Search A Light In The Darkness

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Circadian Rhythms Influence our Immune System, Study Shows

Wiley notes, "Sleep is the biggest immunological defense scheme we've come up with yet. We and everything else alive from plankton and fungus to elephants and ants are synchronized to the orbit and rotation of the earth in and out of the sun's light to assure us a food supply. All things great and small have internal sundials that measure time with molecular clocks in every cell that switch genes on and off. The light always spark biochemical reactions and now mankind controls light and dark and we live in an endless summer. And as such we have disrupted our natural circadian rhythm."

It's common knowledge that too little sleep can increase our odds of getting sick, but a new study sheds light on just how direct the connection is. Researchers found that the body's circadian clock controls an essential immune system gene in mice -- a gene that helps the body ward off bacteria and viruses...read more>>>...