I decided to do my animal physiology STEAM project on the internal clocks that people and other things have. There are many different internal clocks in the human body. These biological clocks are very widespread, it is found not only in animals but in plants, fungi, and even some bacteria as well. The most common is the circadian rhythm. A circadian rhythm is the 24 hour internal clock in the brain that helps to regulate cycles of things like when to sleep and wake up, when to eat, social interactions with others and different changes in the environment around us.There are also diurnal rhythms, ultradian rhythms, infradian rhythms, and also circannual rhythm. Your brain receives signals based on the environment and activates certain hormones, alters your body temperature, and can regulate your metabolism to keep you alert or help you when to sleep. To help predict these times and keep us on a regular schedule, there are these things called zeitgebers. Zeitgebers are these cues that help us to reset our circadian rhythms, it’s like the body’s timekeeper. Some things that can mess up a rhythm would be things like jet lag, late or early shifts at work, sleeping disorders, and changes in mood from things like lack of sun causing depression or even someone being bipolar.Things to help keep a pretty regular rhythm is having a regular bedtime and waking up around the same time, eating around the same times during the day, and doing activities around the same time as well.
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