Circadian Rhythm News and Research

Latest Circadian Rhythm News and Research

New Sleep and Breathing Disorders Center at UT Southwestern

UT Southwestern Medical Center has assembled a comprehensive team of experts in pulmonary medicine, neurology, psychiatry, pediatrics, otolaryngology, surgery and rehabilitation medicine to work together in a new Sleep and Breathing Disorders Center.

10 Jan 2008

Bright light therapy helps some with bipolar depression

Bright light therapy can ease bipolar depression in some patients, according to a study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders.

4 Jan 2008

Children's sleep duration influences weight, behavior

The duration of a child's sleep can vary, depending on the time of day, week and year.

2 Jan 2008

Children short of sleep three times as likely to be obese

According to new research by scientists in New Zealand children who do not get enough sleep face an increased risk of obesity and behavioral problems.

2 Jan 2008

New research alters concept of how circadian clock functions

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have identified a molecule that may govern how the circadian clock in plants responds to environmental changes.

14 Dec 2007

Blind humans lacking rods and cones retain normal responses to non-visual effects of light

In addition to allowing us to see, the mammalian eye also detects light for a number of "non-visual" phenomena.

14 Dec 2007

Researchers find genetic switch for internal body clock

University of California, Irvine researchers have identified the chemical switch that triggers the genetic mechanism regulating our internal body clock.

13 Dec 2007

New studies on brain and behavior from the world's leading scientists

The 2007 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting will feature hundreds of new studies on brain and behavior from the world's leading scientists.

10 Dec 2007

Stable sleep patterns and regular routines may improve outcomes in bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, commonly known as manic-depressive disorder, is highly influenced by the circadian system - the body's internal clock - and a specific kind of psychotherapy may help decrease irregularities in the circadian system that can trigger key symptoms of bipolar disorder, according to a study presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting.

10 Dec 2007

Prolonged exposure to night shift work increases odds of cancer

A study by the World Health Organization has found that night shift work increases the risk of cancer in humans.

3 Dec 2007

Night shift work linked to cancer risk

A study by a team of international scientists has found that shift work may increase a person's risk of cancer.

3 Dec 2007

Altered sex hormone levels, higher body temp affects sleep quality in postmenopausal women

In an examination of potential relationships between objective sleep measures, nocturnal sex hormone levels, and the nocturnal course of body temperature of older postmenopausal women, a study published in the December 1, 2007 issue of the journal SLEEP finds that altered levels of both sex hormones and gonadotropins may contribute to sleep disturbance in older postmenopausal women and confirm the results of previous studies indicating that higher body temperature is associated with poorer sleep quality.

2 Dec 2007

Rev-erb protein helps maintain the body's correct metabolism

It's well known that the body's energy levels cycle on a 24-hour, or circadian, schedule, and that this metabolic process is fueled by oxygen.

19 Nov 2007

Melatonin could actually be hurting you at night!

What do you do when a naturally occurring hormone in your body turns against you? What do you do when that same hormone - melatonin - is a popular supplement you take to help you sleep?

16 Nov 2007

Glasses designed to block blue light improve sleep and ADHD symptoms

Scientists at John Carroll University, working in its Lighting Innovations Institute, have developed an affordable accessory that appears to reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Their discovery also has also been shown to improve sleep patterns among people who have difficulty falling asleep.

13 Nov 2007

High fat diets throw body clock out of sync

The researchers from the Northwestern University and Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois, suggest that overeating alters the core mechanism of the body clock and disrupts the timing of internal signals such as appetite control.

7 Nov 2007

Overeating alters the core mechanism of the body clock

Our body's 24-hour internal clock, or circadian clock, regulates the time we go to sleep, wake up and become hungry as well as the daily rhythms of many metabolic functions.

6 Nov 2007

Diets high in fat shift the timing of the body's internal clock

Diets that are high in fat can shift the timing of the body's internal clock, researchers report in the November issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press.

6 Nov 2007

U-M study finds shorter sleep duration for 9- to 12-year-old kids is associated with increased risk for being overweight

Diets high in fat and sugar may not be the only things contributing to American children's expanding waistlines. Research findings from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital suggest that kids who aren't getting enough sleep also may be at an increased risk for being overweight.

5 Nov 2007

Practice parameters discuss the evaluation, treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders

Practice parameters published in the November 1 issue of the journal SLEEP are a guide to the appropriate assessment and treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSDs).

2 Nov 2007