Take your health into your own hands

Take your health into your own hands

Take your health into your own hands

Circadian rhythm: how our bodies self-regulate

ritmo-circadiano-scaled

What is thebest time to conduct activitiesà physics? What about going to sleep? Resting in the early afternoon is ahealthy habit? Questions to which he canò give an answer the knowledge of our biological clock or, rather, circadian rhythm, which in chronobiology è a 24-hour rhythm.

The lemma “circadian” is borrowed from the Latin language and is the union of two words: circa and diem which translated stand for “around the day.” According to scientists at McGill University and Concordia University, the circadian rhythm would be regulated by light-activated brain action and would be linked to the habits of each individual. It is the stimuli that come from outside, thus, primarily sunlight and environmental temperature, that modify and regulate the circadian rhythm, that is, the tuning to the natural succession of day and night, which is precisely a 24-hour cycle. This rhythm is then calibrated according to each person’s individual characteristics and thus gender, age, hormonal fluctuations. Any change in this cycle would lead to problems related to insomnia, sleepiness, lack of attention and concentration, and poor mood. Annoyances of no small magnitude, which go to affect the state of our body’s health and the way we cope with daily activities. Today’s society and the current lifestyle that the vast majority of the population follows lead us to think that we can prolong each day’s actions well into the night, failing to perceive that we are actually fatiguing the physical body, which needs to regenerate itself according to the routines proper to the circadian rhythm.

What component regulates our biological clock?

This is a collection of cells in the brain, the so-called suprachiasmatic nucleus, which resides in the hypothalamus. This complex, thanks to sunlight-sensitive cells located in the retina of the eye, picks up information about the level of external brightness, thereby adapting the body’s biological rhythm over the 24 hours of the day. According to the scanning of this cycle, there are activities and actions to be taken at specific times of the day in order to have full respect for the biological clock according to the circadian rhythm precisely. Let us consider the various phases that govern our daily life.

We usually get up in the morning in a 6 to 8 a.m. time slot, at a time when the body stops producing melatonin (sleep-regulating hormone) to increase cortisol (causes a state of alertness). However, if the mind is already projected to the office, the body is not of the same opinion because, especially in winter, the darkness and low temperatures outside invite the body to rest again. This is why it is not recommended to do intense physical exercises as soon as you wake up. Once it kicks in, however, cortisol peaks and, until lunchtime, concentration levels are at their highest: this is the ideal time of day for performing demanding office tasks, those activities that require mnemonic effort and special attention. After that, drowsiness due to the digestive phase takes over: the body focuses precisely on this process, and the production of orexin, a protein essential for maintaining an adequate waking condition, is temporarily suspended. Those who have the opportunity can safely rest or engage in light activities that do not involve special attention. Absolutely not recommended to sleep instead in the 3 to 6 p.m. time slot, when it is good to devote oneself to bodily well-being by engaging in sports activities. It is during this period that the heart and lungs work most effectively: the muscles are most toned, and so it is ideal to focus on exercises that require some manual dexterity; not just the gym, but also DIY for example. At the end of the time devoted to sports and chores, we sit down at the table for dinner: it is best to feed ourselves with foods that are not too caloric, thus with dishes low in fats and sugars that the organs have more difficulty digesting as we approach the time of night rest. Do not recommend large binges then. According to studies conducted by Professor Stachin Panda of the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, meals should be taken between 8 and 10 hours during the day-this would improve metabolic health. Therefore, ideally, the last meal should be eaten not too late. When finished eating, the
brain
begins to produce melatonin, to promote sleep: a particular bodily process begins, in which the physique prepares for rest; in the time slot up to midnight, it is not advisable to engage in intense physical activities that cause an increase in heart rate, and it is also inadvisable to linger in front of bright screens, from smartphones, to tablets and computers because the brightness of such devices affects melatonin production. Once in bed, the body and its organs relax, and the brain eliminates the day’s toxins; those who are awake in the midnight to 3 a.m. time slot are unable to achieve high levels of concentration and alertness; the alertness threshold is minimized. Obviously, it is not recommended to apply oneself to activities that require a major mental commitment. The latter part of the day, which extends until the time of awakening, sees the body temperature at its lowest, while melatonin production is slowly decreasing to allow awakening. Better not to engage in physical activities and spend these moments on recovering energy to face a new day the next day.

Our body is a wonderful machine that regularly follows its own biological clock, marked by the circadian rhythm. Following these small directions will only benefit the mental and physical well-being of our bodies and minds, respecting the rhythms suggested by nature as much as possible.

Source: Ilaria Cofanelli of Crudostyle

FEATURED SPECIALISTS

  • Profile picture of Dott. Sandro Morganti
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Orthopedists, Basic Doctors, Osteopaths

    • Via Foligno 6 - Roma
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dott.ssa Ilaria Berto
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Basic Doctors, Acupuncturists, Aesthetic Doctors

    • Via Antonio Corradini 1 - Este
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dott. Flavio Della Croce
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Psychotherapists, Basic Doctors

    • Via Sacconi 1 - Borgonovo Val Tidone
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dr. Squillante Gianni Erminio
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Acupuncturists, Homeopathic Medicine, Basic Doctors

    • Via Monterotondo 14 - Roma
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dr. Francesca Marceddu
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Anesthesiologists, Basic Doctors

    • Via del Risorgimento 49 - Pirri
    phone

RELATED ARTICLES

Omega 3 saves heart

Two large studies presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2018 and published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine save lives Monza, Nov. 11, 2018 The Omega

Sunscreens: fda proposes new safety rules

The Food and Drug Administration (Fda) has issued a plan – long overdue – to update product regulations for the protection sunscreen marketed in the United States. The move could

Lumbago (back pain) as a sign of other diseases

Low back pain (Lumbalgia) is a very common symptom in the population that may depend on bad habits or inappropriate lifestyles, but sometimes it can also be a warning sign for some diseases that may choose to target just the spine and more specifically the lumbar area.

Free from Meningitis

On Saturday, October 20, the conference “Free from Meningitis” was held in Rome. Speakers included Piercarlo Salari, a pediatric specialist surgeon and head of the SIPPS parenting support working group,

RELATED PATHOLOGIES

Liver cancer

Several types of tumors can form in the liver. The most common type of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma, which begins in hepatocytes, the main type of liver cells. Other

Neurovegetative dystonia

If you have the patience to interview a family doctor whose outpatient clinic is always very crowded, you will find that a good portion of patients are afflicted with a

Tetanus

Tetanus is a disease caused by Clostridium tetani, a gram-positive, anaerobic, sporigenic bacterium that enters the body through a wound and leads to systemic manifestations through a toxin (exotoxin). WHO

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a pathological process that leads to the progressive formation of localized deposits composed mainly of fat and cholesterol and platelets (atheromas or atherosclerotic plaques) within the walls of

Abdominal hernia

An abdominal hernia occurs when a viscera or part of a viscera leaks out of the abdominal cavity where it is contained, due to the weakening of one of the

Trigeminal neuralgia

The trigeminal nerve is the fifth of the twelve pairs of cranial nerves in the head; it is the nerve responsible for providing sensation to the face. One trigeminal nerve

Intestinal polyposis

Polyps are abnormal growths of tissue protruding to a mucous tonaca; they are pathological growths that, in the intestines, form especially in the colon and rectum. For the most part,

Bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma is a chronic respiratory disease brought about by persistent inflammation of the airways, particularly the bronchi, which generates hypersensitivity to a variety of stimuli that, when present, result

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a clot (thrombus) forms within a vein and completely or partially occludes it, blocking or restricting blood flow in that vessel. In principle, any

Cataracts

Cataract is an eye condition brought about by opacification of the lens of the eye, the lens that is passed through by light directed to the retina and essential for

FEATURED SPECIALISTS

  • Profile picture of Dr. Monica Gamba
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Aesthetic Doctors, Plastic Surgeons, Basic Doctors

    • Viale Radich 21/N - Grugliasco
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dr. Giovanni Arrichiello
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Gynecologists, Basic Doctors

    • Corso Regina Margherita 260 - Torino
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dott.ssa Anna Puccio
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Gynecologists, Basic Doctors

    • Via Vincenzo Ponsati 69 - Volvera
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dott.ssa Emanuela Costantino
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    • Via Gallinara 2/B - Cagliari
    phone
  • Profile picture of Dr. Domenico D'Angelo
    active 4 years, 7 months ago

    Otolaryngologists, Basic Doctors, Competent Doctor

    • Via Pola 5 - San Prisco
    phone
NUTRITION AND DIET
 
NATURE, SPORTS, PLACES
 
CULTIVATING HEALTH
 
MENOPAUSE
 
MOM IN SHAPE
 
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
 
HEART SURGERY
 
MEDICINES AND MEDICAL DEVICES
 
PARENTING
 
THE CULTURE OF HEALTH
 
HEALTH UTILITIES
 
GENERAL MEDICINE
 
NATURAL MEDICINE, THERMAL
 
MIND AND BRAIN
 
NEUROVEGETATIVE DYSTONIA
 
WAYS OF BEING
 
HEALTH AND SOCIETY
 
HEALTHCARE AND PATIENTS
 
SEXUALITY
 
OLDER AGE
 
CANCERS
 
EMERGENCIES
 
NUTRITION AND DIET
 
NATURE, SPORTS, PLACES
 
CULTIVATING HEALTH
 
MENOPAUSE
 
MOM IN SHAPE
 
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
 
HEART SURGERY
 
MEDICINES AND MEDICAL DEVICES
 
PARENTING
 
THE CULTURE OF HEALTH
 
HEALTH UTILITIES
 
GENERAL MEDICINE
 
NATURAL MEDICINE, THERMAL
 
MIND AND BRAIN
 
NEUROVEGETATIVE DYSTONIA
 
WAYS OF BEING
 
HEALTH AND SOCIETY
 
HEALTHCARE AND PATIENTS
 
SEXUALITY
 
OLDER AGE
 
CANCERS
 
EMERGENCIES
 
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
 
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
 
UROGENITAL SYSTEM
 
HEART AND CIRCULATION
 
SKIN
 
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
 
EYES
 
EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT
 
BONES AND LIGAMENTS
 
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
 
NERVOUS SYSTEM
 
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
 
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
 
UROGENITAL SYSTEM
 
HEART AND CIRCULATION
 
SKIN
 
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
 
EYES
 
EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT
 
BONES AND LIGAMENTS
 
ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
 
NERVOUS SYSTEM
 

your advertising
exclusively ON
MY SPECIAL DOCTOR

complete the form and you will be contacted by one of our managers