TICK TOCK: YOUR BODY CLOCKS
UNDERSTANDING YOUR DAILY RHYTHMS
Did you know that your body
has its own internal network of
clocks? These biological clocks
help you feel alert during the
day, hungry at mealtimes, and
sleepy at night. Keeping your
body’s daily cycles, or circadian
rhythms, in sync is important
for your health.
“Circadian rhythms are big
influencers in the body,” explains
NIH’s Dr. Michael Sesma,
an expert in circadian biology.
“They affect almost every
part of your physiology in one
way or another. Learning how
the rhythm is generated is critical
36 Healthy Living | Spring Issue | 2018
for understanding health.”
Our natural daily rhythms
are synchronized with the sun.
A “master clock” in the brain receives
direct input from the eyes
and coordinates all the biological
clocks in the body. During
the day, it sends signals to other
brain regions to make hormones
that will help keep you awake,
boost your heart rate, and give
you energy. In the evening,
when less light enters your eyes,
it triggers production of a hormone
called melatonin. Melatonin
makes you feel drowsy
and helps you stay asleep.
“Many of your body’s func-
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