Disrupting biological rhythms

• Disrupting biological rhythms can have negative consequences
• When endogenous pacemakers become out of line with exogenous zeitgebers it disrupts sleep wake cycle
• In natural environmental, zeitgebers normally change slowly

  In modern society society, zeitgebers can change quickly

  Negative effects on our ability to function
• Jet lag

  • Planes go fast across timezones
  • Feel sleepy earlier --> out of sync
  • About a week to synchronise to new timezones
• Shift work

  Modern work patterns mean some people work shifts throughout the 24 hour period
• Cziesler et al studied workers at a factor whose shift pattrns caused sleep and health problems

  21-day shift and changing shifts forward in time after implementing changes productivity and job satisfaction