Sleeping is very important and so, it is necessary we take note of things that affect our sleep.
If there is a chance that you’ve at any point observed that you feel invigorated and lazy around similar occasions each day, you have your circadian rhythm to thank.
What is it, precisely? Your circadian rhythm is fundamentally a 24-hour internal clock running in the background of your brain and cycles among languor and sharpness at normal intervals. It’s otherwise called your rest/wake cycle.
For most adults, the greatest dunk in energy occurs in the middle of the night – somewhere close to 2:00 am and 4:00 am, when they’re typically sleeping soundly – and soon after noon – around 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, when a siesta always seems like a necessity. Those occasions can be unique in case you’re normally a night owl or a morning individual. You likewise won’t feel the plunges and rises of your circadian rhythm as firmly in case you’re altogether made up for lost time with sleep. It’s the point at which you’re sleep-deprived that you’ll see greater swings of drowsiness and alertness.
A part of your hypothalamus controls your circadian rhythm. That said, outside factors like lightness and darkness can also impact it. When it’s dark at night, your eyes send a signal to the hypothalamus that it’s time to feel tired. Your brain, in turn, sends a signal to your body to release melatonin, which makes your body tired. That’s why your circadian rhythm tends to coincide with the cycle of daytime and nighttime.
Your circadian rhythm works best when you have regular sleep habits, like going to bed at night and waking up in the morning around the same times from day to day (including weekends). When things get in the way, like extreme tiredness (especially for people who stay in Lagos Nigeria), daylight savings time, or a compelling late-night TV series that keeps you up into the wee hours of the morning, you can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which makes you feel out of sorts and can make it harder to pay attention .
Interestingly, your circadian rhythm will likely change as you get older. And you may not have the same sleep/wake cycle as your partner, child or parents. But the more you pay attention to your body and notice feelings of alertness and drowsiness, and the more time you spend developing good sleep hygiene habits, the better your slumber will be and the better you’ll feel.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
