Circadian Rhythm Explained and How It Impacts Sleep. How light impacts sleep.
When it comes to helping our children and ourselves get healthy sleep, there are several factors to consider and be mindful of. One such factor you will see me talk about often is the circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm is a sleep regulatory system. The circadian rhythm is an internal body clock. This is something within your body that helps impact your sleep patterns. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child describes it as being something that switches on and off genes in response to light (see page 15). It is a molecular clock that is set by sunlight. The purpose of it is to ensure the body sleeps when it should and is awake when it should (along with other body factors. For the purpose of this post, we will focus on the impact it has on sleep). This sleep system is impacted genetically, so it is different from person to person (just like eye color). While it is genetic, it can be impacted by light, temperature, melatonin, and chemical reactions.
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