The body is one Network of daily (circadian) clocks which affects many areas of our health, including sleep and metabolism. A central clock within the brain is closely related to day by day sleep rhythms. But other tissues even have clocks – equivalent to liver, muscle and fat – and so they play a very important role in metabolism.
Altering the connection between our internal body clock system and day by day changes in the surface environment is known as “circadian dyssynchrony.” In our lives, circadian desynchrony occurs in situations equivalent to shift work and jet lag, where there may be a mismatch between internal circadian rhythms and environmental rhythms, equivalent to the sunshine and dark cycle.
Past laboratory research into human circadian dyssynchrony has led to an experiment. 12 hours difference Between our internal clock system and the environmental changes, changing environmental and behavioral patterns inside one to 2 days. The study showed changes in participants' metabolism, with poorer blood sugar control. However, the consequences of more modest circadian desynchrony, and the recovery from these effects, usually are not well understood.
To cope with this, we've a Experience In which men and girls were subjected to a five-hour change of their environment and behavior. This was achieved with a five-hour delay in bedtime. Measurements were taken before the five-hour delay and on the next five days.
All meals were controlled and provided by the research team. Study participants were, on average, about 45 years old and obese, but had no diagnosed health problems. We measured blood markers of metabolism, a biomarker of the brain clock (melatonin) and subjective feelings of sleepiness and application throughout the day.
We found that evening sleepiness increased and evening vigilance decreased immediately after the five-hour delay. This occurred in parallel with the altered rhythm of melatonin concentrations, indicating a shift within the brain clock. These changes regularly adjusted over the next five days, but without fully returning to baseline.
A five-hour delay caused many changes in metabolism. These include reduced 24-hour energy expenditure in response to a meal, slower release of stomach contents after breakfast, and differences in blood sugar and lipid regulation.
In contrast to sleep and brain clock markers (melatonin), all metabolic changes were fully adjusted inside five days after circadian dyssynchrony. In fact, some metabolic changes were fully adjusted inside just three days. Metabolic recovery, subsequently, occurs much faster than brain clock recovery and subjective sleep.
liv friis-larsen / Alamy Stock Photo
What this implies for individuals who work shift work or fly quite a bit.
As with all research, there are some limitations that must be considered. Human studies need to incorporate participants with very similar characteristics to attenuate variability. It is feasible that other groups of individuals – with different characteristics – would have responded otherwise. It can be possible that different time delays yield different results.
Still, our research confirms that circadian desynchrony affects human metabolism but suggests that metabolic disturbances are small and short-lived in comparison with changes in sleep and application. This finding is relevant to the massive number of individuals world wide who work shifts or who fly quite a bit.
People with circadian dyssynchrony should proceed to focus. Established advice To reset the rhythm of sleep and application. This involves exposure to (or avoidance of) light at certain times of the day. Taking melatonin supplements at appropriate times to schedule latest behaviors may also help.
In people who find themselves generally healthy, it seems that the metabolic disturbances of circadian dyssynchrony will adapt relatively quickly. However, it will be important to eat good quality food and, where possible, Minimize eating during late evening and night..