Facts about Circadian Rhythm

1. 06

   Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael Young won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the PER gene's role in circadian timekeeping in fruit flies.

   Circadian RhythmOct 6sharegeneticsnobelbiology
2. 05

   Cortisol levels follow a circadian rhythm, peaking shortly after waking in what is known as the cortisol awakening response.

   Circadian RhythmJun 6sharebiologyhormonessleep
3. 04

   In humans, core body temperature follows a circadian rhythm, dropping to its lowest point in the early morning hours before wake time.

   Circadian RhythmJun 6sharebiologysleepphysiology
4. 03

   Disruption of circadian rhythm, such as from shift work or jet lag, is associated with increased risks of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

   Circadian RhythmJun 6sharehealthbiologysleep
5. 02

   Light exposure is the primary zeitgeber, or time cue, that synchronizes the human circadian rhythm to the external environment.

   Circadian RhythmJun 6sharebiologyneurosciencesleep
6. 01

   The circadian rhythm operates on an approximately 24-hour cycle and is regulated by a master clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus.

   Circadian RhythmJun 6sharebiologyneurosciencesleep