We know sleep is essential for humans to be able to properly function both mentally and physically. Sleep helps improve brain performance, mood and overall promotes better health because it is the time to allow the body to rest be prepared to take on the next day. People who lack sleep are at a higher risk of getting sick due to a decrease in immunity, are more likely to experience anxiety, and are also likely to experience more severe effects such as strokes and heart disease.
The Cavanaugh et al. study focused circadian rhythm development in fruit flies. The circadian rhythm is the internal clock that regulates changes over the course of a 24- hour cycle. This rhythm is responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle, as well as mental and behavioral changes. Dr. Cavanaugh’s study focused on fruit flies and the development of a circadian rhythm in the early stages of their lives. In the experiment they were able to alter the sleep patterns of the fruit flies to see the effect on the circadian rhythm. This allowed them to see how the circadian rhythm played a role in their ability to form long term memories. It was determined that manipulating their sleep patterns took a big toll on the development of a stable circadian rhythm. The study showed the importance of being able to establish a circadian rhythm in development and how it can help improve functions such as memory consolidation.
Through that study we learn how important sleep truly is in our daily lives. Without sleep we would be unable to learn and retain information as effectively as we would if we had the recommended amount of sleep every night. However, we know that circadian rhythm impacts many aspects of our lives, but we have never looked at how it can affect a person who has an underlying condition or disease. In this case we look at asthma and the effects the circadian rhythm has on an asthmatic person. In the article “The endogenous circadian system worsens asthma at night independent of sleep and other daily behavioral or environmental cycles,” It was shown that people who have asthma appear to have worse symptoms at night. Researchers wanted to figure out why it was that this occurred. They took participants who had asthma and were not on steroids to conduct this study. Throughout the study they were provided an inhaler for any symptoms they encountered. Upon concluding the study, it was found that participants experience the lowest lung function at around 4 in the morning which led to worse asthma symptoms. These symptoms required the use of an inhaler, and it was noted that participants were 4 times more likely to use their inhaler during the night than during the day. This study was important to see how asthma is impacted and what needs to be taken into consideration in terms of what treatments are best for people who have asthma.
The circadian rhythm is very complex, and research still needs to be conducted to better understand all its elements. However as seen above it is interesting to see how the two studies are very similar yet very different. They both have one goal and that is to better understand the circadian rhythm and improve our knowledge. Additionally, it is intriguing to see how the circadian rhythm is essential for functions such as memory consolidation, yet it can also negatively impact a person. In this case it would negatively impact a person with asthma due to the drop in lung function which leads to worsening of symptoms and people having to be up at night controlling their symptoms. This would also cause a disruption in the persons circadian rhythm. As we continue to research and learn more about the circadian rhythm, we will be able to better understand the impact it has on various parts of a person’s day to day life.
Poe, A. R., Zhu, L., McClanahan, P. D., Szuperak, M., Anafi, R. C., Thum, A. S., Cavanaugh, D. J., & Kayser, M. S. (2022). Developmental Emergence of Sleep Rhythms Enables Long-Term Memory Capabilities in Drosophila. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.03.479025
Scheer, F. A., Hilton, M. F., Evoniuk, H. L., Shiels, S. A., Malhotra, A., Sugarbaker, R., Ayers,R. T., Israel, E., Massaro, A. F., & Shea, S. A. (2021). The endogenous circadian system worsens asthma at night independent of sleep and other daily behavioral or environmental cycles. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(37). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2018486118
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