If you think your bedtime, when you rise, or the time that you tuck into lunch is all down to choice, you’re mistaken. It’s actually your body clock that is calling all the shots. ‘Almost every bodily function is governed by 24-hour biological cycles called circadian rhythms,’ explains Dr Satchin Panda, professor at Salk Institute, San Diego, and author of The Circadian Code (£15.99, Penguin Random House). ‘These rise and fall throughout the day, and help us to prepare for daily activities – when to eat when to sleep when to wake.’ We’ve got the lowdown on understanding your body’s natural rhythms.
1. Clockwork control
Our ‘master clock’ – the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), lives in the hypothalamus area of the brain. ‘The SCN receives information through the eyes about light and darkness, and shares it with the rest of the body,’ explains Dr.Panda. This controls our sleep-wake cycle, and signals other tiny clocks in all parts of the body to activate processes, including digestion, metabolism, body temperature, hormone production, immune, muscle and brain function.
2. Get in sync
Tuning into your natural biological rhythms means doing day-to-day activities at optimum times so the body runs smoothly. Bad habits such as skipping meals and working late into the night can disrupt the body clock and have negative effects on your health.
3. Disruption damage
This story is from the August 24, 2020 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 24, 2020 edition of WOMAN - UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Fast&fresh DINNERS
Healthy meals to keep you satisfied on busy weeknights.
Health checks that could SAVE YOUR LIFE
We service our cars and boilers to make sure they run smoothly, so why not our bodies?
FEEL SEXIER in 60 seconds
Try these instant tricks to lift your libido and get turned on fast
Destination SWAPS
Change your favourite resorts for these great-value, lesser-known places
5 steps to the PERFECT HALLWAY
Try these makeover musts to transform the often-overlooked space into an entrance you can be proud of ai
The secrets WE KEEP
Two women explain why they realised it was finally time to speak up
Our split made us STRONGER!
Bernie Jones loves her husband more after their break-up 4
Can our beloved NHS BE SAVED?
With waiting lists for surgery reaching new highs, we investigate the lengths patients are going to in order to receive treatment
WANT TO SEE BEHIND THE CASTLE GATES?
It’s an interesting development that King Charles has increased public access to Buckingham Palace and opened up Balmoral Castle for the first time.
'The divorce SPEAKS FOR ITSELF"
Singer-turned-actor Billie Piper on her turbulent past and becoming the woman she is today