circadian rhythms

• practical application to shift work - shift work found to lead to desynchronisation of circadian rhythms lead to physiological effects. research by Boivin showed night shift workers suffer a concentration lapse at 6am which increases likelihood of accidents. research has implications in maintaining worker productivity and preventing accidents in the workplace. knutsson's research showed a relationship between shift work and poor health; shift workers more likely to develop heart disease due to stress of adapting to different sleep/wake patterns and lack of poor quality sleep during the day.
• pharmacokinetics - action of drugs on the body and how well they're distributed and absorbed. circadian rhythms coordinate a number of body's basic processes such as heart rate, digestion and hormone levels. research into circadian rhythms revealed theres a certain pea times during the day or night where drugs are most effective. led to development of guidelines to do with timing of dug dosing for range of medications