Understanding sleep and circadian rhythms can go a long way in helping people get the sleep they deserve. Find out how resetting your body's clock can help you sleep at night.

1. Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei
With sleep and circadian rhythms, it is observed in everything from plant
and animals to fungi and bacteria - and of course humans. The term
circadian is from the Latin circa, meaning "around" and dies / diem which
means "day" - giving us a literal definition of "about a day".
It is a kind of built in clock that tells us when to be awake and when we
should be sleeping. This "clock", whose scientific name is suprachiasmatic
nuclei (SCN), rests in a region of the brain around where the optic nerves
cross. The SCN is adjusted primarily by daylight but also by other external
time cues called zeitgebers - which can be anything from the beeping of
your alarm to the timing of specific meals. Light reaching this area through
the retina, are turned into signals which continue their way up the optic
nerve, finding its way to the SCN.
The suprachiasmatic nuclei
has many functions, sending
out signals to many different
areas of the brain which
control things like the
production of melatonin and
the secretion of other
hormones, the production of
urine, the governing of body
temperature as well as
changes in our blood
pressure.

2. Scientific studies (in particular one done by Czeisler et al. at Harvard) have
proven that the free-running range of a healthy adult's circadian rhythm is
about 24 hours and 11 minutes (plus or minus 16 minutes). Basically, our
body's clock follows the same cycle as the 24 hour rotation of the Earth.
We've already learned that light resets our biological clock or our
suprachiasmatic nuclei. Light also has the ability to delay or advance our
circadian rhythm depending on the timing, the type of light and the
amount of light. It is not known exactly at what levels light starts to affect
our sleep and circadian rhythms but some researchers believe the number
to be upwards of 1000 lux.
Sleep and circadian rhythms - Disruptions
We've learned that both light and timing play an
important role between the association of sleep Related Articles
and circadian rhythms. Disruptions in your
circadian rhythm can cause sleeping disorders Why We Sleep
as well as other issues such as general fatigue, 5 Sleep Stages
loss of appetite, lack of alertness etc. These What is Insomnia?
symptoms, which are normally associated with a What is Sleep Apnea?
lack of sleep, are referred to as circadian rhythm What is Narcolepsy?
sleep disorders.

3. Not being able to get to sleep at night can be
a horrible experience - at night as well as
throughout the following day. But it doesn't
have to be that way - sometimes all it takes is
a few lifestyle adjustments. Learn what you
need to know to instantly fall asleep each
night in the sleep ebook,
Get to Sleep Now! 39 Ways to Guarantee Your ZZZs.