An important aspect of understanding how sleep works is to understand the essential rhythm of our internal body clock. This rhythm is referred to as the circadian rhythm. If it gets out of sync, our getting a good night’s sleep will be affected. Understanding how this works and what we can do to correct matters is important.

Maybe you’ve heard of your ‘body clock,’ but have never quite understood what it is. When people refer to their inner body clock, they are making reference to their circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is in charge of coordinating your daily sleep-wake cycle. Your body actually has hundreds of circadian rhythms. These cycles control and coordinate your body’s varying temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, hormone levels, and numerous other factors that allow you to move about comfortably every day. Your circadian rhythm operates on a 24-hour cycle. Your brain relies on outside influences (called zeitgebers) such as daylight to set your circadian rhythm each day. Our bodies depend on these external cues to set our internal body clocks. Any time that your circadian rhythm becomes interrupted—for instance, if you experience several nights of sleep deprivation—your circadian rhythm is thrown out of sync.

Unfortunately, many people are unable to keep a steady circadian rhythm because of their employment. People who work at night are particularly vulnerable to this danger. People who work during the nighttime hours interrupt the body’s natural biological and psychological rhythms. Many of these individuals may eventually suffer from a circadian rhythm disorder. Other people who are vulnerable to developing a circadian rhythm disorder are people who keep very irregular sleep schedules, those who travel frequently and experience jet lag, and people who simply do not get enough sleep due to insomnia or other sleep disorders.

What happens when your circadian rhythm is disrupted? Not only does your ability to get a restful night’s sleep become compromised, your immune system is also compromised, making you more vulnerable to getting colds and flu’s. Your body becomes more susceptible to weight gain, you are more vulnerable to develop mood swings, and your body’s digestive system may be thrown out of whack. How does your circadian rhythm affect your ability to get a good night’s sleep? A disruption of your circadian rhythm may cause you to become sleepy and fatigued during work hours, and you are more likely to develop chronic insomnia. It is usually much more difficult to achieve restful sleep during the day. There are far more interruptions and environmental factors that negate the amount of sleep you can achieve during the day. Short-term disruptions to your circadian rhythm can also cause fuzzy thinking and an overall lack of clarity. This can result in an increase of workplace accidents caused by fatigue.

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