Did you know that most humans would operate on a 25-hour cycle without exposure to sunlight? Instead, we operate on a 24-hour cycle, following the 24-hour cycle of the sun. Humans are “diurnal” animals, sleeping during the night and being active during the day, as opposed to “nocturnal” animals which are active at night. When sunlight reaches our eyes, it alerts our “biological clock,” a region of the brain that sends signals to other areas of the brain, that it’s time to wake-up. Body temperature rises, urine production and blood pressure increase, and hormone secretions change to get us ready to start the day.
Viewer Tip: Exposure to sunlight plays a powerful role in human sleep cycles. Sleep experts recommend waking up to sunlight or bright light when possible to help your body reset its biological clock each day. Getting outdoors for an hour of sunlight in the morning can also help your body regulate its sleep cycle, and seeking sunlight in the morning can help jet-lagged travelers adjust their sleep schedules.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
(Sources: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health. “Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep.” http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm; Harvard Medical School and WGBH Educational Foundation. “Healthy Sleep.” http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/; Capital Weather Gang, The Washington Post. “Sleeping Through Sunlight: Not a Success.” http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2009/08/sleeping_through_sunlight_not.html)
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