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circadian rhythm
(redirected from Sleep-wake cycle)

    Also found in: Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.09 sec.
circadian rhythm: see rhythm, biological rhythm, biological, cyclic pattern of physiological changes or changes in activity in living organisms, most often synchronized with daily, monthly, or annual cyclical changes in the environment.
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circadian rhythm

Inherent cycle of approximately 24 hours in length that appears to control or initiate various biological processes, including sleep, wakefulness, and digestive and hormonal activity. The natural signal for the circadian pattern is the change from darkness to light. The controlling mechanism for these cyclic processes within the body is thought to be the hypothalamus. Any change in the circadian cycle (such as jet lag and other conditions associated with travel) requires a certain period for readjustment.



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Tokyo, Japan, Aug 23, 2006 - (JCN) - Tohoku University in collaboration with Vanderbilt University annouonced on August 22 the results of a study on how the effect of light environment can disrupt the brain activities of infants and is found to be the cause of the unusual biological clock, sleep-wake cycle in their developmental process.
Tohoku University Unveils the Effect of Light Environment on the ... by JCNN News Summaries
Other participants had fairly consistent sleep-wake cycles, but they tended to be "horribly delayed"--almost as if they were seriously jet lagged, he reported last month at the Euroscience Open Forum in Munich.
Poor sleep can accompany schizophrenia by Raloff, J. / Science News
Crossing three or more time zones disrupts circadian rhythm and the sleep-wake cycle.
Racing abroad this summer? by Running & FitNews
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