THE HUMAN BIORHYTHM
and the role played by our internal clock
Over millions of years, the human body has become accustomed to and adapted to the changing seasons and times of day. Essentially, everyone carries their own little internal clock, which controls the body. This internal clock is responsible for the sleep-wake cycle, but also for mood and many other processes within the body. If it is out of sync, we can even fall ill; cardiovascular disorders or blood pressure problems may arise.
THE CYCLES
The body functions in cycles – these are divided by chronobiologists into three main categories:
- Ultradian rhythms – these last only a few hours, such as times of day and sleep and wake phases
- Circadian rhythms – these last approximately 24 hours and are aligned with day and night
- Infradian rhythms – these are the longest cycles, significantly longer than 24 hours. For example, the changing of the seasons
THE BIORHYTHM THROUGHOUT THE DAY
The circadian rhythm of the human body looks something like this:
- Shortly before waking up: pulse, blood pressure and temperature rise
- In the morning: ‘Wake-up’ hormones are released, stimulating both body and mind
- Mid-morning: The first peak in performance! We are running at full speed, both mentally and physically. The best time for demanding tasks, such as exams or tricky brain teasers.
- Lunchtime: The midday slump. Digesting lunch takes up so much of the body’s energy that all other functions are put on hold.
- Early afternoon: Second energy peak! The energy from our food kicks in and we’re back in top form. At this time, even our sensitivity to pain is reduced, making it the best time for hard work.
- Late afternoon: Ideal for athletes! Muscle building and endurance training work particularly well.
- Evening: The body starts to wind down. As darkness falls, tiredness sets in.
- At night: The absolute low point in our body’s performance. The body and brain rest.
INFRADIAN RHYTHM
It is not only the circadian daily rhythm that affects our bodies. The seasons also play a major role. For example, in summer we tend to be fitter, more energetic and happier for longer. Whereas the lack of light in winter often leaves us feeling tired and in a bad mood. For some people (roughly one in ten adults is affected), this can lead to SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. One method of treating this is light therapy. This involves the targeted use of daylight, with its balanced light spectrum, to restore hormonal balance.
THE INTERNAL CLOCK AND AGE
Our biorhythm also changes over the course of our lives. Infants and young children, as well as older people, are more in tune with ultradian cycles. This means shorter, but more frequent, sleep and wake phases, for example. In old age, although the body needs less sleep at night, it is reluctant to do without an afternoon nap.
The internal clock of young and old – it doesn’t tick all that differently
SLEEP-WAKE CYCLE
Scientists distinguish between two chronotypes in relation to sleep-wake rhythms:
- Early risers
- Night owls
“The early bird catches the worm” is the motto of the early riser, whilst the night owl is more likely to be the type who says “The early bird can get a move on”. This rhythm is even firmly embedded in our genetic makeup!
The early riser’s circadian cycle, their internal clock, ticks a little faster than the usual 24 hours. Wake up earlier, feel alert sooner, they say. The problem is that even if they go to bed late – at the weekend, for example, or after a night of heavy drinking – this type is awake at their usual time in the morning. This results in a sleep deficit that is difficult to make up for.
Good morning, sunshine! Only early risers can greet the sunrise like that!
Night owls, on the other hand, need considerably more time to get to grips with a new day and are proper morning grouches. Their circadian rhythm can even be as long as 26 hours. If ‘owls’ are woken up every day by an alarm clock before their body’s natural rhythm dictates, a sleep deficit builds up, as they are still unable to fall asleep any quicker in the evening. They then have to make up for this deficit at the weekend. The bodies of night owls find it difficult to get used to and adapt to changing factors.
THE CONNECTION WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING
So what on earth does all this have to do with artificial light and lighting?!? It’s quite simple: with good lighting adapted to the course of the day, we can, for example, influence the human biorhythm at the workplace and even restore it to balance. The key concept here is dynamic lighting based on the HCL principle (Human Centric Lighting), where people are at the heart of the lighting design. Dynamic lighting mimics the course of the day in terms of light intensity, direction and the color of light. This contributes significantly to well-being and improved performance. The body is not subjected to unnecessary strain and can follow its natural circadian rhythm.
Cosy dining room lighting at L’Osteria restaurants with SEGULA LED light sources – perfect for relaxing and enjoying the moment
Different types of lighting are also very useful at home – after all, who needs stimulating daylight whilst sitting on the sofa in the evening? Conversely, during the day – especially in rooms with little or no natural light – we should ensure we have sufficient and stimulating lighting. This is particularly important during the darker months of the year. So when planning lighting at home, it makes a big difference whether you’re dealing with lighting for a computer workstation or a perfectly furnished reading corner!
If we understand and take these connections into account, we can set our internal clock and live in harmony with our biorhythm!
With SEGULA’s LED light sources, we can offer a good lighting solution for many different applications!
For example, AMBIENT DIMMING:
Cool white: a stimulating color of light that boosts performance, in contrast to cosy warm white, which soothes the senses!
A beautiful tube with a color temperature of 4200 Kelvin and a high luminous flux of 4250 lumens. As a contrast – for cosy evenings on the sofa, for example – a smoky grey Rustika with a warm white color of 1900 Kelvin and a vintage feel. This way, we can find the ideal solution for every room!
Another highlight – different colors of light in a single LED light source with Ambient Dimming technology! With these fully dimmable light sources, it is even possible to change the color of light whilst dimming. The right atmosphere for every need.