Your parents may “nag” you to get up every morning at 7:30 am, and they may force you go to sleep at 9:30 pm every night. Yes, this can be annoying, but this study shows that if you follow your parents advice, it is will be for your own good health.
A new UC Irvine Study, appearing in Science express online shows that these circadian rhythms regulate the energy levels in cells. This is a very important study because it gives us more information about how we metabolize food and the creation of new treatments for such conditions as cancer, diabetes, and obesity. These diseases are all caused by cell energy deficiencies.
Professer Paolo Sassone-Corsi and his collegeaus found that the proteins involved with circadian rhythms and metabolism are intrinsically linked and dependent upon each other.
“Our circadian rhythms and metabolism are closely partnered to ensure that cells function properly and remain healthy,” Sassone-Corsi said.
Circadian rhythms are important because they determine sleeping and eating patterns of humans. It is basically our internal clock that tells us when we should go to sleep, wake up, even telling us when it is time to eat. There are clear patterns of core body temperature, brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration and other biological activities linked to this daily cycle. These circadian rhythms are going 24 hours, 7 days a week. Upsetting ones internal body clock can lead to conditions like depression, insomnia, increase in body weight, cancer and diabetes. They help us to adapt to changes in the environment and the time of day. Not following these patterns can have an adverse affect on our health.
Professor Sassone-Corsi and his collegeues have found that there is an important interactions between proteins (CLOCK Protein and SIRT1 protein) that is needed for circadian rhythms to function properly. This interaction is crucial for sensing cell energy levels and affects aging and metabolism.
“When the balance between these two vital processes is upset, normal cellular function can be disrupted,” Sassone-Corsi said. He further states that this can lead to illness and disease.
The findings suggest that proper sleep and diet may help maintain or rebuild this balance, and also help explain why lack of rest or disruption of normal sleep patterns can increase hunger, leading to obesity-related illnesses and accelerated aging. So your parents have good reason to get you into the habit of waking up and sleeping at the proper time. This is sage advice that that this study gives new light to!
Article Source: UCI.Edu- Body clock regulates metabolism
Additional Resources:
- Sleep Deprivation and How It Affects More Than Your Mind
- Best Sleep Equals Better Control of Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Health
- Six Ways To Get Better Nights’ Sleep
- Which Sleeping Position is Best For You?
- How Much Sleep Is Enough for Me?
- Choosing the Right Neck Pillow for the Best Sleep Possible
- More Sleep Articles at the Neck Pain Support Blog
