass in a matter of minutes.<\/p>\n<h3>Cough<\/h3>\n<p>For no apparent reason. It is impossible to exclude pulmonary etiology &#8220;by eye&#8221;. It is necessary to conduct at least an X-ray, only then there are chances to delimit pathological processes.<\/p>\n<p>The symptom intensifies after physical exertion, is not relieved by bronchodilators. It is combined with shortness of breath and asphyxia. It continues almost constantly, does not leave the patient for a minute.<\/p>\n<h3>Extrasystole<\/h3>\n<p>Changing the intervals between each successive heart beat. The essence of this state is the appearance of extraordinary contractions at the time of relaxation of the cardiac structures (diastole).<\/p>\n<p>Singles are not dangerous. But against the background of a decrease in the circadian index, group, paired extrasystoles (bigeminia) come to the fore. They pose a great threat to the patient's life. An urgent relief of the condition is necessary.<\/p>\n<h2>Take care of your AMP level<\/h2>\n<p>Adenosine monophosphate is a substance that mediates signaling into cells. Some hormones, such as adrenaline, cannot penetrate the cell membrane; AMP transmits commands from them, helping to restore circadian rhythms. Disorders in the production of AMP can be caused by the development of cancer and the use of certain drugs to reduce body weight, steroid drugs. Physical activity, especially in the morning, helps increase the production of an important substance.<\/p>\n<h2>Come out in the morning in the sun<\/h2>\n<p>The habit of going outside under the first rays of the morning sun will be very beneficial. This is a powerful stimulus for circadian rhythms, getting them to work properly all day long. Residents of northern latitudes are recommended to postpone their stay on the street for the period from 12 to 14 days and spend at least half an hour under the sun. If there is no opportunity to go out into the sun in the morning, then bright lighting at home can become an external stimulus. In winter, disruptions in the production of melatonin occur much more often than in summer, and therefore more frequent cases of insomnia and other manifestations of desynchronization of biorhythms. The reason is the lack of sunlight.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/07a03be99b6e295e005d4117618a37da-1.png\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-bGlnaHRib3g=\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"\"  title=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"SDStudio-light-box-enable SDStudio-editor-tools-md-imp\" src=\"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/07a03be99b6e295e005d4117618a37da-1.png\" alt=\"What are circadian rhythms and how to set your own &quot;biological clock&quot;. Circadian rhythms: what they are and how they affect our lives\" ><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How do doctors diagnose biological rhythm disturbances?<\/h2>\n<p>Diagnosis of biological rhythm disturbances is usually the subject of careful medical history examination. The doctor will ask you questions, which may include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When did you first notice your symptoms?<\/li>\n<li>Are there activities that make your symptoms worse?<\/li>\n<li>How do your symptoms affect you?<\/li>\n<li>What medications do you take?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The doctor may also want to rule out other conditions, such as blood sugar abnormalities, that can cause similar symptoms of a mood disorder.<\/p>\n<h2>Optimal light &#8211; optimal productivity<\/h2>\n<p>For much of human history, our ancestors spent most of the day outdoors, exposed to natural daylight. Even in the shade of a tree or cloud, they still received a large amount of light, the brightness of which was measured in thousands of lux. During the daytime, the illumination of an open space usually varies between a thousand lux (in cloudy weather) and 200 thousand lux (in the desert, when the sun is at its zenith). In a windowless office, lighting is typically 80 to 100 lux; in a living space with the overhead light on, it can be as little as 50 lux. The diagram below gives you a fairly clear idea of \u200b\u200bthe amount of light in different types of buildings and how light relates to our circadian rhythm and mood.<\/p>\n<p>Most people these days spend more than 87 percent of their time indoors; in open spaces, we are on average only 2 1\u20442 hours a day, and half of this period occurs after sunset. The lighting conditions in our rooms can have a devastating effect on our circadian rhythm and impair our mood. However, we know that when it comes to enhancing memory and improving learning and working efficiency, we need to pay particular attention to lighting conditions. Nature has created circadian rhythms so that we can adapt to natural cycles of light and darkness. The brain needs light to turn on all of its functions.<\/p>\n<p>The amount of light that affects us in different conditions<\/p>\n<p>When you wake up, melanopsin catches the bright light entering your eye and tells your brain that it's time to stop synthesizing the sleep hormone melatonin and start increasing the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which will help you feel alert and ready to start a new day. In addition, bright morning light synchronizes your brain clock with daylight, after which your circadian learning rhythm begins to increase and a few hours later you reach your optimal level of productivity.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>We know that increased exposure to light leads to improved mood. We also know that a good mood improves productivity.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Does this mean that increased light leads to increased productivity? Scientific evidence fully supports this assumption. Researchers have found that bright indoor light during the daytime improves mood, alertness and productivity.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of where you live, you should not limit the effect on the body of natural light, as in this case, the likelihood of a deterioration in mood and difficulties in making good decisions increases. The fact is that too long daily exposure to artificial lighting violates the circadian code: the intensity of lighting at work and at home can rarely be compared with natural light, even on the most cloudy day. However, lighting conditions at work or in a study room can be optimized by simulating daylight. It's even better if you spend some time in natural light early in the morning.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>To overcome sleepiness, synchronize your clocks, lift your mood, and feel happy and productive throughout the day, you need at least an hour of exposure to daylight.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It can be done outdoors, in the car, or sitting by the window &#8211; wherever you can absorb at least a thousand lux of light.<\/p>\n<p>To get more daylight, you can have breakfast by the window or, weather permitting, outside. You can walk to work or college. Parents can drop their children off a few blocks from school so that they can be in natural daylight for at least 15-20 minutes before class starts. As they say, small changes lead to big results.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, it's best to be in natural light in the morning, but even getting a little outdoors at any time of the day is better than nothing. If you or your child has the opportunity to eat lunch outdoors, either in the cafeteria or in the kitchen, which has large windows that let in a lot of light, that is better than nothing. However, we are not able to accumulate and store the light affecting us in order to use it at other times of the day. Daylight must be available during the day when we need it in order to maintain alertness and learning ability.<\/p>\n<p>When indoors, always try to sit next to the largest window. On a good day, this can provide you with 2 to 5 thousand lux of light, but if you move a couple of meters away from the window, the light intensity can decrease to 500 lux. And if the windows are covered with curtains or blinds, then you will receive only 100 lux (or less) of natural light. As you know, the brightest LED lamp provides illumination of only one thousand lux.<\/p>\n<p>The idea is that we need to increase the light intensity during wakefulness (mainly during daylight hours) and decrease it (especially in the blue part of the spectrum) late in the evening and at night (or at least during the 8-9 hour period for sleep). But if a couple of decades ago, almost the only light sources in our homes were electric bulbs, today we are significantly affected by the glow of the displays of numerous digital devices. This is why dimming digital devices is becoming an important aspect of a lighting control strategy to benefit circadian rhythms. Research shows that when you are using a computer or tablet, the amount of light received from a normal display in 1-2 hours is enough to suppress evening melatonin synthesis and disrupt sleep. However, new technologies appear on the market that automatically reduce the brightness or color saturation of the displays of computers and smartphones at a set time. You can use these settings to mitigate the negative effects of light emitted by these devices on your circadian rhythms at night.<\/p>\n<p>If you need to work late at night, adjust the lighting. You will be more productive when you use work lighting that only shines on the work surface and does not directly affect your eyes as with overhead or horizontal lighting.<\/p>\n<p>But the most important thing is not to let your work interfere with your sleep patterns. Fatigue and high productivity are incompatible things.<\/p>\n<h2>Sleep in a cool room<\/h2>\n<p>The high temperature of the air in the room causes an increase in body temperature, this is one of the reasons for the disorder in biological rhythms. The bedroom should be cool, but not cold, the optimal mode is 18 degrees. Airing your home before bed is a good habit.<\/p>\n<h2>Reasons for failures<\/h2>\n<p>Our internal biological clock is synchronized with the brain: the light caught by the eyes coordinates the work of the body with the regime of day and night. By the way, for this reason, many people are so hard on the jetlet, that is, changing time zones. In order for the body to tune in to a new cycle, it takes at least a week.<\/p>\n<p>However, there is another enemy &#8211; artificial lighting. Bright light destabilizes clock proteins, causing circadian rhythms to malfunction. It seems to the brain that it is a day in the yard, which means that there is no need to produce melatonin to prepare the body for bedtime.<\/p>\n<p>It has been proven that if a person reads an e-book or checks social networks on their smartphone before going to bed, they fall asleep slowly. He wakes up with difficulty even if he slept for 8-9 hours. This is due to the fact that the body could not prepare for sleep and adjust all systems to a &#8220;rest mode&#8221;.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The daily rhythms reflect the close relationship of the organism with its environment. To keep the clock from getting lost, you need to observe &#8220;light hygiene&#8221;, including bright lights in the morning and not &#8220;sitting up&#8221; at the computer or smartphone after midnight.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Thanks to this, it will be possible to debug the subtle mechanisms of self-regulation, which were debugged during the centuries-old evolution of man as a species.<\/p>\n<h2>Regime and excess weight<\/h2>\n<p>At the moment, the research has only been done in mice, but science recognizes the results as compelling. With the same caloric intake, animals that ate in the dark were more prone to gaining excess weight. Moreover, their physical activity was not lower than that of those mice that received food during daylight hours.<\/p>\n<p>As the reason, the researchers cited a shift in metabolic cycles caused by changes in orexin synthesis. This substance is a neurotransmitter and is involved in energy metabolism. In the human body, orexin plays an equally important role. This is supported by statistics showing that working night shifts increases the risk of obesity. The point is the disorder of the circadian rhythms of a person, which will definitely happen if you do not sleep regularly at night.<\/p>\n<h2>What can I do at home to reduce biological rhythm disturbances?<\/h2>\n<p>Understanding biological rhythm disturbances can help you identify when you may need to cope with energy dips and daytime sleepiness. Examples of steps you can take at home to combat changes in biological rhythms include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid substances that can interfere with sleep before bed. These can include caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.<\/li>\n<li>Drink very cold drinks such as iced tea or water.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain a regular sleep schedule whenever possible.<\/li>\n<li>Take a walk in the fresh air during daylight hours.<\/li>\n<li>Take a short 10-15 minute &#8220;power&#8221; sleep.<\/li>\n<li>Turn on more lights in your home during the day. Conversely, turning off the lights or turning them off at night can increase sleepiness.<\/li>\n<li>For night shifts, it takes your body about three to four nights to adjust. Try to schedule your shifts in succession if possible. This will reduce the time it takes to &#8220;train&#8221; your body for night shifts. Working more than four 12-hour night shifts in a row can be detrimental.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is important to remember that your biological rhythms are designed to protect you. They signal when it's time to rest. And they help you be your most productive morning and early evening. You will benefit most in your daily life when your biological rhythms are in sync.<\/p>\n<p>Sources used and useful links on the topic: <a href=\"https:\/\/healthperfect.ru\/tsirkadnye-ritmy-u-cheloveka.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https:\/\/healthperfect.ru\/tsirkadnye-ritmy-u-cheloveka.html<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/cardiogid.com\/tsirkadnyj-indeks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https:\/\/CardioGid.com\/tsirkadnyj-indeks\/<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/travart.ru\/tsirkadnye-ritmy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https:\/\/travart.ru\/tsirkadnye-ritmy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/zason.ru\/tsirkadnye-ritmy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https: \/\/zason.ru\/tsirkadnye-ritmy\/<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/fb.ru\/article\/191390\/chto-takoe-tsirkadnyiy-ritm-tsirkadnyie-ritmyi-i-ih-narusheniya\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https:\/\/FB.ru\/article\/191390\/chto-takoe-tsirkadnyiy-ritm-tsirkadnyie-ritmyi-i-ih-narusheniya<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/theoryandpractice.ru\/posts\/17619-zavtrakat-u-okna-v-odno-i-to-zhe-vremya-kak-ispolzovat-tsirkadnye-ritmy-dlya-bolshey-produktivnosti\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https:\/\/theoryandpractice.ru\/posts\/17619 -zavtrakat-u-okna-v-odno-i-to-zhe-vremya-kak-ispolzovat-tsirkadnye-ritmy-dlya-bolshey-produktivnosti<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/zen.yandex.com\/media\/fiteria\/cirkadnye-ritmy-cheloveka-kak-oni-rabotaiut-5f4033b0a4a5c75d26ac5251\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" class=\"external external_icon\">https:\/\/zen.yandex.com\/media\/fiteria\/cirkadnye-ritmy- cheloveka-kak-oni-rabotaiut-5f4033b0a4a5c75d26ac5251<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"PostUnique_PostSource\" style=\"padding-top: 50px\">Post source:  <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" href=\"\/\/lastici.ru\" class=\"external external_icon\">lastici.ru<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Circadian rhythms, daily circulation of energy in organs and how to live in synchronization with natural rhythms. Biorhythms &#8211; a healthy lifestyle<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":391210,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[328,318,174,151,251,163,405],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-320104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-men","category-for-women","category-health","category-lifehacks","category-miscellaneous","category-research","category-rest"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320104\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/391210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inform.com.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}