Biological clock to wake up

Every day, we experience changes in mental and physical condition, when the body and brain alternate between a state of alert and activity period of rest, recovery and restoration during sleep. In humans, this "biological clock" is located in a structure of the brain called the nucleus supraquiasmático, concentration of over 10 thousand neurons, located in the midline approximately 3 cm behind the eye. The circadian rhythm is particularly important because it gives the animal migration, hibernation, adaptation of the skin in winter, and many other physiological functions.

The most studied in relation to this "biological clock" has been the hormone secretion (growth hormones, thyroid, adrenal, sex) and sleep patterns (melatonin hormone). A study in the Netherlands in May 2001, researchers measured the temperature of 7 people with a tendency to get up early and 7 people with a tendency to wake up later in the morning. Comparing the temperatures of the two groups and found that on average, in the "early", the temperature rises two hours earlier than in people who prefer to rise late in the morning.

People who have their own "internal clock" marked for hours later, have more difficulty getting up. The researchers wrote that these people can "overcome" their biological clock for work, but in moments of leisure, like holidays, it's easy to return them to their employer and can sleep till late in the morning. Understanding the function of genes regulating this cycle, or circadian rhythm, gives us the possibility to intervene in some cases, to help the person with impaired mental and physical health.