Throughout the United States and around the world, following and adhering to one’s circadian rhythm has become increasingly difficult. Shift work, light pollution, jet-lag, and blue-light from electronics all contribute to disruption of the circadian rhythm and in a 24-hour society, many seem unavoidable. However, this is not without consequences. The circadian rhythm is vital not only in controlling a human's sleep-wake cycle, but plays an important role in metabolism and protection from disease. Without consistent adherence to one’s circadian rhythm, weight gain, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease rates rise.
In “Circadian Desynchrony and Health,” Keith Summa and Fred Turek detail the detrimental effects that follow when the circadian rhythm is not upheld. In order to study these disruptions, Turek and Summa utilized animal models, treating them similarly to shift workers and exposing them to different light-dark cycles than their circadian rhythms were accustomed to. Here, they found that on average, the animals lived shorter lives, gained excessive weight, and were more prone to cardiovascular disease and cancer. In further studies on the effects of disrupted circadian rhythm on the metabolism, Turek and Summa studied mice in which their circadian rhythms were specifically inhibited in pancreatic cells through genetic engineering. Here, they found that the mice were more prone to diabetes, developing the disease earlier in life than wild-type, non-genetically engineered mice. Additionally, the time in which mammals eat plays a large role in the adverse effects that arise from straying from one’s normal circadian rhythm. Restricting mice to eating only during the night, when they would typically be eating, prevented obesity and insulin levels increased regardless of the high-fat diet they were fed. The circadian rhythm plays a vital role in metabolism, preventing obesity and diabetes and raising insulin levels in the body. Although the circadian rhythm is incredibly important for metabolism, it also plays a vital role in preventing heart disease.
Dani Blum, in her article “How a Consistent Sleep Schedule Might Protect Your Heart” written for the New York Times, discusses Dr. Full’s work on the circadian rhythm and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Full conducted a study with over 2000 participants and found that those who had inconsistent sleep patterns and ranging hours of sleep each night were more prone to heart disease. Blum states that this is not the first study of its kind, rather another addition to the myriad of research describing the ill-effects of poor sleep patterns and their effects on cardiovascular disease. Turek and Summa wrote in their article that the harmful effects on cardiovascular function due to poor circadian rhythm adherence lead to mice lifespans being decreased by about 10%. In order to prevent these adverse effects, individuals should attempt to keep consistent sleep schedules–sleeping and waking at the same times each night and following morning. According to Blum, avoiding electronics at night can help prevent the decrease in melatonin caused by blue-light. Additionally, soaking up some sun during the day can help cue your circadian rhythm in, helping you to feel energized and wake up in the mornings. Further, according to the NIH, one should abstain from napping as well as avoid stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine throughout their day. Although circadian rhythm disruption feels unavoidable due to shift-work, light pollution, and electronics, following one’s natural body-clock is vital to maintain proper health. Many lifestyle changes can stave off these negative effects and may be the answer to our increasingly busy schedules and lifestyles.
Works Cited
Blum , Dani. “How a Consistent Sleep Schedule Might Protect Your Heart.” New York Times , 15
Feb. 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/15/well/mind/sleep-schedule-heart-health.html?search
ResultPosition=25. Accessed 1 Mar. 2024.
“Circadian Rhythm Disorders: Treatment.” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 24 Mar. 2022,
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/circadian-rhythm-disorders/treatment.
Summa, Keith C. and Turek, Fred W. “Circadian Desynchrony and Health.” Atlas of Clinical
Sleep Medicine.
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