1. Chronobiology of Sleep – Circadian Rhythms, Behavior, and Performance
- Author
-
S.Y.R. Yoon and C.M. Shapiro
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Chronobiology ,Advanced sleep phase disorder ,Biology ,medicine.disease ,Bacterial circadian rhythms ,Endocrinology ,Light effects on circadian rhythm ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Zeitgeber ,Free-running sleep ,Circadian rhythm ,Entrainment (chronobiology) ,Neuroscience - Abstract
In almost all living organisms, there is a sequence of biochemical, physiological, and behavioral processes that repeat roughly every 24 h. The timing of such processes is governed by an internal clock that ensures that these processes occur in a manner that optimizes the utilization of external resources such as the sunlight. In humans, peak cognitive and physical performance occurs during the daytime and is coupled with metabolic functions associated with catabolism, while the nighttime is associated with anabolic functions that take place during sleep. The daily rhythms of mental, physiological, and metabolic changes are collectively referred to as circadian cycles, and the internal clock that governs the timing of these processes lies in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN).
- Published
- 2023