Podcast: Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Wellness

An interesting podcast about sleep

http://neurosciencecme.com/podcasts/253.xml

"The role of chronobiology in sleep medicine is profound and pervasive, and the two disciplines have begun to move closer as basic research in circadian rhythms provides important insight into the biology of sleep and sleep disorders. The chronobiology of sleep focuses on rhythms such as the sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, hormonal cycles, and hibernation cycles. The human sleep-wake cycle is a complex process governed by two opposing processes: the homeostatic drive for sleep and the circadian system that regulates wakefulness. Circadian rhythm disorders may arise from an inconsistency or misalignment between the body's internal circadian rhythm and external cues, such as light-dark exposure. Disruption of the sleep-wake cycle, as occurs with circadian rhythm disorders, may result in a broad range of interconnected pathologies, including poor vigilance and memory, reduced mental and physical reaction times, reduced motivation, depression, insomnia, metabolic abnormalities, cardiovascular abnormalities, obesity and even a greater risk of cancer. The demands of a 24/7 culture have increasingly marginalized the importance of sleep and wakefulness for patients' physical and mental health. Thus, it is imperative that clinicians understand the impact of circadian rhythm disruptions on overall health in order to help patients achieve a better balance between the opposing biologic drives for sleep and wakefulness. In this live and interactive case-based activity, the faculty experts will explore how circadian rhythm disturbances impact both patient health and society and will address management strategies for disturbances in circadian rhythmicity."

Glad to see your back on the FORUM -- Have missed you and wondered how your world was going!?


BERT

Thanks for sharing. I'm glad my sleep doctor is in tune with that and has continually prodded me to get and stay on an earlier sleeping schedule. I argued and unloaded a half dozen excuses, but she wasn't accepting them. She was so convincing it would be better for me that I finally decided to be more diligent in trying to make it happen. I had gone from bedtime being between 3 and 5 am, then around 1 am, and thought that should suffice, but no. Now I can easily call it a night at 9:30 to 10:30. While I can still stay up later, an early bedtime feels like my norm.

Now if my daggone legs would just get with the program!