showed that rodents that were instead fed during the day performed less well on cognitive tests than other mice who received the same food at night. Mice normally consume most of their food after sunset. therefore decided to investigate whether eating outside normal waking hours would also affect other key physiological processes, specifically the cognitive processes of learning and memory. However, more recent evidence suggests that the timing of meals may also affect circadian clocks, particularly those within the digestive system. These secondary clocks normally operate in synchrony with the SCN.Įxposure to light has long been known to influence circadian rhythms. However, most organs, from the heart to the pancreas, also possess their own clocks, which help to regulate organ-specific processes.
Daily exposure to light keeps the SCN synchronized with the 24-hour day/night cycle. They also affect when we feel hungry, when our muscles work most efficiently, and when we are mentally at our sharpest.Ī region of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) generates and maintains circadian rhythms, and thus acts as the body’s master clock.
In addition to patterns of sleep and wakefulness, such circadian rhythms help to regulate body temperature, blood pressure and hormone levels. Many processes within the body follow an approximately 24-hour cycle.
