Circadian Rhythm

Circadian Rhythm is the regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs and stimuli, hormone secretion, sleeping, feeding, etc. This rhythm seems to be set by a 'biological clock' which seems to be set by recurring daylight and darkness.

How Does the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) Control Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythms are biological cycles within organisms that allow them to adjust their physiology and behavior to anticipate and adapt to changes in the outside environment. Circadian rhythms are maintained with the help of circadian clocks, the main circadian clock in mammals is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

Circadian Rhythm

Circadian Rhythm and Weight Loss

Artificial Light Exposure and Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythm length variations - early birds and night owls

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

Social Jetlag and Sleep

How Does Airplane Travel Affect the Human Body?

The Circadian Rhythm and the Immune System

Memory Recall and Circadian Rhythm

Latest Circadian Rhythm News and Research

Researchers develop less invasive genetic tools to understand cellular activity

Graduate student Ubadah Sabbagh placed a cold glass slide on the microscope. It was getting late and the lab was quiet.

24 Jun 2020

Sleep deprivation reduces positive feelings

Sleeping less than normal impacts how we feel the next morning.

22 Jun 2020

Sleeping less than normal can reduce positive feelings

"Not in the sense that we have more negative feelings, like being down or depressed. But participants in our study experienced a flattening of emotions when they slept less than normal. They felt less joy, enthusiasm, attention and fulfilment," says Associate Professor Ingvild Saksvik-Lehouillier at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's (NTNU) Department of Psychology.

18 Jun 2020

Irregular circadian rhythm in older adults associated with increased risk of Parkinson's disease

Older men who have a weak or irregular circadian rhythm guiding their daily cycles of rest and activity are more likely to later develop Parkinson's disease, according to a new study by scientists at the UC San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences who analyzed 11 years of data for nearly 3,000 independently living older men.

15 Jun 2020

Researchers identify link between methylation and the body's circadian rhythms

Every second of every day, countless biochemical reactions take place in our bodies' cells. The organization of this complex system is the result of billions of years of evolution, fine-tuning our functions since the first primordial organisms.

12 Jun 2020

Recipients of 2020 Sleep Research Society awards announced

The Sleep Research Society has selected three outstanding sleep and circadian scientists as recipients of the 2020 Sleep Research Society awards, which recognize excellence in sleep and circadian research.

12 Apr 2020

Scientists demonstrate importance of aligning internal circadian clock with day-night cycles

Timing is everything. A fresh example supporting the old saying has been found in connection with the systems regulated by biological clocks.

8 Apr 2020

Study identifies three unknown genetic mechanisms that cause myopia

Three previously unknown genetic mechanisms have been discovered in causing myopia otherwise known as short or near-sightedness, finds a new study.

1 Apr 2020

Teen marijuana use associated with insomnia later on

Smoke a lot of weed as a teenager, and when you reach adulthood you'll be more likely to have trouble falling or staying asleep, according to a new University of Colorado Boulder study of more than 2,000 twins.

31 Mar 2020

Neurotensinergic neurons in the brainstem regulate non-REM sleep

Mammals experience rapid eye movement and non-REM sleep. While the hypothalamus and brainstem are known to be a critical regulators of sleep, the precise mechanism is not fully understood.

23 Mar 2020

Drosophila flies lose long-term memory of traumatic event when kept in the dark, study shows

Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered that Drosophila flies lose long-term memory of a traumatic event when kept in the dark, the first confirmation of environmental light playing a role in LTM maintenance.

14 Mar 2020

Irregular sleep could be linked to poor cardiovascular health

A new study from the researchers at the Brigham and Women's Hospital has revealed that irregular sleep patterns could be adversely affecting the cardiovascular health of an individual. Their study titled, "Actigraphy-measured Sleep Regularity and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis," was published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2 Mar 2020

Later school start times associated with drop in vehicle crashes involving teen drivers

A study published online as an accepted paper in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that later school start times were associated with a significant drop in vehicle accidents involving teen drivers.

18 Feb 2020

Targeting one's internal clock could prevent or slow breast cancer progression

City of Hope scientists have identified an unlikely way to potentially prevent or slow the progression of aggressive breast cancer: target one's internal clock.

13 Feb 2020

Novel melatonin receptor molecules potentially address circadian rhythm disturbances

Like breathing or blinking, behaviors regulated by our circadian rhythms, such as digestion and sleep-wake cycles, go unnoticed by most people.

10 Feb 2020

Shift workers at increased risk for sleep disorders and metabolic syndrome

Shift workers are at a significantly increased risk for sleep disorders and metabolic syndrome, which increases a person's risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

3 Feb 2020

Researchers receive $1 million grant to study effects of bacteria on the brain

With a $1 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation, neuroscience researchers at Washington State University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst will explore whether variations in brain levels of bacterial fragments can account for life's sleep/wake and 24-hour cycles, known as circadian rhythms.

3 Feb 2020

Fat cells can sense light, not getting enough raises risk of metabolic diseases

All life forms need sunlight to survive and not getting enough may impact health and well-being. There is a growing body of evidence that getting enough sunlight can promote optimum health. A new study supports this claim as scientists found that fat cells deep in the skin can detect sunlight and not getting enough can increase the risk of metabolic disruption.

21 Jan 2020

Circadian clock genes are involved in healing from surgery, study shows

If you have just had knee, shoulder or hip surgery, you may want to take anti-inflammatories in the morning or at noon, but not at night.

21 Jan 2020

Blue light exposure therapy can aid in healing people with mTBI

Early morning blue light exposure therapy can aid the healing process of people impact by mild traumatic brain injury, according to new research from the University of Arizona.

16 Jan 2020