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The team has created a new hypothesis that the human brain is not meant to be awake after midnight. Moreover, they say staying up late only leads to more impulsive behavior and high-risk decisions, such as drinking, overeating, gambling, or criminal activity. Specifically, researchers suspect that staying awake during the biological circadian night (the middle of the night for most people) causes neurophysiological changes in the brain. This causes people to view the world more negatively than they do during the daytime. “The basic idea is that from a high level, global, evolutionary standpoint, your internal biological circadian clock is tuned towards processes that promote sleep, not wakefulness, after midnight,” says senior author Dr. Elizabeth Klerman, an investigator in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, in a media release. Klerman is hoping their hypothesis will lead to further studies on how day-night differences in our circadian rhythms impact human behavior, decision-making, and job performance. The results could have important implications for countless people who have to stay awake in the middle of the night — including police officers, pilots, and health care workers. Study authors add that understanding how the brain changes after midnight could even lead to new strategies to combat crime, curb substance abuse, and prevent suicides. “There are millions of people who are awake in the middle of the night, and there’s fairly good evidence that their brain is not functioning as well as it does during the day,” Klerman says. “My plea is for more research to look at that, because their health and safety, as well as that of others, is affected.” The brain gets a bit risky after midnightPrevious studies have found that people are more likely to engage in harmful behaviors during the night. Statistically, incidents of suicide, drug use, and violent crime are all more common at night. At the same time, people are also more likely to make unhealthy food choices after dark, including chowing down on more processed foods, fats, and carbohydrates. Study authors admit that some of this is explainable without looking at a person’s brain. It’s obviously easier to commit crimes or get away with unhealthy habits under the cover of darkness — when there are simply fewer people around to catch you. However, the team notes that there’s also a biological cause as well. Klerman explains that our circadian rhythms change over the course of a 24-hour day. Simply put, people look at things one way during the day and in a completely different way at night. Study authors add that positive affect — the tendency to view things in a positive light — is higher during the morning hours. This is also when a person’s circadian clock is tuned for wakefulness. On the other hand, positive affect is at its lowest levels during the night, when the circadian clock is preparing for sleep. Meanwhile, levels of negative affect — viewing things in a negative or threatening light — rise to their highest point at night. Your risk-reward decisions are out of whack at nightAdditionally, the human body produces more dopamine at night, which is a hormone tied to reward and motivation in the brain. Study authors believe this can alter the likelihood that someone engages in risky behaviors when they stay awake after midnight. Along with circadian-influenced changes impairing a person’s decision-making, night owls start to make poorer choices based on a “mental map” that is much more negative than it is during the day. Klerman says she experienced this while suffering from severe jet lag during a trip to Japan. “While part of my brain knew that eventually I would fall asleep, while I was lying there and watching the clock go tick tick tick—I was beside myself,” she concludes. “Then I thought, ‘What if I was a drug addict? I would be out trying to get drugs right now.’ Later I realized that this may be relevant also if it’s suicide tendencies, or substance abuse or other impulse disorders, gambling, other addictive behaviors.” The hypothesis is published in the journal Frontiers in Network Psychology. OverviewJet lag, also called jet lag disorder, is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across several time zones. Your body has its own internal clock, called circadian rhythms. They signal to your body when to stay awake and when to sleep. Jet lag occurs because your body's internal clock is synced to your original time zone. It hasn't changed to the time zone of where you've traveled. The more time zones crossed, the more likely you are to experience jet lag. Jet lag can cause daytime fatigue, an unwell feeling, trouble staying alert and stomach problems. Although symptoms are temporary, they can affect your comfort while on vacation or during a business trip. But you can take steps to help prevent or lessen the effects of jet lag. SymptomsSymptoms of jet lag can vary. You may experience only one symptom or you may have many. Jet lag symptoms may include:
Symptoms are worse the farther you travelJet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed. When to see a doctorJet lag is temporary. But if you travel often and experience jet lag, you may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist. CausesA disruption to your circadian rhythmsJet lag can occur anytime you cross two or more time zones. Crossing multiple time zones puts your internal clock out of sync with the time in your new locale. Your internal clock, also called circadian rhythms, regulates your sleep-wake cycle. For example, if you leave New York on a flight at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and arrive in Paris at 7 a.m. Wednesday, your internal clock still thinks it's 1 a.m. That means you're ready for bed just as Parisians are waking up. It takes a few days for your body to adjust. In the meantime, your sleep-wake cycle and other body functions such as hunger and bowel habits remain out of step with the rest of Paris. The effect of sunlightA key influence on circadian rhythms is sunlight. Light affects the regulation of melatonin, a hormone that helps cells throughout the body work together. Cells in the tissue at the back of the eye transmit light signals to an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. When the light is low at night, the hypothalamus signals to a small organ in the brain called the pineal gland to release melatonin. During daylight hours, the opposite occurs. The pineal gland releases very little melatonin. Because light is so crucial to your internal clock, you may be able to ease your adjustment to a new time zone by exposing yourself to daylight. However, the timing of light needs to be done properly. Airline cabin pressure and atmosphereSome research shows that changes in cabin pressure and high altitudes associated with air travel may contribute to some symptoms of jet lag, regardless of travel across time zones. In addition, humidity levels are low in planes. If you don't drink enough water during your flight, you can get slightly dehydrated. Dehydration also may contribute to some symptoms of jet lag. Risk factorsFactors that increase the likelihood you'll experience jet lag include:
ComplicationsAuto accidents caused by drowsy driving may be more likely in people who are jet-lagged. PreventionA few basic steps may help prevent jet lag or reduce its effects:
Nov. 19, 2022 Which sleep disorder is more likely to be experienced by children than by adults?Parasomnias. Parasomnias are sleep disorders characterized by abnormal polysomnography. They are episodic in nature and are a reflection of central nervous system (CNS) immaturity. Thus, they are more common in children than in adults and are generally outgrown with time.
Which sleep disorder is most likely to be accompanied by sleepwalking and sleeptalking?Parasomnias. A disorder that may include nightmares, chest pain, night terrors, sleepwalking and sleep talking; most common in childhood and sometimes worsens during adolescence and adulthood.
Which of the following sleep disorders is most strongly associated with obesity?Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): OSA is a sleep disorder in which the airway partially or fully collapses, causing loud snoring and breathing issues at night. OSA is seven times more common. msdmanuals.com in individuals who are obese.
What is most likely to occur when the brain is repeatedly flooded with artificial opiates?When repeatedly flooded with an artificial opiate, the brain eventually stops producing its own opiates, endorphins, which can lead to overdose to relieve pain.
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