The Obesity Paradox and Circadian Rhythms in Heart Failure
Disrupting circadian rhythms, which change naturally on a 24-hour cycle, has been implicated in heart disease, but it is unclear how it leads to the…
Circadian Rhythm
Eating Daytime Meals May Reduce Health Risks Linked to Night Shift Work
A small clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health has found that eating during the nighttime—like many shift workers do—can increase glucose levels,…
The Human Immune System Is an Early Riser – Time of Day May Matter for Vaccines and Immunotherapies
Swiss and German scientists show that activation of the immune system oscillates throughout the day, with a peak just before the start of the day….
Catastrophizing: Why We Wake Around 3am and Dwell on Our Fears and Failures
When I wake at 3 am or so, I’m prone to picking on myself. And I know I’m not the only one who does this….
Heart Clocks: Scientists Uncover a Circadian Rhythm in Heart Cells That Affects Their Daily Function
A new study has shown how circadian rhythms in heart cells help to change heart function over the course of the day and may explain…
In Vitro Circadian Clock: Scientists Assemble a Biological Clock in a Test Tube To Study How It Works
The reconstituted biological clock maintains daily cycles for days on end, allowing researchers to study the interactions of its component parts. Daily cycles in virtually…
“Fight or Flight” – Unless Internal Circadian Clocks Are Disrupted
For humans and animals, many aspects of normal behavior and physiology rely on the proper functioning of the body’s circadian clocks. Here’s how it’s supposed…
High Fat Diets Break the Body Clock – This May Be the Underlying Cause of Obesity
When rats are fed a high fat diet, this disturbs the body clock in their brain that normally controls satiety, leading to over-eating and obesity….
Unexpected Benefits to Starting the Day Off With Chocolate
Eating milk chocolate every day may sound like a recipe for weight gain, but a new study of postmenopausal women has found that eating a…
Defying Your Natural Body Clock Linked to Depression and Lower Wellbeing
People whose sleep pattern goes against their natural body clock are more likely to have depression and lower levels of wellbeing, according to a largescale…
Want to Reduce Your Depression Risk by Double Digits? Wake Up an Hour Earlier
Waking up just one hour earlier could reduce a person’s risk of major depression by 23%, suggests a sweeping new genetic study published on May…
Circadian Rhythm: Resetting the Biological Clock by Flipping a Switch
The biological clock is present in almost all cells of an organism. As more and more evidence emerges that clocks in certain organs could be…
Scientists Discover How Behavioral Rhythms Are Fine-Tuned In the Brain
Researchers led by a team at Kanazawa University report that vasopressin neurons in the brain’s circadian rhythm control center are critical for regulating the timing…
Deep Sleep Takes Out the Trash: Waste Clearance Is Crucial for Brain Health
Waste clearance is crucial for brain health, preventing neurodegenerative disease. A new Northwestern University study reaffirms the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. By…
Circadian Rhythm Research Could Turn Early Birds Into Night Owls – Or Vice Versa
Understanding the complex network of genes controlling sleep cycles in people, animals, plants can lead to advances in human health, crop production. How body clocks…
How Stress and the Circadian Clock Affect Sleep
The findings could lead to the development of new therapies for sleep disorders caused by stress or a disturbed circadian rhythm. A Nagoya University-led research…
Arabidopsis Clock: Plants Set a “Bedtime” Alarm to Ensure Their Survival
Plants have a metabolic signal that adjusts their circadian clock in the evening to ensure they store enough energy to survive the night, a new…
Irregular Sleep Schedules Can Worsen Mood and Increase Risk of Depression
The more variation in wake-up time and sleep time, the worse mood and more chance of depression symptoms in study of first-year medical residents. An…