Circadian Basics
This part of the brain acts as the "master clock" for circadian rhythm
What is the SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus)?
This kind of light is the safest for your eyes at night
What is red light?
Too much blue light can lead to this sleep problem
What is insomnia/ poor sleep?
This increases eye strain by decreasing the level of contrast
What is blue light?
During the day, this ion drives SCN activity, while at night, potassium slows it down
What is sodium?
Circadian rhythms are about how long
What is 24 hours?
Melanospin is most sensitive to this nm of light
What is 480nm?
Blue light affects the production of this sleep-regulating hormone
What is melatonin?
The type of macular degeneration blue light can affect
What is wet macular degeneration?
These types of glasses can filter blue light from screens
What are blue light glasses?
This hormone helps regulate sleep and is suppressed by light
What is melatonin?
A non-invasive method used to objectively measure sleep-wake patterns by detecting body movements
What is Actigraphy?
Misaligned sleep–wake cycles disrupt hormones such as ghrelin leptin which can lead to
What is obesity?
Location of high concentration of cone cells
What is the macula?
Name two everyday habits that can help regulat circadian rhythm
What is sleep schedules, morning sunlight, limiting blue light, regular meals, exercise, etc.
Besides light what are 2 other factors that can influence circadian rhythm
What is food intake, stress, physical activity, or body temperature?
How long much longer does blue light suppress melatonin production compared to green light
What is twice as long?
Disturbed sleep–wake cycles alter these two chemicals linked to depression and anxiety
What is serotonin and dopamine?
Staring at a screen for too long can cause
What is eye strain?
What test subjects are used to study blue light
True or False: Circadian rhythm only affects sleep. If false what else does it affect?
False: metabolism, mood, immune function, etc.
A source of light containing the most amount of blue light
What is the sun?
Circadian misalignment increases the risk for this type of heart problem
What is Cardiovascular disease?
Where is the macula location
What is the retina?
About how many neurons are in the SCN
What is 20,000 neurons?