Happy Biological Clock Day!

 

By: Myka Jen Llanera

Photo By: Joylene Batomalaki

Which way do you wake up every morning—by yourself or with the help of an alarm clock?

Every year on April 28, we observe Biological Clock Day to increase public understanding of the circadian rhythm and how it affects our mood, physiological systems, and sleep-wake cycle. Before the development of the electric light bulb, which shortened the length of sleep to six hours, did you know that humans engaged in segmented sleep during the Middle Ages? The circadian rhythm, a 24-hour cycle that is a component of our internal clock and performs necessary tasks including controlling the sleep-wake cycle, is associated with the biological clock. The brain's master clock, which transmits signals to control body activity, is linked to the circadian rhythms. Environmental cues have an impact on this master clock, enabling circadian rhythms to function by the day-night cycle.

It is assumed that before the invention of technology and alarm clocks, humans were able to function fairly effectively in the world, rising and sleeping at regular times each day. The term "biological clock" refers to the human body and the brain's innate capacity to recognize the time of day. The body's internal clock is connected to all of the essential cycles that keep it operating, including breathing, eating, and sleeping. Our hormone levels are also impacted by these rhythms.

A person's daily behavior and mood are frequently influenced by their biological clock, which functions as a kind of internal timetable that they follow. The term "circadian rhythm" is a more formal term for this internal clock, which regulates sleep and wakefulness to align with the day's light and dark cycles based on the planet's rhythms. A person's attentiveness, energy, hunger, motivation, and other aspects of their existence are all influenced by the light, temperature, and other environmental conditions that this cycle continually measures.

The purpose of Biological Clock Day is to honor the body's natural cycles and to raise awareness of the amazing process by which the human body is created. The purpose of the day is to increase public awareness of the importance of paying greater attention to what people's bodies and minds are telling them.

The biological clock can be thrown off balance by modern technology, even something as basic as a standard lightbulb or blue light from computers and electronics. Biological Clock Day serves as a helpful reminder for people who would like to go back into a more naturally occurring rhythm and let their bodies do the talking!