Circadian Rhythm Essay

The body and brain are changing machines, where states of consciousness shift with zealous nature to allow our human anatomy to flourish. Schedules of the circadian rhythm function differently for everyone yet, is an important part of functioning for the human anatomy/mind. For the average person, however, the cycles we go through usually speak for a sleep rotation. But sometimes, even with these measured rituals, we find ourselves at a loss when we realize how fragile our circadian rhythm can be, caused by "insomnia," " jet-lag, " or even "weekend-lag."

Yesterday morning, I woke around my standard time of 7 AM by light entering the window; this light interacting with the Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and reinforcing when sleep has ended. Thus, the always active, but often disrupted circadian rhythm began its 24 - 25 hour schedule, beginning with an awake state of consciousness. Through waking, my REM cycle was broken and the manifest content dreamed was obscure and foggy, but forgotten an almost groggy step out of bed. Thereto, I prepared for my day ahead, left the house to attend a networking event for music in games. Throughout my day energy levels stayed at a consistent level, rising and falling almost as a measured sine wave. The largest dip in energy came in the area of 2:30 where I felt more tired than the rise and falls

Our bodies go through these biological timers, and continue to do so if we accept them, or not. Supporting this, we look at sleep, where the cycle of non-REM to REM changes asymmetrically throughout our phases spent unconscious. Whereas a few lost hours of sleep left me exhausted the next day, bringing down energy that I had from the day before. However, all is not lost because the circadian rhythm can be reset if proper action is taken to make sure the body is getting what it needs; preparing for sleep, and allowing our anatomy the perfect