circadian rhythm

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circadian rhythm

n.
A daily rhythmic activity cycle, based on 24-hour intervals, that is exhibited by many organisms.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cir·ca·di·an rhythm

(sər-kā′dē-ən)
A daily cycle of biological activity based on a 24-hour period and influenced by regular variations in the environment, such as the alternation of night and day.
Did You Know? Why do you sometimes wake up on time even if your alarm clock doesn't ring? How do nocturnal animals know when it is time to wake up? It's because you—and most other animals—have a kind of internal clock that controls the cycle of the day's biological activities, such as sleeping and waking. These daily biological activities are known as circadian rhythms because they are influenced by the regular intervals of light and dark in each 24-hour day. While the process underlying circadian rhythm is not completely understood, it is mainly controlled by the release of hormones. The brain regulates the amount of hormone released in response to the information it gets from light-sensitive cells in the eye, called photoreceptors. Circadian rhythms can be disrupted by changes in this daily schedule. For example, biologists have observed that birds exposed to artificial light for a long time sometimes build nests in the fall instead of the spring. In humans who travel long distances by air, the local time of day no longer matches the body's internal clock, causing a condition known as jet lag.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

circadian rhythm

The regular recurrence of life activities in 24-hour cycles.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun 1. circadian rhythm - a daily cycle of activity observed in many living organisms
biological time - the time of various biological processes
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

cir·ca·di·an rhythm

n. ritmo circadiano, ref. a variaciones rítmicas biológicas en un ciclo de 24 horas.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in periodicals archive ?
Release date- 13082019 - Scientists from EPFL's Institute of Bioengineering have discovered that our circadian clock and our cell-cycle are in fact, synchronized.
EPFL: How our biological clocks are locked in sync
For example, it is understood that both sleep and our body's core temperature are regulated by a circadian clock located within the brain's hypothalamus that drives the 24-hour patterns of many biological processes, including sleep and wakefulness, they said.
Can't sleep? Science says take a bath 90 minutes before bedtime
To keep your circadian clock synchronized, keep regular sleep and wake hours, even on weekends; increase your exposure to natural light during the day while minimizing exposure to blue light for a few hours before bedtime; and avoid heavy or spicy meals before you go to sleep.
Heart Disease and Depression: A new study suggests that the circadian rhythm may explain why these conditions so often occur together
The results show that responses are far stronger in both areas following exercise in the morning and it is likely to be controlled by a central mechanism involving the protein HIF 1-alpha, which directly regulates the body's circadian clock.
Evening exercise as good as morning workout
According to the researchers, there appear to be rather significant differences between the effect of exercise performed in the morning and evening, and these differences are probably controlled by the body's circadian clock.
Exercise may has different effects in morning and evening: Study
Somehow, the liver's circadian clock was able to detect light, presumably via signals from other organs.
Body Parts Respond to Day, Night Independently
Further research identified the proteins making up the mitochondrial circadian clock that regulates these activities.
What to Eat? When to Eat It?
Recently, a group of scientists at the University of California, Irvine investigated the impact of fasting on our circadian clock.
Intermittent fasting boosts health by strengthening daily rhythms
The idea that our waking and sleep cycles operate according to an internal clock called the circadian clock has been around for centuries, but it's only been in the past few decades that we are learning the circadian clock does much more than control sleep.
The Circadian Code
The body's circadian clock is the part of the brain that governs many important physiological processes and human behaviour.
Why Loss Of Sleep Can Make You Sick
Regular sleep helps keep the body's circadian clock on track.
Regular Sleep Schedule Protects Against Heart Disease and Its Risk Factors

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