How does the biological clock tick?
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Answer: The circadian and homeostatic processes in your brain work in tandem to maintain a 24-hour sleep/wake cycle.
Sleep and wakefulness is governed by the circadian process that runs on a 24-hour clock. These is controlled by an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which sends signals through nerves to your pineal gland, which helps make melatonin. These chemical messages help keep your body tuned into its natural biological rhythm. In other words, it’s regulating all of these important processes for you! It tells you when to get up and go to bed every day… But this internal switchover from daytime alertness or high energy levels at alertness or arousal during daylight hours, to night time sleepiness or low energy levels during nighttime hours… is caused by your body’s circadian rhythm, also known as the sleep/wake cycle or pattern. Body temperature changes and wakefulness disorders can disrupt this pattern. For example, what time do you normally go to bed every night? An irregular schedule — one that varies considerably from day to day — can throw off your body’s internal clock and make it difficult for you to fall asleep. It’s important to go to bed at the same time every night — and wake up at the same time every morning — so that your sleep patterns return to a regular schedule.
Answer:
Your circadian clock is nothing more than a tiny cluster of nerve cells in the hypothalamus that monitors different stages of sleep and wakefulness. This cluster is composed of two types of nerve cells, known as intrinsically nocturnally active (IN) neurons and intrinsically diurnally active (IDA) neurons. The IN neurons are generally only sensitive to the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleepiness. These are busiest at night time because they are stimulated by darkness following exposure to sunlight during the day. On the other hand, IDA neurons remain sensitive to both light and melatonin cues starting at sundown. They stimulate your waking system through various hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline among others.
Answer:
Throughout the day, key genes are turned on or off by hormones. So when you’re awake your brain is signaling your adrenal gland to release cortisol throughout the day. Cortisol suppresses immune responses, metabolic activity and reproduction–keeping levels in check so it’s top priority for survival isn’t distracted. When you sleep, cortisol levels return to baseline or lower in order to allow these body functions to take place without out it getting in the way. Hormones play a critical role keeping our biological clock “ticking.”