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Sleep
is a critical component to a healthy life. Not only does it allow our bodies
time to "rejuvenate," it also gives us the chance to have awesome dreams about
flying and being a secret agent on a mission. Even though sleep seems like a commodity
that we always want, yet never have enough time for, you will spend about
one-third of your life sleeping. Little is known about the precise functions of
sleep. Our biological clock controls the circadian rhythm, which are the
physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a roughly 24-hour cycle.
It responds primarily to light and darkness in our environment as well as the
body's "master clock." The master clock consists of a group of nerve cells in
the brain and is located in the hypothalamus; its main function is to keep all
the body clocks in synch.
Image Credit: integraldeeplistening.com
Circadian Rhythm
The
circadian rhythm can adjust the
sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other important bodily
functions. The production of basic amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and
other biological health processes are controlled by the body's internal clock.
Metabolites, as well as signaling proteins, need to be perfectly coordinated
for proper function.
When
the clock is disrupted metabolic disorders can occur, including obesity and
diabetes. Researchers are continuing to study the effects of sleep on human
activity and health. More specifically, a group of scientists from the UC
Irvine Center for Epigenetics and Metabolism Paolo Sassone-Corsi have complied
the world's first "metabolome" (large network of metabolic reactions), or full
live-metabolite profile. Their study focused on how the body's circadian rhythm
affects different signaling proteins and physiological factors. Over 600
liver-borne metabolites were identified and 60% were dependent on circadian cycles.
New Research
In
order to effectively use the metabolome the research team created CircadiOmics, a web-based
database that profiles metabolites, and their genetic and network interactions.
Using this tool, the group was able to integrate the circadian metabolite data
with many sources with the goal of creating a comprehensive
map of the liver metabolome and its circadian oscillations. Understanding this
metabolome in this way is critical to gaining insight on the interplay between
metabolism and circadian rhythms in healthy and diseased states. This
information can be used to better understand how nutrients interact with the
metabolism; therefore we can optimize the foods and medications we take to get
the fullest benefits.
Image Credit
Resources
Circadian
Cycle Heavily Influences Metabolic Output
Circadian rhythms have profound influence on metabolic output,
UCI study reveals
Information
about Sleep
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Re: Sleep and Your Diet
