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The Importance of Circadian Rhythms

A person's circadian rhythm is the natural rhythm his body adopts to determine his sleep cycle. It is a broad term that applies to natural rhythms that occur in a 24-hour cycle, and can refer to sleeping, eating and other patterned behaviors. Circadian rhythms are a biological method of ensuring that animals and plants get the rest and nutrients they need on a regular basis. Disruptions to a circadian rhythm, especially the rhythms of sleep, can have pronounced negative affects on a human being.

  1. Ensure Proper Rest

    • During sleep, a body's cells repair themselves, and can replenish the body in ways it can not while the body is active. Circadian rhythms are meant to ensure that a person rests every night. Resting enables the brain to commit information learned during the day to memory, increasing mental function. It also affects mood and behavioral health, as a person deprived of sleep is at higher risk for hypertension, anxiety, irritability and depression

    Sleep Disruption Disorders

    • Disorders caused by disrupted circadian rhythms related to sleep include insomnia, jet lag, delayed sleep phase syndrome and advanced sleep phase syndrome. Each of these disorders results in a disrupted sleep pattern, all of which can lead to drowsiness during the daytime and restlessness at night.

    Ensure Proper Nourishment

    • A body needs fuel in order to operate, and the circadian rhythm that prompts biological creatures to feed on a schedule ensures that fuel is taken in. Proper nourishment of a body helps sustain physical function, mental alertness and overall health. Caloric intake is necessary to keep a body moving, although schedules of eating will vary from person to person.

    Food Intake Disorders

    • When a person's natural need to take in calories is disrupted, she can suffer from malnourishment, vitamin deficiency and even starvation. Disrupting the body's natural circadian rhythm in relation to food intake deprives the body of fuel it needs to move, function and think. Malnourished bodies have a lower tolerance for disease and fatigue.

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