Activation of the immune system oscillates throughout the day, peaking just before we wake.
More time spent outside in natural light was associated with improved mood, better sleep quality, and ease of waking.
A reconstituted circadian clock of cyanobacteria can run for consistent days, allowing researchers to study the interactions of the clock proteins in real-time and observe how the clock exerts control over gene expression.
A new study traces the mechanisms that link environmental signals and our circadian clocks.
Daily release of glucocorticoids depends on coordination between the clock gene and activity rhythms of neurons within two parts of the hypothalamus.
Prebiotics can help stabilize sleep/wake patterns following circadian rhythm disruptions.
Long-term circadian rhythm disruptions induce Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in rats, which can be reversed by administering fluoxetine. Additionally, elevated levels of amyloid beta and circadian rhythm disruptions can trigger each other, leading to the cascade of neurological symptoms of dementia.
People who are genetically predisposed to be "early birds" only take a few days to adjust to time changes as a result of daylight savings. Night owls can take over a week to adjust to the time change.
In mice, natural melatonin is linked to a pre-hibernation state, allowing for a slower metabolism and survival when food is scarce or the temperature is too cold.
People who ranked higher for conscientiousness and lower in openness tend to be morning people, a new study reports. Researchers say the link between personality traits and morning/evening chronotypes is partly due to genetic factors.
Disregarding lab animals' circadian rhythms can hamper reproducibility, validity, and reliability of research, researchers say.
A new, large-scale study reveals people whose sleep patterns go against their natural circadian rhythm are more likely to develop symptoms of depression and report a decrease in wellbeing.
