Eating late at night adds weight Sep 4, 2009
Recent studies have suggested that circadian rhythms, the body's internal clock, have a role in how our bodies use up energy. However, this had been difficult to definitively pin down. (BBC News -- Health)
Nightly Snacking May Speed Weight Gain Sep 4, 2009
"Maybe something happens with circadian rhythms or hormones that make it less likely that they will engage in physical activity," he said. "Based on this small study, if one were to say is it caloric intake or physical activity that led to the difference in weight gain, one would surmise it was more likely physical activity," he said. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
How Alcohol Blunts Ability Of Hamsters To 'Rise And Shine' Sep 2, 2009
The researchers used hamsters to find out how alcohol affects circadian rhythms ... 17, 2005) Circadian rhythms refer to biological phenomena that oscillate within a 24-hour cycle, in keeping with the earth's rotation. (Science Daily)
Daylight-saving Time Leads To Less Sleep, More Injuries On The Job, Study Finds Sep 2, 2009
American's natural timing cues -- the circadian rhythms determined by the sun -- seem to have lost out to the man-made cues brought on. (Oct. (Science Daily)
Workplace bullying is associated with sleep disturbances Sep 1, 2009
The APSS publishes original findings in areas pertaining to sleep and circadian rhythms. SLEEP, a peer-reviewed scientific and medical journal, publishes 12 regular issues and 1 issue comprised of the abstracts presented at the SLEEP Meeting of the APSS.. (EurekAlert!)
Chemotherapy for breast cancer is associated with disruption of sleep-wake rhythm in women Sep 1, 2009
Previous studies also have shown that both sleep and fatigue get worse with chemotherapy, so it was expected that circadian rhythms would deteriorate ... The APSS publishes original findings in areas pertaining to sleep and circadian rhythms. (EurekAlert!)
Study Shines Light On Night-time Alertness Aug 30, 2009
Circadian rhythms are roughly 24-hour cycles in various biological processes, such as core body temperature, melatonin synthesis and sleep wake behavior, that repeat approximately every 24 hours and are synchronized most strongly by the light dark cycle in the environment. Bright light is known to increase alertness at night, but it has never been completely clear whether this light-induced alertness can arise from neural pathways other than those involved in the circadian system. (Science Daily)
What is the committee on Teen Sleep Needs and what is their purpose? Aug 23, 2009
Circadian rhythms are the cyclical changes that reoccur regularly over an approximate 24-hour cycle. They are a type of biological rhythm affecting many aspects of human life and should not be confused with biorhythms, which is a theory with little scientific support. (Kingston Mariner, MA)
10 biggest sleep problems: How to fix them Aug 22, 2009
The natural internal clock that controls our 24-hour cycle of sleep and waking, circadian rhythms are easily upset by changes in schedule, and they're greatly affected by light and darkness ... The other technique experts advise is to stimulate your circadian rhythms with bright light and exercise during the day. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Get your kids into sleep shape for back to school Aug 20, 2009
But that's natural for teens, says Ajayi, because their circadian rhythms are changing, urging them to stay up later and sleep later. That, he says, is nature - and you just can't fight it. (Fresno Bee -- Lifestyle)
Caltech researchers pinpoint neurons that control obesity in fruit flies Aug 19, 2009
" Having now established that fruit flies are indeed similar to mammals in the way they control fat deposition via the brain, researchers can begin to test antiobesity dietary or drug treatments on flies whose fat-regulating neurons have been silenced. "Treatments that cause these flies to return to normal body weight could then be retested for their effectiveness in a mammalian obesity model," Al-Anzi notes. Knowing the neurons involved in the regulation of fat storage could also lead to... (EurekAlert!)
Scientists find rare gene behind short sleepers Aug 17, 2009
Blood tests showed the women harbored a mutation in a gene named DEC2 that's involved in regulation of circadian rhythms, the body's clock. A check of more than 250 stored DNA samples didn't find another carrier. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Scientists pinpoint sleep gene Aug 15, 2009
Blood tests from the easily rested pair showed a mutation in their DEC2 gene, which has been implicated in the control of circadian rhythms. Ying Hui Fu, a professor of neurology at the University of California, said findings were tested on genetically modified mice and fruit flies. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Don’t need much sleep? Rare gene may play role Aug 14, 2009
Blood tests showed the women harbored a mutation in a gene named DEC2 that s involved in regulation of circadian rhythms, the body s clock. A check of more than 250 stored DNA samples didn t find another carrier. (Boston Globe)
Rare gene helps people function with less sleep Aug 14, 2009
The family with the mutation, a mother and daughter, were found by researchers at UCSF who were studying circadian rhythms, the biochemical cycles that govern sleep, hunger and activity. A recent study on people who naturally go to sleep and get up very early turned up the women, who had a very different sleep patterns - neither needed more than six to six and a half hours of sleep a night and both were well-rested, healthy and energetic. (AZCentral -- News)
First human gene implicated in regulating length of human sleep Aug 14, 2009
Scientists know that it is regulated in large part by two processes: 1) circadian rhythms -- genetic, biochemical and physiological mechanisms that wax and wane during a 24 hour period to regulate the timing of sleep, 2) and homeostasis unknown mechanisms that ensure that the body acquires over time the necessary amount of sleep, nudging it toward sleep when it has been deprived, prompting it out of sleep when it has received enough ... Interactions between the circadian rhythms and... (EurekAlert!)
6 hours of sleep? It's not enough Aug 14, 2009
The family members a mother and daughter with the gene mutation were discovered by researchers at UCSF studying circadian rhythms, the waxing and waning biochemical cycles that govern sleep, hunger and activity. Neither woman needed more than six to 6 hours of sleep a night, and yet both were well-rested, healthy and energetic. (USA Today -- Tech)
Biological clocks of insects could lead to more effective pest control Aug 13, 2009
Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered that the circadian rhythms or biological "clocks" in some insects can make them far more susceptible to pesticides at some times of the day instead of others ... In the newest work, circadian rhythms appear to coordinate "xenobiotic metabolizing" genes, or the genes responsible for breaking down and detoxifying various poisons, such as pesticides ... The new findings, the OSU researchers said, are also another example of how circadian... (EurekAlert!)
Fly Larvae Shun The Light Jun 30, 2009
2, 2005) A study by New York University researchers reveals a new function for the nerve cells that regulate circadian rhythms of behavior in fruit. (Dec. (Science Daily)
Watch Fox News for the untold stories — and keep the lanterns of patriotism burning bright Jun 30, 2009
Usually I need a few days off after a vacation to reestablish my circadian rhythms and hepatic function. But I usually have to go back to work the next day. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Professor knows bipolar disorder firsthand Jun 23, 2009
" The conference also will feature sessions on brain imaging, how the disease affects thinking ability, new treatments and clinical trials and bipolar disease in adolescents, among several other topics. Most experts now agree that patients with bipolar disease need lithium or some other mood stabilizing drug to keep them from cycling between depression and mania. There is a type of treatment, however, that is demonstrably better than antidepressants -- psychotherapy -- according to Dr. Holly... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
9 Natural Cures for Insomnia Jun 21, 2009
The body's circadian rhythms can be altered and fooled into insomnia - by low daylight or brightness at night. Make sure that blinds and curtains are thick and wide enough to keep light out of the bedroom. (Suite101.com)
Accused cop killer complains about jail Jun 16, 2009
"I've been locked in isolation 24-slash-7 underneath large light fixtures that never switch off," he said, which aggravates "issues with my Circadian rhythms.". Mr. Poplawski's statements could not be verified. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Diet-induced Obesity Prevented In Mice With Engineered Metabolic Pathway Jun 4, 2009
31, 2008) Indulgence in a high-fat diet can not only lead to overweight because of excessive calorie intake, but also can affect the balance of circadian rhythms -- everyone's 24-hour biological clock. (Sep. (Science Daily)
Light-treatment Device To Improve Sleep Quality In The Elderly Jun 2, 2009
Researchers have long believed that the sleep disturbances common among the elderly often result from a disruption of the body s circadian rhythms biological cycles that repeat approximately every 24 hours ... Light and dark patterns are the major synchronizer of circadian rhythms to the 24-hour solar day, said Mariana Figueiro, Ph ... 9, 2007) Actigraphy, the use of a portable device that records movement over extended periods of time, and has been used extensively in the study of sleep and... (Science Daily)
MicroRNAs grease the cell's circadian clockwork Jun 1, 2009
"It will be exciting to investigate whether the connection between circadian rhythms and miR-122 also extends to this microRNA's role in hepatitis C virus replication", points out David Gatfield. Knowing whether viral multiplication is gated to specific times of the day would contribute significantly to our understanding of the life cycle of this formidable pathogen. (EurekAlert!)
Wednesday's TV: The Chaser's War On Everything May 27, 2009
" OK, what's the secret of your success . . . TIMING! Boom tish! Having built a reputation for outrageous provocation and shock tactics, The Chasers risk becoming so popular that their refractory approach and cheeky confrontations become mainstream. Acceptably unacceptable. A bit hard to rip into the blimps of rectitude and convention when you are, yourselves, darlings of the media. It's the old story of rebellious "bad boys" of rock maintaining their credibility while simultaneously sustaining... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Genetic Pathway Responsible For Much Of Plant Growth Identified May 23, 2009
16, 2007) The plant growth hormone auxin is controlled by circadian rhythms within the plant, researchers have found. The discovery explains how plants can time their growth to take advantage of resources such. (Science Daily)
New Understandings In Circadian Rhythms May 23, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 22, 2009) Dartmouth Medical School geneticists have made new inroads into understanding the regulatory circuitry of the biological clock that synchronizes the ebb and flow of daily activities, according to two studies published May 15. Research on the relationship between clocks and temperature, reported in Cell, offers insight into a longstanding puzzle of temperature compensation: why the 24-hour circadian rhythm does not change with temperature when metabolism is so... (Science Daily)
Unprecedented Data On Circadian Rhythms Revealed May 14, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 13, 2009) Fluctuations in light intensity allow restoring the regularity of circadian rhythms ... In higher organisms, such as mammals, biological or circadian rhythms are generated by a multicellular genetic clock which is located in two regions of the hypothalamus that are connected to each other known as suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), containing about 10,000 neurons each ... In order to generate and regulate circadian rhythms, our biological clock needs to use the cooperative... (Science Daily)
Maternal Depression Has Negative Effect on Infants' Sleep May 8, 2009
"We do think that we could develop a behavioral and environmental intervention to improve entrainment of sleep and circadian rhythms in the high-risk infants," study lead author Roseanne Armitage, director of the Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory at the University of Michigan Depression Center, said in an American Academy of Sleep Medicine news release. "They may still be modifiable, since brain regulation is very plastic and responsive in childhood.". (MEDLINEplus)
Maternal depression affects infants' sleep May 8, 2009
"We do think that we could develop a behavioral and environmental intervention to improve entertainment of sleep and circadian rhythms in the high-risk infants," study lead author Roseanne Armitage said. "They may still be modifiable, since brain regulation is very plastic and responsive in childhood.". (Xinhuanet, China)
Sometimes, age and responsibility are your friends May 6, 2009
Thus, the habits formed by week after week of early morning conference calls, staff meetings and client appointments has succeeded in resetting their circadian rhythms from rock n roll to office-friendly easy listening. In other words, they ve reached the point where hanging in there for last call is more a matter of honor than pursuit of pleasure and the 1 a.m. closing time an occasion for relief, farewells and a beeline to bed. (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Nurses warn of nights of the living dead May 5, 2009
The study, which was published in The Lancet and endorsed by the World Health Organisation, found that night shifts were carcinogenic because workers were exposed to light at night, disrupting their circadian rhythms. Page. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Maternal depression is associated with significant sleep disturbance in infants May 1, 2009
"We do think that we could develop a behavioral and environmental intervention to improve entrainment of sleep and circadian rhythms in the high risk infants," said Armitage ... The APSS publishes original findings in areas pertaining to sleep and circadian rhythms. (EurekAlert!)
Brain battle Apr 28, 2009
The Why Files -- whyfiles. POSTED 23 APRIL 2009. (Why Files)
Why should we care about night lighting? Apr 5, 2009
The Journal's concern relates partly to the findings of biological researchers implicating the effects of nighttime illumination on circadian rhythms and melatonin secretion as probable causes of breast and prostate cancers, psychological disorders and gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases. In Athens, however - although the Banner-Herald has editorially labeled it a "legacy" issue (Editorial, "," May 31, 2005) - the urgency of recognizing and addressing the quality of our nightscape has not... (Athens Banner-Herald)
Sleep Needs Committee hosts forum on teenagers sleep requirements Apr 4, 2009
She ll talk to us about the sleep needs of teens and the ramifications of early start times on their circadian rhythms, Snoeyenbos said. The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle of behavior, physiological and biological processes of all living beings. (Kingston Mariner, MA)
Smart Moves For a Smooth Move In Mar 24, 2009
Just because you're in love and you're living together doesn't mean you have the same circadian rhythms. Night Owls and Early Risers will have to do with out each other on either end of the day if they want peace and harmony during the waking hours they share. (Fox News)
The dawn's later light Mar 20, 2009
The Times article says studies found that people's circadian rhythms the body's internal clock refused to adjust to DST. That's just as I have always suspected. I've been a daylight-saving time skeptic for years though I admit I do love those late summer sunsets, when dusk falls at 9 o'clock. (Albany Times Union)
Body Clock Regulates Metabolism, Study Shows Mar 19, 2009
19, 2009) UC Irvine researchers have discovered that circadian rhythms our own body clock regulate energy levels in cells ... In addition, Paolo Sassone-Corsi, Distinguished Professor and Chair of Pharmacology, and his colleagues 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. (Science Daily)
Spring Forward? Plan Ahead Mar 10, 2009
According to Dr. Aparajitha Verma, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at The Methodist Hospital System in Houston, normal circadian rhythms (your "body clock") typically take 24 to 48 hours to readjust to time changes. The good news is that a few simple steps can help smooth the transition. (MEDLINEplus)
SAD? Look to the sunny side. Mar 2, 2009
Hibernating animals are affected by the shorter days of winter: fewer photons hit the retinas of their eyes, changing the circadian rhythms and triggering long periods of sleep. Some people are vulnerable to these hibernation patterns, leading to daytime sluggishness in the winter - and in severe cases, a full-blown depression. (Boston Globe)
Small adjustments can prepare body for daylight saving shift Mar 1, 2009
Some people take melotonin, a supplement that helps regulate circadian rhythms, at the advice of the doctor. To further ease the transition, Dr. William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute, suggests hitting the sack a little earlier in the coming week. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Drug Effective for Temporary Sleep Disruptions Feb 7, 2009
"By simultaneously improving sleep latency and sleep maintenance with a shift in circadian rhythms, tasimelteon has the potential for the treatment of patients with transient insomnia associated with circadian rhythm sleep disorders, including people affected by jet leg, or those who work at night, and early-riser workers," the study authors concluded. HealthDay. (MEDLINEplus)
