The circadian rhythm is a subject of many studies, yet it remains a mystery in many ways. While scientists have identified many of the cell proteins involved in circadian rhythm and several genes that contribute to a healthy rhythm, the “master clock” gene remained elusive. However, a recent chronobiology study on rats indicates that the […]
Wonder Hormone Improves Outcomes in Cancer Patients
Cancer research has yielded many new and exciting treatments that improve outcomes by attacking the biochemical processes underlying this serious disease. While melatonin has been used as a treatment for insomnia and other sleep disorders for decades, it may also be a valuable treatment for cancer. New studies suggest that melatonin inhibits tumor growth while […]
Social Jet Lag and Your Health
How do your sleep habits on weekends compare to those of weekdays? For many modern people, there is a sizable difference in when they wake, when they go to bed, and how many hours they sleep. Weekends come with later bedtimes and alarm clocks turned off, allowing sleep-deprived people to catch up on sleep missed […]
Working the Night Shift May Affect Your Lifespan
Nurses sacrifice themselves for others every shift, enduring long hours on their feet and exposure to deadly pathogens. However, working unusual shifts may pose even more of a danger to the health of nurses, as well as other professionals that don’t work a standard day shift. The Nurses’ Health Study The Nurses’ Health Study has […]
Neurotoxins and Sleep: What is the Connection?
While people once believed that sleep was merely a period of inactivity and rest, modern studies in chronobiology have shown that sleep is important for a variety of biochemical processes. A recent study suggests that sleep is even more important than physicians and scientists previously thought, allowing the brain to flush out toxic chemicals that […]
