Biorhythms
Medical Author: William C. Shiel, Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
What are biologic rhythms?
What are biologic rhythms? In essence, they're the rhythms of life. All forms
of life on earth, including our bodies, respond rhythmically to the regular
cycles of the sun, moon, and seasons.
For example, as night turns into day, vital body
functions, including heart
rate and blood pressure, speed
up in anticipation of increased physical activity. These and other predictable
fluctuations in body function, taking place during specific time cycles, are our
biologic rhythms. They are regulated by "biologic clock" mechanisms located in
the brain.
Although biologic rhythms can be "reprogrammed" by environmental influences
(such as when a person regularly works the night shift and sleeps during the
day), they are genetically "hard-wired" into our cells, tissues, and organs.
Medical chronobiologists have found that biologic rhythms can affect the
severity of disease symptoms, diagnostic test results, and even the body's
response to drug therapy. Now these investigators are working to discover how
the rhythms of life can be used to improve the practice of medicine - and your
health.
These time-related medical observations, and others still
in the exciting process of discovery, are rooted in chronobiology (chronos -
time; bios - life; logos - science), the study of biologic rhythms.
How does the "body clock" affects symptoms of illness?
Among the various biologic rhythm cycles that medical chronobiologists study,
the 24-hour day/night-activity/rest cycle is considered a key chronobiologic factor in medical diagnosis and treatment. Formally known as
the circadian rhythm, it's also referred to as the "body clock."
Why is the 24-hour body clock so important?
Because so many of our normal
body functions follow daily patterns of speeding up and slowing down, intensifying and diminishing, in alignment with circadian rhythm.
Interestingly, so do the symptoms of a number of chronic disorders:
Allergic rhinitis: (nasal inflammation associated with
hay fever) Symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, and stuffy nose are typically worse in the early waking hours than later during the day.
Asthma: In most patients, symptoms are more than 100 times as likely to
occur in the few hours prior to awakening than during the day.
Stable angina: Chest pain and
electrocardiographic (ECG,
EKG) abnormalities are
most common during the first 4 to 6 hours after awakening.
Prinzmetal's angina: ECG abnormalities are most common
during sleep; chest pain can occur even while at rest.
Heart attack: Heart attack most commonly occurs in the early waking hours.
Stroke: Strokes most commonly occur in the early waking hours.
Hypertension: The highest blood pressure readings typically occur from late
morning to middle afternoon; lowest occur during early sleep. Therapy now exists that works with your body clock; consult your physician
about this treatment. Clinical studies are underway to further this research.
Rheumatoid arthritis:
RA symptoms are most intense upon awakening.
Osteoarthritis: Symptoms
of osteoarthritis worsen in the afternoon and evening.
Ulcer disease: The pain typically occurs after stomach
emptying, following
daytime meals, and in the very early morning, disrupting sleep.
Epilepsy: Seizures often occur only at particular times of the day or night;
individual patterns differ among patients.
Next: What are examples of specific diseases affected by biorhythms? »
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