An official website of the United States government
The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before
sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal
government site.
The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the
official website and that any information you provide is encrypted
and transmitted securely.
The regulation of sleep is processed by the homeostatic physiology of the circadian rhythm, the sleep/wake cycle. Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour internal clock in our brain that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to light changes in our environment. Our physiology and behavior are shaped by the Earth’s rotation around its axis. This biological circadian system has evolved to help humans adapt to changes in our environment and anticipate changes in radiation, temperature, and food availability. Without this endogenous circadian clock, Homo sapiens would not be able to optimize energy expenditure and the internal physiology of the body.
Khan S, Nabi G, Yao L, Siddique R, Sajjad W, Kumar S, Duan P, Hou H. Health risks associated with genetic alterations in internal clock system by external factors. Int J Biol Sci. 2018;14(7):791-798.
-
PMC
-
PubMed
Rivkees SA. The Development of Circadian Rhythms: From Animals To Humans. Sleep Med Clin. 2007 Sep 01;2(3):331-341.
-
PMC
-
PubMed
Potter GD, Skene DJ, Arendt J, Cade JE, Grant PJ, Hardie LJ. Circadian Rhythm and Sleep Disruption: Causes, Metabolic Consequences, and Countermeasures. Endocr Rev. 2016 Dec;37(6):584-608.
-
PMC
-
PubMed
