Sleep and the 'body clock'
Strange question perhaps, but if our bodies were completely able to make up their own minds on when we should sleep and be awake, when would they do it? Is the body clock different to everyone? Is the most natural thing to get up at sunrise? Is this best for health and how you feel?
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Original post by morris743
Strange question perhaps, but if our bodies were completely able to make up their own minds on when we should sleep and be awake, when would they do it? Is the body clock different to everyone? Is the most natural thing to get up at sunrise? Is this best for health and how you feel?
Thanks.
Thanks.
I don't think getting up at 4:45 in the summer is the most natural thing.
Original post by No Man
I don't think getting up at 4:45 in the summer is the most natural thing.
Not from a social point of view, but why not from a body and world's point of view? As long as you adjust your wake up time in line with the sunrises across the year i.e. around 8am at the moment, slowly going backwards and then forwards again.
It's all just theory of course, because society dictates otherwise. I'm just curious, that's all.
The most natural thing would surely be to fall asleep when it gets dark? Time (or rather, times like 8pm) is a human construct.
Original post by morris743
Not from a social point of view, but why not from a body and world's point of view? As long as you adjust your wake up time in line with the sunrises across the year i.e. around 8am at the moment, slowly going backwards and then forwards again.
It's all just theory of course, because society dictates otherwise. I'm just curious, that's all.
It's all just theory of course, because society dictates otherwise. I'm just curious, that's all.
I near enough always wake up just before my alarm goes off. No idea why. Would be so much easier if it happened when my alarm went off.
Bloody annoying when it happens at the weekends because that's usually when I'm trying to sleep off whatever it is I've smoked/drunk the night before.
People work differently; some people are morning people, others are evening people (ie. wake up early and go to sleep early vs. vice versa).
So I guess people have different 'body clocks' naturally. (Which makes sense if you go back to caveman times, you needed to have someone looking out so the fire doesnt go off and the lion doesn't eat the lot; just like there's the theory that gays are natural, as they were needed to protect the others or whatever).
So I guess people have different 'body clocks' naturally. (Which makes sense if you go back to caveman times, you needed to have someone looking out so the fire doesnt go off and the lion doesn't eat the lot; just like there's the theory that gays are natural, as they were needed to protect the others or whatever).
Original post by No Man
I don't think getting up at 4:45 in the summer is the most natural thing.
Actually waking up at sunrise is beautiful. Especially in the summer, and you feel great.
It would sleep during the night. We need vitamin D from the sun.
Sleep during darkness, awake in the sun light. Depending on the season, it would be weird.
Sleep during darkness, awake in the sun light. Depending on the season, it would be weird.
Original post by morris743
Strange question perhaps, but if our bodies were completely able to make up their own minds on when we should sleep and be awake, when would they do it? Is the body clock different to everyone? Is the most natural thing to get up at sunrise? Is this best for health and how you feel?
Thanks.
Thanks.
In complete darkness the cycle lasts slightly longer than a day (~26 hours iirc).
I don't know about it being natural but the onset of light would excite intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells which supress melatonin from the pineal gland (which is associated with sleep) and IPGCs are also connected to the suprachiasmatic nucleus which is involved in circadian rhythms
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by looking
Original post by looking
We shouldn't sleep at all! We should just take a few naps throughout the (full 24hr) day
If polyphasic sleeping could be worked into the modern day of life, I would definitely adjust into doing it. Sounds so amazing
Original post by n1r4v
In complete darkness the cycle lasts slightly longer than a day (~26 hours iirc).
I don't know about it being natural but the onset of light would excite intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells which supress melatonin from the pineal gland (which is associated with sleep) and IPGCs are also connected to the suprachiasmatic nucleus which is involved in circadian rhythms
I don't know about it being natural but the onset of light would excite intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells which supress melatonin from the pineal gland (which is associated with sleep) and IPGCs are also connected to the suprachiasmatic nucleus which is involved in circadian rhythms
You sound so much smarter than me.
Original post by morris743
You sound so much smarter than me.
Sorry; in general I don't know if it's 'natural', but sunrise (or a couple of minutes later) would certainly assist in arousal.
The body has a natural body clock of an ~25 hour cycle, as shown in studies where people were locked in caves, taken away from any concept of time, and told to sleep when they felt they needed to.
Hope that answers your question.
Hope that answers your question.
Original post by Gemma :)!
The body has a natural body clock of an ~25 hour cycle, as shown in studies where people were locked in caves, taken away from any concept of time, and told to sleep when they felt they needed to.
Hope that answers your question.
Hope that answers your question.
Hmmmm kind of lol
What would be the very best times to sleep from and to on a daily basis then? Awake at sunrise?
Apparently we should sleep diphasically...
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jessa_gamble_how_to_sleep.html
Following on from what n1r4v said, light (particularly shorter wavelengths) triggers awakeness, so naturally we're more awake during daylight hours.
I think what was said about shorter and longer days (in terms of daylight hours) is less significant than it seems...Homo sapiens evolved in Africa, so around the equator, where day length varies less than towards the poles. So any circadian rhythms and sleep cycle control mechanisms would have evolved in the absence of "Daylight Savings Time".
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jessa_gamble_how_to_sleep.html
Following on from what n1r4v said, light (particularly shorter wavelengths) triggers awakeness, so naturally we're more awake during daylight hours.
I think what was said about shorter and longer days (in terms of daylight hours) is less significant than it seems...Homo sapiens evolved in Africa, so around the equator, where day length varies less than towards the poles. So any circadian rhythms and sleep cycle control mechanisms would have evolved in the absence of "Daylight Savings Time".
Original post by morris743
Hmmmm kind of lol
What would be the very best times to sleep from and to on a daily basis then? Awake at sunrise?
What would be the very best times to sleep from and to on a daily basis then? Awake at sunrise?
Getting up about 6am, going to bed at 9pm is pretty much optimum.. but obviously people's lives rarely fit into that!
Original post by Gemma :)!
Getting up about 6am, going to bed at 9pm is pretty much optimum.. but obviously people's lives rarely fit into that!
Apparently the best sleep cycle in biphasic, a 90 minute nap in the evening (I.E. 19.30 to 21.00) and then a 4 and a half hour (3x90 minute) 'core' sleep between about 24.00 and 4.30.
Important things are not to sleep shorter or longer than multiples of 90 minutes because of R.E.M, keep caffeine to a minimum, and get up before 6 a.m. Haven't tried it myself, but i might give it a go after january exams. People who've done it say they experience 2 weeks of 'jetlag' during the gradual transition, but then feel so much less drowsy once the changeover is complete.
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