Controlled by two different biologic mechanisms found in the body, the sleep-wake cycle balances and interacts with one another. Originally posited in the early 1980s by a Swiss sleep scientist named Alexander Borbely, the model is typically known as the sleep-wake regulation two-process model. These two key processes consist of the following: 1. Sleep-Wake Homeostasis […]
Gene That Controls the Internal Clock Discovered
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 […]
