Disrupted Circadian Rhythms

Title + Author: Why We Sleep by: Matthew Walker, PhD. Summary: The book “Why We Sleep” takes a neuroscientific view on everything related to sleep, from why we struggle to fall asleep, to the benefits of sleep, dreaming and its purpose, and the stigma associated with sleep and work. The book discusses sleep in relation to the body, like the brain (memory, emotions, and reaction times), the immune system, appetite/metabolism, and overall health. Through various studies all around the world, Matthew Walker discusses the importance of sleep in all aspects of life such as school, work, and well-being, and why the lack of sleep can be dangerous and even deadly for yourself and others. He emphasizes the need for change around the stigma that sleep equals being lazy, especially for teenagers, but also for employers

In the article from LA Times “Sleep Deprivation Has Genetic Consequences, Study Finds,” Eryn Brown claims that being sleep deprived can be hazardous to our health. Brown addresses that people who don’t get a consistent eight hours of sleep, are most likely to be obese and suffer cardiovascular woes. He supports his claim by subjecting some volunteers to help prove his argument, analyzing blood from the volunteers, and looking at changes in the RNA. Brown writes it in a serious tone to make his us more aware of the effects of sleep deprivation. This is evident in paragraph twelve where it says, “ They found that losing sleep changed rhythmic patterns in the way genes turn on and off…”, and in paragraph six where it states some of the health risks. In order to have us understand the importance of sleep deprivation, Brown demonstrates what happens when we are sleep deprived by having volunteers get only six hours of sleep. He also demonstrates what happens when we aren’t sleep deprived by having volunteers get ten hours of sleep. For example, the RNA tests showed that when we are sleep deprived, our genes involved inflammation, immunity and protein damage, and tissue harm was occurring. Brown is effective on bringing his point across because he provided a lot of evidence to make his claim more impactful on his readers.

Do not take this study lightly. Sleep is a biological need, it is vital to the human body. Deprivation will not kill anyone directly. However, it will cause personality shifts (irritations, mood swings, microsleeps), hallucinations, and paranoia. Microsleep is temporary sleep that lasts anywhere from 1 second to 30 seconds. An individual becomes unconscious for that time period and fails to process sensory input. Loss of sleep also affects concentration, memory, hunger, weight, and the immune system, all negatively. Studies show that driver fatigue is the cause of 20% of US car accidents. When the clocks ‘spring forward’ in the Spring, more accidents

This was a very interesting assignment; I have learned some important things on this topic. The topics are on circadian rhythms disorders and sleep deprivation. To start out on circadian rhythms disorders this is what I have learned. Circadian rhythms are regulated by a part of the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. One’s alertness, core body temperature, moods, learning efficiency, blood pressure, metabolism, and pulse rate all follow these circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms lead to sleep deprivation. Circadian rhythms affect one’s body not allowing one to get the correct sleep and time of sleep one is need to function properly.

The in-depth quality of the “Sleep-Wake” paper may be linked to the qualifications of its authors. All three sources were written by some level of expert within the field. Keith J. Anderson, the writer of the article “College Students try to Cheat Sleep Needs” for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has a Ph D., yet is only a counselor for Gallagher Health Center. The four authors of the Biological Rhythm Research study are all very highly specialized in this area. As workers and researchers for the Physiology Department for the Chronobiological Laboratory in Natal, Brazil, they deal with the intricacies of sleep and its effects on the human body daily. The people who wrote the “Sleep-Wake” pattern are also very well educated and conditioned to address the topic of sleep and its effect on college students. Two of these authors are professors with the Department of the Sciences of Education at an international university, while the third author works directly with the Sleep Disorders Unit inside of the

People he who has circadian rhythm sleep disorders is unable to fall asleep and cannot keep awake at the times required for normal work, school, and social needs. The key feature of circadian rhythm disorders is a continuous or occasional disruption of sleep patterns.

Pregnancy is suppose to be the happiest moment of the women’s lives; however, sometimes it does not happen that way. Unfortunately, during this time future moms live, in fact, a sentimental roller coaster during pregnancy. This instability occurs due to the sudden alteration of the hormonal levels that prepare the woman's body to receive the unborn baby. As a result, some women may struggle with the pregnancy symptoms such as confusion, fear, and depression. According to the Journal of Women’s Health, researchers propose that circadian rhythm dysregulation plays a role in mood disorders and reproductive hormones may modulate circadian rhythm amplitude and phase. The dramatic fluctuations in reproductive hormones that occur during pregnancy and the transition from pregnancy to postpartum occur together with alterations in diurnal melatonin timing and quantity. They hypothesize that the changes in reproductive hormones occurring during pregnancy may alter circadian rhythms and thereby precipitate depressive symptoms in vulnerable women. Since many women struggle with depression during their pregnancy, experts are always researching to help

Sleep is a complex phenomenon, best understood as the product of two intertwined biological systems : the “sleep drive” and the “circadian alerting system.” The sleep drive is our biological “need for sleep.” The sleep drive can be thought of as a tank that empties and fills throughout the course of a day, like the gas tank in a car. When you sleep at night, the tank is “filled” with sleep. You awaken in the morning, refueled and ready to “drive through the day.” The longer you “drive” through the day, the more the tank depletes. By bedtime, the tank is on “E”; it is empty and you must sleep to replenish it. The sleep drive forces sleep, so that your tank can be refilled, and your biological sleep need is met.

In “Sleep Deprived? Bring About a Change this Sleep day ” (De-stress), “children in New

A person who is known as a night owl has a circadian phase sleep disorder known as Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome/Disorder (DSPS), this is when the person falls asleep “2-6 hours later relative to desired and socially conventional rise times”. This condition leads to societal and health disadvantages, resulting from inadequate amount of hours spent sleeping. With chronic inadequate sleep, DSPS can lead to weight gain, depression, anxiety disorders, diabetes, heart disease; however given the right environment a person can live with DSPS without ill effects. (3)

Circadian rhythm disorders are interruption in a person’s circadian rhythm which an internal body clock that manage 24-hour cycle of biological growth in animals and plants. The main characteristic of circadian rhythm disorders is a repeated or occasional interruption of sleep patterns. The interruption results from either a failure in the internal body clock or a disparity between the internal body clock and the external environment concerning the period and duration of sleep. As a result of the circadian disparity, individuals may have disruption or interruption to the normal circadian rhythm which cause the patients to experience too much daytime sleepiness, insomnia or both of

Sleep is a beautiful thing, but people do not get enough of it. It is a time for the body to rejuvenate and process the events of the day. Sleeping is something that we seek out. Getting the recommended amount of sleep allows our body to function properly the next day. Without it, there could be detrimental consequences. The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke says that without sleep, neurons could be “polluted with byproducts”. In severe cases, people who get very little sleep often experience mood swings, hallucinations and cells do not continue to reproduce.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorder is caused by inappropriate exposure to light which may include sleep problems, fatigue, forgetfulness, performance problems and gastrointestinal problems. The long-term effects of these problems might be increased cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes and some types of cancer.

College students all over America struggle with one consistent problem: sleep deprivation. As one may have guessed, it is one of the main complaints heard coming from most young adults. There are many things that are known to cause sleep deprivation, especially when it comes to college life. Between keeping up grades and maintaining a social life, it is difficult for students to stay well rested. According to “Causes and Consequences of Sleepiness Among College Students”, “The consequences of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are especially problematic to college students and can result in lower grade point averages, increased risk of academic failure, compromised learning, impaired mood, and

When our clock is out of sync, it is called internal desynchronization, which is a state when biological rhythms are not in phase with one another. This tends to happen when there are changes in one’s normal routines. For example, it can happen due to flights across the zones or new work shifts. When our biological clock is disrupted it gets out of whack, and the immediate repercussions would be that our sleeping, waking, and digestive system would be thrown off. It can also lead to longer-term effects such as, increased