Circadian Rhythm Essay Example
Circadian Interference
Establishment of a ‘normal’ circadian rhythm in sleep/wake cycle and core body temperature and the effects of a sleep deprivation event on that rhythm.
Introduction:
Circadian rhythms are well documented and researched all over the natural world. Humans are subject to a circadian rhythm as well; being naturally diurnal animals, humans sleep during the night and are active during the day. It is also known that circadian rhythms affect more than just sleep wake cycles, but also many physiological processes and internal physical states such as core body temperature. The test subject for this experiment is a 22-year old male. The first question proposed for this experiment asks whether or not the subject has a circadian rhythm, and if he does, how consistent is it and what patterns does it follow?’ The primary hypothesis for this part of the experiment is that the subject does in fact have a circadian rhythm that is detectable in both his sleep/wake cycle and his core body temperature throughout the day; the null hypothesis is that no circadian rhythm is present and the subject exhibits arrhythmic behavior. To test the hypothesis the subject was monitored and his circadian rhythm over the course of fourteen days was analyzed. The monitoring process included keeping track of his sleep/wake cycle by noting times as accurately as possible when he woke up and when he fell asleep. The subject’s body temperature was also monitored at set times during his wake cycle throughout the day. The second part of this experiment was to study the affect of an interference event on the subject’s circadian rhythm. The interference event is to stay awake for a period of 24 hours or longer at one point during the observation period while continuing to monitor the subject’s core temperature at the preset time intervals. The first hypothesis for this part of the experiment is that interfering with the subject’s normal sleep wake cycle with offset his normal core
Establishment of a ‘normal’ circadian rhythm in sleep/wake cycle and core body temperature and the effects of a sleep deprivation event on that rhythm.
Introduction:
Circadian rhythms are well documented and researched all over the natural world. Humans are subject to a circadian rhythm as well; being naturally diurnal animals, humans sleep during the night and are active during the day. It is also known that circadian rhythms affect more than just sleep wake cycles, but also many physiological processes and internal physical states such as core body temperature. The test subject for this experiment is a 22-year old male. The first question proposed for this experiment asks whether or not the subject has a circadian rhythm, and if he does, how consistent is it and what patterns does it follow?’ The primary hypothesis for this part of the experiment is that the subject does in fact have a circadian rhythm that is detectable in both his sleep/wake cycle and his core body temperature throughout the day; the null hypothesis is that no circadian rhythm is present and the subject exhibits arrhythmic behavior. To test the hypothesis the subject was monitored and his circadian rhythm over the course of fourteen days was analyzed. The monitoring process included keeping track of his sleep/wake cycle by noting times as accurately as possible when he woke up and when he fell asleep. The subject’s body temperature was also monitored at set times during his wake cycle throughout the day. The second part of this experiment was to study the affect of an interference event on the subject’s circadian rhythm. The interference event is to stay awake for a period of 24 hours or longer at one point during the observation period while continuing to monitor the subject’s core temperature at the preset time intervals. The first hypothesis for this part of the experiment is that interfering with the subject’s normal sleep wake cycle with offset his normal core