![]() This includes our hormone levels, body temperature, and metabolism.Ĭardiovascular measures like heart rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, and blood pressure also vary throughout the day in sync with our internal clock. It’s closely linked to many other biological processes that affect our overall health and well-being.Īlmost every organ and the bodily system go through changes throughout the day that are in sync with our circadian rhythm. Interestingly, your circadian rhythm isn’t just for signaling sleep and wake times. Your circadian rhythm influences health, too This is why chronotherapies (like melatonin pills or lightboxes) that help adjust circadian rhythm have varying effects on people of different underlying chronotypes. For example, variations were found in the genes that controlled the retina (part of the eye that processes light) for various chronotypes. ![]() The interesting thing is seeing how environment and genetics interact to result in various chronotypes. While chronotype can change as we age (many trends towards the early-bird pattern), studies have shown that between one-fifth to half of our chronotype is determined at birth by our genes.Ĭonversely, darkness prompts the body to start producing the melatonin hormone, which prepares it for rest. Those that carried more "morning genes" woke up 25 minutes earlier on average compared to those with fewer of these genes. They analyzed the genetics of almost 700,000 participants and took self-reported sleep measurements along with activity data from wristband monitors. But in fact, a more recent 2019 study¹ by researchers from the University of Exeter and Massachusetts General Hospital identified 350+ different gene locations involved in circadian preferences. In the past, it was assumed that around 24 genes controlled your chronotype. However, recently it's become apparent that genes play a big role in determining if you're a morning or evening person. Many biological and environmental factors influence the timing of your circadian rhythm. We are all born with our own circadian rhythm, so one person might identify as more of a "morning person" and another as an "evening person." These circadian preferences, which fall along a continuum, are called "chronotypes." This inner rhythm is what makes us naturally sleepy or awake by a certain time, even if we don't look at the clock. Early bird or night owl? It may not be up to youĪround 20,000 nerve cells within a section of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus control our body's internal sleep-wake cycle - our 'circadian rhythm.' Our natural sleep orientation may be largely determined by our genes, and going against it may be counter-productive. ![]() However, research shows that it might not be up to us to decide whether we are morning or evening people. Given the value attached to rising early, many try to change their sleep habits to follow the morning lark pattern. ![]() Going to bed in the early hours of the morning and rising later in the day is more likely to be associated with laziness and poor discipline. On the other hand, 'night owls' can be judged more negatively by society. Given the day-oriented world we live in, early risers usually have the upper hand in these conversations.Įven the nickname 'early bird' references the old adage "the early bird catches the worm," which suggests a link between waking early, productivity, and success. Bringing up the topic of 'the best time to sleep' often leads to an emotionally charged discussion. ![]()
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