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HWN Suggests

Enter the Chronotherapists

Here’s my prediction for the Next Big Thing in health care: chronotherapy, or therapy by the clock. Yes, in the future, your medicines, your operations, your mealtimes and when you step onto the treadmill or the badminton court — all will be overseen by your personal chronoconsultant.

It’s been known for ages that our bodies have daily, or “circadian,” rhythms. Body temperature is lower in the morning than it is in the afternoon. Blood pressure is low during the night, and rises just before you wake. Muscles are stronger in the afternoon than they are in the morning, and you may have greater dexterity then, too. Badminton players tend…

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Featured

 Chrono-nutrition: Why When You Eat is as Important as What You Eat

Circadian rhythm is such a fascinating field of research because it validates the body’s wisdom and, in doing so, allows us to work with its natural rhythm in order to maintain or restore health. And instead of adding another layer to the pile of things we need to do to be healthy, it brings it back to basics. It serves as a reminder that the simplest practices - like eating meals at the appropriate times, getting bright light exposure during the day and going to bed early - are sometimes the most powerful medicine.

Articles of Interest

A New Look Into the Sleep Patterns of Ancient Tribal Societies

New data shows that preindustrial cultures have similar sleep patterns to modern ones, suggesting that sleep behavior is deeply ingrained in our genome.

Chronotherapy: The science of timing drugs to our Body Clock

Doctors are becoming increasingly interested in the science of chronotherapy - aligning medical treatment to our circadian rhythms. Cancer and rheumatoid arthritis are two disease areas where chronotherapy is showing promise...

Circadian Rhythm Chronotherapy for Depression – Experiment

In all honesty, the results are just too juicy not to at least try. I might fail. In fact, considering I have to stay up for 36 hours I’d say there’s a high likelihood that I’ll fail, but I think it’s worth a shot anyway. I could be wrong. It could all go horribly wrong and I’ll end up jumping off the roof in mad mania or suiciding in depression. But I’m hoping not.

It's Harder to Sleep if You're a Woman

Your period and the patriarchy are keeping you up at night.

Medicine in the Fourth Dimension

In light of circadian research, prescriptions like “Take Once Daily” are terrifyingly vague.

Sleeping (or Not) by the Wrong Clock

In American psychiatry, chronotherapeutics is a new kid on the block, viewed by some as a counter-intuitive departure from conventional medication.

What You Need to Know About Clock Genes and Your Health

Learning more about how our amazing bodies function, and how we can support our optimal health, continues to inspire me.

Resources

Australasian Chronobiology Society

The Australasian Chronobiology Society was founded in early 2004. The ACS aims to generate and discuss research in all areas of Chronobiology, including both animal and human work to examine specific areas such as sleep and circadian biology in Australia and New Zealand.

Biological Rhythm Research

The principal aim of Biological Rhythm Research is to cover any aspect of research into the broad topic of biological rhythms. The area covered can range from studies at the genetic or molecular level to those of behavioural or clinical topics. It can also include ultradian, circadian, infradian or annual rhythms.

Center for Biological Timekeeping

Our research effort mainly centers around the “Avian Circadian and Seasonal Systems...

Chronobiology

This site is dedicated to the history, findings and advancements of Chronobiology.

Chronobiology International

Chronobiology International is the journal of biological and medical rhythm research. It is a transdisciplinary journal focusing on biological rhythm phenomena of all life forms. The journal publishes groundbreaking articles plus authoritative review papers, short communications of work in progress, case studies, and letters to the editor...

EUCLOCK

EUCLOCK is a large European wide research network that has been launched in January 2006. This project aims at the investigation of the circadian clocks in single cells and in humans.

European Biological Rhythms Society

The EBRS aims to promote chronobiology and chronomedicine. Its scientific goal is to study the circadian/seasonal organizations and mechanisms in a vertical approach that integrates molecular, cellular, system-physiological, behavioral and medical aspects.

International Society for Chronobiology

The aims of the Society are: •to further the study of temporal changes in living matter, including biological rhythms in development and aging in individuals and populations; •to study and define the mechanisms of these temporal changes; •to promote education in and wide understanding of chronobiology; •to foster practical applications for chronobiological findings to mankind in basic and applied biology, physiology, work hygiene and the medical sciences; •to further contact between scientists in the field and provide a forum for practitioners of chronobiology.

Journal of Circadian Rhythms

The Journal of Circadian Rhythms aims to include both basic and applied research at any level of biological organization (molecular, cellular, organic, organismal, and populational). Studies of daily rhythms in environmental factors that directly affect circadian rhythms are also pertinent to the journal's mission.

Psychology Today

Take control of your inner clock.

Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms

The Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms (SLTBR) is an international scientific non-profit organization devoted to promoting research and knowledge about the effects of light on the organism and the chronobiology of psychiatric as well as other medical disorders.

Society for Research on Biological Rhythms

The Society for Research on Biological Rhythms was formed to: •Promote advancement of basic and applied research in all aspects of biological rhythms; •Disseminate the important results of that research among scientists, to the agencies that fund research and to the general public; •Enhance the education and training of students and researchers in the field and; •Foster interdisciplinary communication...