What Is the Circadian Rhythm?
The circadian rhythm is the internal process that functions to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It is a natural process that repeats about every 24 hours. The circadian rhythm can refer to biological processes that displays endogenous oscillation of about 24 hours. These rhythms that occur every 24 hours are driven by a circadian clock and can be observed in various fungi, plants, animals, and cyanobacteria.
The term “circadia” originates from the Latin term “circa,” which translates to approximately or around. The formal study of these rhythms that occur daily, weekly, seasonal, or annual is known as chronobiology. Although these rhythms are endogenous, they are also dependent on the environmental cues such as temperature and light. When there is an abnormal circadian rhythm, it is called a circadian rhythm disorder. In 2017, Michael Young, Michael Rosbash, and Jeffrey Hall were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine due to their discovery of molecular mechanisms that control the circadian rhythm in fruit flies.
