2. INTRODUCTION
I started writing this paper based
on my curiosity of our circadian
rhythms. I know that there are many
things that can affect our circadian
rhythms, and alcohol is just a small
portion of it.
3. Purpose and Research Question
•My purpose of this research is to see if
alcohol does in fact affect our circadian
rhythms.
•How does alcohol affect our Circadian
Rhythms?
•My hypothesis is that alcohol does in
some way affect our circadian rhythms.
4. Benefits to this Research
•Understand it better
•We blame other circumstances
•Environment
•Stress
•Our uncomfortable beds
5. Circadian Rhythms
What are Circadian Rhythms?
Our body clock
Sleep cycle
How we run our days
6. Circadian Rhythms
Operate the same in every human body.
Work on a 24 hour cycle, just like the Earth’s
rotation.
7. Alcohol
It affects our cerebellum (aka small
brain), which controls many of our body’s
functions.
Motor Skills (aka Balance)
Breathing
8. Alcohol
Lowers body temperature
Been correlated to hypothermia
Alcohol also has been researched to destroy
certain brain cells.
Example: Studies show it destroys our GABA cells
9. How are they related?
Body temperature drops when we intake
alcohol, therefore our body has a harder time
going to rest.
Sometimes the intake of alcohol is too much,
we get the “spins” as people say, which
means that our balance and motions are off.
That makes it more difficult to sleep when the
“spins” are taking place.
10. Conclusion
Alcohol does in fact have an influence on
our circadian rhythms.
Circadian Rhythms are flexible.
Alcohol is an inhibitor.
Other factors that affect circadian
rhythms.
11. References
Anonymous. (2010). Circadian rhythms; chronic drinking can disrupt
circadian rhythms. Life Science Weekly, Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/748913441?accountid=3489
Rosenwasser, A.M. (2001). Alcohol, antidepressants, and circadian
rhythms. Alcohol Research and Health, 25(2), Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/222386202?accountid=34899
Sheridan, P.J. (1991). Coping with your body clock. Occupational
Hazards, 53(11), Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/213677889?accountid=34899
Thomas, J., & Earnest, D. (2006). San Diego state university; prenatal
alcohol exposure can alter circadian rhythms in offspring. Nursing Home
& Elder Business Week, Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/218685817?accountid=34899
12. References
Vitaterna, M.H., Takahashi, J.S., & Turek, F.W. (2001). Overview of
circadian rhythms. Alcohol Research and Health, 25(2), Retrieved
from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/222386065?accountid=3489
9 doi: 222386065
Wasielewski, J.A., & Holloway, F.A. (2001). Alcohol's interactions
with circadian rhythms. Alcohol Research and
Health, 25(2), Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/222386065?accountid=3489
9
Wong, D.F., Maini, A., Rousset, O.G., & Brasic, J.R. (2003 ).
Positron emission tomography: a tool for identifying the effects
of alcohol dependence on the brain. Alcohol Research and
Health, 27(2), Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/222389250?accountid=3489
9 doi: 222389250
Notas del editor
I will also be speaking about other influences that will affect our Circadian Rhythms.
I believe that any substance we put in our bodies will have an affect whether it is big, small, good or bad. We have heard a lot about alcohol in our daily lives. We can be first hand witnesses on what it does to our own bodies or seen it amongst our friends, on television or etc. I wanted to research exactly what it does to our brain and circadian rhythms.
Benefits to this research is understanding better the way your body clock works. We all may think that certain things will help us sleep or do not affect us, but we may be wrong. There are so many things we do not know about our bodies and we tend to blame other circumstances, like the environment, our beds, stress, etc for our lack of sleep. However, we do not take the time to think about what we are putting into our bodies that could affect us.
Our circadian rhythms are often referred to as our Body Clock. Many of you all know about our sleep cycle and stages (including the delta waves, beta waves and REM sleep). We always think that it is about night time, but we also forget that it is a 24 hour cycle so it is also working when we are awake.
Our Circadian Rhythms operate the same in every human body. Whether you are more accustomed to the day or the night, our bodies tend to work on a 24 hour cycle, just like the Earth’s rotation.
Our cerebellum is one of the most important parts in our brain. It controls many things, but two of the most important are our motor skills and breathing cycle. Alcohol affects both of those aspects, in the sense that when you drink, it is harder to keep balance. Breathing problems more takes place during sleep, when sometimes people “forget” to breathe.
Research has also shown that alcohol reduces body temperature and has been positively correlated to hypothermia. Also, they have seen during their research that alcohol destroys our brain cells especially our GABA cells. Those neurotransmitters send messages from the brain to the central nervous system.
My conclusion is that alcohol does in fact have an influence on our circadian rhythms. The good thing about our circadian rhythms is that it is flexible. Therefore, if there is a night where our sleep is not substantial, our body can adjust to allow it to come back to normal. Alcohol is an inhibitor, which disrupts our normality in the body clock. There are other factors that affect our circadian rhythms that we should all look into. Other factors include, caffeine, stress, food, drugs, etc.
