Keep Time To Keep Happy: Brain Health And Circadian Rhythms
Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that run in the background. They carry out a wide range of essential processes and functions within the body and brain, including metabolic, hormone, and temperature regulation. Today, we’re talking about one of the most well-known circadian rhythms, the sleep-wake cycle, often referred to as the internal body clock.
What influences circadian rhythms?
Located in the SCN, or suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, is the master clock that controls these rhythms. The hormone melatonin, which is produced in response to darkness, plays a key role in preparing the body for a night of sleep.
Even minor changes and disruptions within your natural sleep-wake cycle can have knock-on effects that impact your hormones, cognitive function, and mental health, and the opposite is also true (your mental health and hormones, for example, can affect your circadian rhythm.) So, let’s look deeper into why keeping time is so important for a healthy brain:
Circadian rhythms and neuroplasticity
Circadian rhythms affect the strength of the connections between neurons in the brain that contribute to the consolidation of memories during sleep, and the fundamental processes that promote memory and learning. Disruptions in the regular cycle of sleep can impair these delicate processes, and hinder our ability to adapt to new information.
Circadian rhythms and neurotransmitters
The chemical messengers that facilitate communication between the brain’s nerve cells, neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are also influenced by circadian rhythms. These hormones impact our cognitive performance, mood, and motivation, so changes within our cycles have been linked to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as bipolar disorder.
Circadian rhythms and mental health
In the longer term, the synchronization of our internal body clock is crucial for maintaining the health of our neurons. Disturbances in circadian rhythms have been linked to an increased risk of certain neurogenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. This may be due to the accumulation of pathological proteins caused by sleep-wake disruptions that lead to an accelerated rate of cognitive decline.
As our understanding of how circadian rhythms influence our health continues to grow, it has become increasingly evident that respecting our body's natural timekeeping mechanisms is essential for promoting a healthy brain for years to come. So, make sure you prioritize allowing your body and brain the regular and consistent rest it needs to function optimally!