You’ve no doubt heard references to the existence of body clocks, and it’s no surprise because all of our bodily functions are regulated by the circadian system. To put it simply, our circadian rhythms optimise bodily functions. In this episode, we explain why it is important.

They are managed by a master clock known as the circadian pacemaker which is formed of around 20,000 neurons. It’s situated in the brain, more specifically in the hypothalamus. The sleep-wake cycle is an obvious example of a circadian rhythm. But these cycles help many other systems to function too, like hunger, organ activity, memory consolidation and pain perception. The word “circadian” actually comes from the Latin “circa diem”, meaning “around a day”.

What are the dangers of a disrupted circadian rhythm? What’s the best way to stop circadian rhythms from getting disrupted? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

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How can heatwaves impact our mental health?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 28/10/22

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