Circadian Rhythms Essay

alertness as well as their physical and mental health. To begin, teenagers often struggle with drowsiness throughout the day, especially in the morning. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has published that the circadian rhythms of teens run at a later schedule than adults. A circadian rhythm, also known as a body clock, is how a body keeps track of time and decides when to sleep and when to be awake. Teenagers begin to feel tired later at night, near 11:00 or 12:00 pm, and begin to wake up closer

Have you often found yourself watching television and saying “Just one more episode” and suddenly it’s 3am and you have to wake up in four hours to go to work or school? Ever since man discovered fire, we have been using artificial light to extend our days and fight off sleep. We continue to work late into the night with the development of electricity and light bulbs. In the 1950s, when televisions were first introduced to the general population, nearly two thirds of American households had televisions

1). Abnormal sleep patterns disturb our circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm generally follows a 24-hour time period, responding to the light and dark cycles in our environment. According to Hanford and Figueiro (2013), research estimates that “ADRD patients spend approximately 40% of their night awake and a

according to their schedules. Our circadian rhythm can be affected by frequent shift changes if the individual is not used to working opposite of what our bodies are used to for instance an individual that usually works days and goes to sleep during the night. If a person that works the traditional 8 am – 5 pm shift switches to a night shift, it may be difficult for that individual to catch up on sleep because of the light. Our bodies familiarize with their biological rhythms which help function our heart

The Challenges of Shift Work Over 20% of the workforce in the United States participates in shift work (Basner, 2005 as cited in Blachowicz & Letizia, 2006). Many occupations partake in shift work those include: nurses, policemen, and security guards a few of the occupations. What is shift work? Shift work is work performed outside the typical daytime hours of 7 a.m. to 6 a.m. (Blachowicz & Letizia, 2006). The increase in pay is one of the numerous benefits for shift work employees. Nevertheless

Im sure im not the only one that can say, I have been driving my car with the radio turned to my favorite station, the heat is cranked to high, and before I know it my eyes are heavy, my blinks are longer and I am having troubles driving; much less staying awake. Contrary to what some believe, turning the radio louder, and opening a window will not keep you awake for very long while driving. Falling asleep while driving is a very dangerous side effect of sleep deprivation, but not the only one.

Cardiovascular Disease and Sleep Disturbance Healthy lifestyle habits can have a positive outcome on health and wellbeing. Additionally, it is commonly agreed that chronic diseases which are known as non-communicable diseases are the major reason of death. Lack of physical activity, the large amount of alcohol consumption, smoking and other unhealthy lifestyle habits can lead to serious chronic health illnesses. In 2005 cardiovascular diseases increased to about 18 million and it classified as

Many factors affect the amount of sleep an individual gets: work, school, and even a common government implemented policy generally known as Daylight Saving time. As Atkinson, Ebben, Medina & Mildred (2015) observed, “Daylight saving time (DST) has been commonly used in the developed world, first trialed in the United States in 1918 as a temporary wartime measure to save energy expenditure, and formally implemented several decades later through the Uniform Time Act of 1966” (Introduction section

When you find yourself nodding off during important meetings, of course you may realize that more sleep could do the trick. However, the symptoms of chronic sleep loss can be sneaky and less-obvious than yawning, feeling sleepy or having low energy. Here’s what The Huffington Post suggests we all be on the lookout for:  You have trouble recalling names: A lack of sleep can impact the way you relay information, making it more difficult to put names to faces, even if you’ve seen the person before

population are in nursing homes. Lighting should be a primary concern to those living in, working in, and designing Nursing Homes. Light helps to regulate circadian rhythms, neuroendocrine responses, and seasonal cycles. (Brawley & Noell, 2008, Pages 2 & 11). Circadian rhythms help derive patterns of sleeping and eating. These circadian rhythms can be triggered by light and are