Like most living beings, humans are also subject to biorhythms, which represent a kind of internal clock and ensured survival in the course of evolution. A comparatively young scientific discipline, chronobiology, deals with these influences.
What is the biorhythm?
The term biorhythm identifies a biological rhythm or life cycle to which every living being is subject from birth. The term biorhythm denotes a biological rhythm or life cycle to which every living being is subject from birth. During the development of the first living beings, in contrast to today, simple natural conditions were still present, a clear day/night rhythm, which determined active times and rest times through light and darkness. For the biorhythm of all living beings the sun is decisive. The sunlight sets the internal clocks daily to a 24-hour rhythm, which is related to the rotation of the earth. Plants and animals adapt to this rhythm, but today’s humans are moving further and further away from their natural rhythm. Due to changes in sleeping times, for example as a result of shift work, his rhythm gets out of sync, often with health consequences. Chronobiology explores these connections and advises more adaptation to the natural rhythm.
Function and task
Since the invention of the light bulb by Thomas Alva Edison, humans have become much less dependent on natural light conditions because artificial light can extend the days. From then on, this invention made it possible to work late in the evening and at night. As a result, people began to live out of sync with their natural rhythms. But the inner clock cannot be outwitted as easily as we would like. People who work in shifts regularly experience that the inner clock does not adjust so easily to night shifts. When there is no sunlight, the body stimulates the production of hormones that cause fatigue and sleep. Blood pressure and body temperature also drop. Our biorhythms are set for rest and regeneration in the evening. Initially, researchers thought that the environment set the natural rhythm, but through chronobiology we know that genes also play a role and that internal clocks tick differently in people, as can be seen in early risers and late sleepers. So late risers are not lazy because they get up later, but they have a different internal rhythm that starts later than that of early risers. Although the internal clock reacts to external stimuli, it is still active even when external factors such as light are absent. It is regulated by the release of melatonin. The biorhythm controls important bodily processes. It determines when a person can be active and when it is better to regenerate. It regulates blood pressure, hormone balance and body temperature. It is controlled by a nucleus in the brain, which is only about the size of a grain of rice. This nucleus responds to light stimuli that it receives through the retina.
Diseases and disorders
Thanks to research in chronobiology, we know that permanently deviating from one’s own biorhythms makes us ill in the long run. Humans tend to be programmed to work during the day. Sleep researchers see the cause of many disasters that happen at night in a nocturnal performance low. Many car accidents also happen at night. People who regularly work shifts are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, sleep disorders and depression. After a night shift, they often have trouble getting enough sleep because it’s noisy during the day and the brightness during the day doesn’t allow for restful deep sleep. Disturbed sleep leads to a lack of sleep, which has an impact on the immune system and concentration. According to chronobiologists, many illnesses, accidents and mistakes could be avoided if the findings of chronobiology were integrated into everyday working life. Many people are late sleepers, but have to start work at a time that their biorhythms are not programmed for. They do not reach peak form until later. The introduction of flextime has at least made it possible to organize work rhythms more individually. The clock change in spring and fall is also viewed critically.Especially when the time is changed in spring, people have problems and need time to get used to it. Whether this change promotes health problems has not yet been researched. The biorhythm is also more important in nutrition than it is often given credit for. It is not insignificant when meals are taken. Chronobiologists were able to determine in studies that late evening meals promote overweight, and that it is by no means irrelevant when meals are taken. After 7 p.m., the body begins to produce melatonin, which ensures restful sleep. Accordingly, a traditional meal rhythm with three meals per day without snacks in between is most conducive. The evening meal should be smaller than breakfast and lunch. Accordingly, the increase in overweight people could be due in part to the fact that our current living conditions no longer follow traditional rhythms that are conducive to good health.
