The Chemistry Behind the Disruption of the Body’s Circadian Symphony
There’s a pattern that our body follows, based on a 24-hour day. It’s called the Circadian Rhythm. As a matter of fact, the Circadian Rhythm tells our body when to sleep and when to wake up.
This rhythm also influences other essential processes in our system, such as hormones, digestion, and our temperature. Now, you might be having a question: how does it work, and how does it get disrupted?
Well, in this blog, we will explore various aspects that cause disruption to our body’s Circadian rhythm. At the same time, we will also explore how exactly it works.
Circadian Rhythm: How Does it Work?
The circadian rhythm in your body ensures optimal performance of your body’s processes at different points during 24 hours of the day. In Latin, “Circadian” means “around or approximately a day,” or a colloquial of two words, “circa” and “diem.”
Your circadian rhythm creates a harmony between the physical and mental systems of your body. The most prominent example is your endocrine system, which controls hormones like cortisol for energy, and your digestive system generates proteins to align with the timing of your meals.
The circadian rhythm also connects to an internal clock inside your brain. This internal clock is in a group of cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The SCN works in a part of your brain, which is called the hypothalamus. Throughout the 24 hours, the internal clock genes in the SCN share signals to control every activity inside your body.
Did You Know?
Newborn babies don’t develop a circadian rhythm until they are a few months old. This is the main reason for their erratic sleep pattern in the first days, weeks, or months. In fact, the circadian rhythm starts developing inside a baby as they start experiencing changes to their bodies and adapt to their new surroundings.
Furthermore, as you progress into your teenage years and adulthood, you’ll experience a lot of changes in your circadian rhythm. As you turn 60, you may go to sleep earlier and become an early bird. Well, this is typically a part of aging.
Things That Affect or Disrupt Your Circadian Rhythm
Now, let’s come to the most important discussion that can affect our body’s internal work: disruption of the circadian rhythm. Factors that disrupt your circadian rhythm include:
- Food consumption
- Stress
- Physical activity
- Body Temperature
- Overnight or extra hours in the work shift.
- Travel
- Specific Medications
- Mental Health Concerns
- Neurotic Health Conditions
- Poor Sleeping Habits
These factors lead to various circadian rhythm disorders, including:
Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome:
If you are a nocturnal person, like a night owl, this type of syndrome is definitely going to affect you. It implies that you’ll wake up two or more hours late than other people.
Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder:
As compared to the ones dealing with the delayed sleep phase syndrome, this condition will make you sleep three or more hours before many people and then wake up very early. This condition is largely found in elderly patients who are suffering from dementia or other types of cognitive impairment.
Jet Lag:
Jet lag happens when you travel over more than three time zones by a flight. You may deal with insomnia, extreme tiredness, and other symptoms.
Shift Work Sleep Disorder:
This disorder happens when you’re working a job with unpredictable hours. It can cause insomnia, problems while being asleep, and ill-timed sleepiness.
Irregular Sleep-Wake Disorder:
This is the condition where your body cannot set a regular sleep and wake schedule.
What Will You Experience When Your Circadian Rhythm Gets Disrupted?
It is extremely essential to maintain your circadian rhythm. If you’re experiencing a disruption in your circadian rhythm and are unable to get enough sleep, you may end up developing some specific long-term and short-term health issues.
Short-term health problems caused by these disruptions can cause issues like:
- Delayed healing of wounds
- Hormonal changes
- Digestion issues
- Fluctuating body temperatures
- Fatigue
- Memory Loss
Meanwhile, long-term disruptions can affect different systems in your body, such as:
- Cardiovascular systems
- Metabolism
- Gastrointestinal systems
- Endocrine and Nervous Systems
How to Correct Your Circadian Rhythm?
A healthy 24-hour schedule can do wonders for your body. Certainly, it can help you in a major way to fix your circadian rhythm. We share with you some essential tips that will help you do so:
- Try to follow a daily routine.
- Go outside during the day to improve your sense of wakefulness. Such treatments that involve daylight usually happen in the morning. Plus, you should avoid chronic sleep deprivation, which can make things much worse.
- Indulge in some physical exercises.
- Promote a restful sleep environment.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, specifically in the evenings.
Furthermore, you need to limit your screen time before bedtime. In fact, lower exposure to blue light will improve your ability to sleep better. And, avoid taking a nap in the late afternoons or evenings, which will further lower your bedtime at night.
Final Words
The circadian rhythm of your body keeps you on a 24-hour clock. It helps you ensure a healthy sleep-wake schedule. The best way to maintain your circadian rhythm is to follow a healthy, active lifestyle that involves proper rest.
If you’re facing issues with your circadian rhythm and having problems with your sleep cycle, don’t hesitate to consult our healthcare experts at APEX31. Our homeopathic approach will help you ensure that you get proper sleep and feel energetic. Visit us now.
