Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Health: A Comprehensive Guide

The provided source offers a comprehensive overview of circadian rhythms, explaining these intrinsic biological cycles that regulate physical, mental, and behavioral changes in living organisms. It details the architecture of the internal clock, centered in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and its molecular mechanisms. The source then addresses sleep quality, differentiating between subjective perceptions and objective measurements like polysomnography, and discusses modern factors—such as artificial light, irregular schedules, and meal timing—that disrupt these rhythms. Furthermore, it explores the systemic health consequences of misalignment, linking it to metabolic, cardiovascular, neurological, mental, and oncological issues, before examining individual chronotypes and offering practical strategies, including lifestyle adjustments and therapeutic interventions like light therapy and melatonin, to optimize circadian health and improve sleep.

Research done with the help of artificial intelligence, and presented by two AI-generated hosts.