today's topic is everything you need to know about the circadian rhythm the circadian rhythm is your sleep wake pattern over a 24-hour day it is responsible for your schedules of sleeping and wakefulness and is present in all living things it is affected by light and dark along with your environment the brain releases specific hormones based on the signals released due to the temperature and environment which causes changes to your metabolism and affects your sleep an affected circadian rhythm can lead to sleep disorders which you can counter by maintaining healthy habits before we get to that let's take a detailed look at circadian rhythm what affects the circadian rhythm the circadian rhythm is one of the four biological rhythms of the body and it is made up of several components first of all the cells of the body respond to environmental conditions such as light or dark and relay signals along the body to the brain these signals can determine whether you feel sleepy or awake secondly hormones such as cortisol and melatonin are also linked to the circadian rhythm their production may increase or decrease according to your circadian rhythm melatonin is responsible for making you sleepy while cortisol ends up making you more alert similarly hormones such as leptin insulin vasopressin and acetylcholine are also tied to the circadian rhythm other factors linked with the circadian rhythm are the metabolism and body temperature how does the circadian rhythm change with age babies usually do not have a circadian rhythm causing their sleep to be erratic the circadian rhythm matures as they grow and children typically have a very stable sleep cycle the sleep cycle becomes disturbed during the teen years with teenagers experiencing a sleep phase delay which causes them to not feel sleepy for most of the night this is mostly due to the hormonal changes caused by puberty and the circadian rhythm settles as they mature into adulthood what causes the circadian rhythm to be disturbed your sleep cycle can be disturbed by one overworking stress and staying at the office too long two work shifts with erratic hours three jet lag four traveling in different time zones five medication six lifestyle involving early wake times and late night hours seven mental health conditions eight head injuries brain damage or dementia nine poor sleep habits how to correct the circadian rhythm here's how you can deal with a disturbed circadian rhythm and set it right 1. try to follow a set routine each day 2. sleep in a supportive environment with the right lighting in a comfortable mattress 3. boost wakefulness by spending time outside during the day 4. avoid naps in the late afternoon or evening 5. avoid nicotine alcohol or caffeine in the evening 6. exercise each day seven shut down your devices when it is time to sleep thank you for watching our video please do not forget to like and share the video also please subscribe to the channel to stay updated on our latest videos