Remember awhile back when we published ‘Light at Night is Bad, People‘? Well, consider this the reunion tour—today, we’re diving back in to explore why nighttime light is the ultimate sleep stealer. Picture this: it’s bedtime, and you’re ready to fall fast asleep. Then, bam! You remember a work email and crack the laptop open. […]
Are you navigating long hours outside the traditional 9-5 schedule? Whether you’re a nurse, firefighter, or factory worker, you’re probably familiar with the challenges of irregular shifts. But have you heard of Shift Work Disorder (SWD)? Shift Work Disorder is, well, exactly what it sounds like. It’s a condition that disrupts your body’s natural sleep-wake […]
Night shift friends: Ever wake up and find yourself unable to fall back asleep, even though you know you’re tired? Or find yourself unable to fall asleep in the first place, even though you’ve been awake for 20 hours? Blame it on your circadian rhythms. Yup, those internal body clocks that tell you when it’s […]
My family spent the last week of the year visiting my wife’s family in the Seattle area, filled with the warmth of family. Even though we were also filled with lots of great food, it didn’t lead to lots of satisfaction with said food. Maybe I would feel full (or overfull) temporarily, but soon enough, […]
Shift work can add a layer of complexity to your daily routine, setting you apart from the typical 9-to-5 crowd. Daily activities, like when to eat, can become a question that you don’t have time to answer. That’s where the magic of circadian science comes in. Increasingly, it looks like shift workers can do better […]
It’s a common term, but what do we really mean by jet lag? I would say jet lag is a kind of circadian misalignment that happens when: 1. your body is aligned to your environment, meaning you’re sleeping at night and active when the sun is up, then … 2. you quickly travel to a […]
In the realm of medical research, the study of circadian rhythms has gained increasing attention in recent years. Dr. Marc Ruben, a postdoctoral researcher at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, is at the forefront of this exciting field. In a candid and insightful interview, Dr. Ruben discusses his work, insights, and the potential impact of circadian medicine […]
Cold and flu season are starting in the southern hemisphere, while allergy season is in full swing in the global north. Both of these are linked to our immune systems, which are built out of many different organs, hormones, and free-roaming, invader-killing cells such as T-cells. Because infection can happen anywhere, our immune systems interact […]
Here’s a weird thing about shift workers: Their sleep duration doesn’t always predict how sleepy they feel. Which is weird because… shouldn’t it? After all, somebody who sleeps for a longer period of time should feel less sleepy than someone who sleeps only for a short period of time, right? This paradox isn’t actually that […]
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your research? I’m an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences as well as Director of the Chronobiology, Light, and Sleep Lab in Bethesda, Maryland. Immediately prior to arriving at USUHS, I was in San […]
