How modern lifestyles harm our health

All animals, plants and even bacteria obey circadian rhythms. They control hundreds of processes, including thinking, fat synthesis, and even hair growth. The work of circadian rhythms is regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) - an accumulation of neurons in the hypothalamus. It signals when, within a 24-hour cycle, to start and shut down certain processes. SCN works focusing on external light signals.

In addition, our internal clocks constantly adjust based on diet, physical activity, and social interaction. And we, ourselves without realizing it, all the time act contrary to them.

Disruption of circadian rhythms negatively affects the body

In 2006, researchers at the University of Virginia conducted the Chronic Jet-lag Increases Mortality In Aged Mice experiment with mice. … They turned on the lights in the cages of the mice six hours earlier than usual. This was done once a week so that the circadian rhythms of the animals did not have time to reorganize. This went on for eight weeks. In effect, such a change in light stimuli is similar to a flight from New York to Paris. As a result, young mice became ill and began to behave mentally unbalanced, and 53% of adult mice died.

Almost every organ has its own internal clock. For example, the pancreas has a mechanism that tells when to start making insulin and when to stop. The liver knows when to stop producing glycogen and start processing fats. Even the eyes have a built-in clock that informs when it is time to repair retinal cells damaged by ultraviolet light. Therefore, in order to understand the organism and its functions, one must also understand. and his "watch".

The genes that control our circadian rhythms are associated with metabolic processes. If you disrupt the work of some, the work of others will also be disrupted.

For example, if you eat too late in the evening, when your metabolism is slow, the likelihood of obesity increases dramatically. And this fat can then accumulate in the liver, increasing the risk of inflammation and cancer. Disruption of the sleep-wake cycle also affects mental health. Many people with sleep disorders suffer from depression and anxiety.

Possible way out of the situation

Biologist Satchidananda Panda has been studying the relationship between metabolism and the internal clock for over a decade. He found that limiting the feeding time of obese mice could significantly improve their health. … Even when they ate the same amount of food as the control mice (they were allowed to eat around the clock), their weight and internal inflammation decreased.

Then Panda conducted an experiment with humans. To do this, the participants recorded in the Mycircadianclock application what they eat and drink, including water and medicines, simply uploading photos to the application.

The data showed that most people do not eat three times a day, as they think: we often forget to consider snacks. It turned out that a third of the participants eat eight times a day, and many eat late at night. For example, those who ate breakfast at six in the morning usually uploaded photographs of sweets, pizza, and alcohol closer to midnight. And the later, the more you want to eat. This is our brain, thinking that we will not sleep all night, trying to stock up on energy.

The researcher believes that a time-limited diet will help cope with problems such as obesity and heart disease. …