By Nurse Diane
My husband loved the movie
"My Cousin Vinny". It is the
story of two young men who are mistakenly arrested for the murder of a gas
station owner, can call their New York lawyer cousin to come down south to represent
them. In one of my favorite scenes of this
movie, Vinny's girlfriend is worried that their relationship isn't going
anywhere and her biological clock is ticking!
To watch this scene, click here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7jsxe_my-cousin-vinny-biological-clock_fun
The biological clock she is referring
to is the chance she will have to get pregnant, as she fears she is getting to
old to reproduce.
Our biological clock is also
known as circadian rhythm. Not only does
it control the times for ovulation, but it also works as an internal regulator
responsible for various cyclical responses in living things. Both plants and
animals show yearly, monthly, daily, and other rhythmic changes that appear to
be genetically programmed. According to
howstuffworks.com, most cyclical responses occur at approximately the same time
as changes in such external factors as light and temperature, suggesting that
they are somehow caused by these external changes. Many of the seasonal changes
in animals and plants are influenced by changes in day length. For instance,
the decreasing amount of daylight in the fall triggers internal changes in some
species of birds, causing them to migrate. Germination and flowering of plants
generally occurs in the spring and summer when there is more daylight. However,
experiments have shown that external factors are not always involved. For
example, fiddler crabs in their natural habitat become darker in the morning,
lighter in the evening. Yet when they are placed under constant environmental
conditions (such as constant light) the daily rhythm of their color changes
persist.
Scientists generally believe
that various circadian rhythms are controlled by different mechanisms. For
instance, many cycles respond to both external and internal stimuli, some cycles
respond to external stimuli only, and a small number respond to internal
stimuli alone.
There are many changes such as
the ebb and flow of the tides, changing of locations, and personal habits such
as work hours that affect the circadian rhythm.
When I worked nights at the hospital, my body had to adjust to the
change of wake and sleep. This was
particularly hard when my work schedule changed from days to nights and back to
days. This is a common problem with
people who work shift work, and it normally takes about two weeks for the body
to adjust. Another type of adjustment is
traveling in different time zones, this is where the term, jet lag comes in.
Today is Biological Clock
day. The site worksmartlivesmart.com
suggest these tips to help celebrate the day:
- Not napping if you find that it throws you off in the evening.
- Getting up at the same time every day.
- Being strict about your sleep schedule and creating a relaxing bedtime routine.
Trying light therapy. This
should only be done under a doctor’s care to ensure that you are not creating
additional issues.
Avoiding night-light. When
possible, avoid bright and outdoor light close to bedtime and keep your
surroundings as dark as possible at night. Cover the lights of your alarm
clock, so that you are not tempted to look at it or have its glow disrupt your
sleep.
Avoid eating or exercising too
close to bedtime. Also watch out for caffeine and nicotine, both of which are
stimulants.
When traveling to different time
zones – look for natural ways to align your new sleep-wake schedule with the
time zone that you are in. Some strategies require you to start several days
before you take off the ground, so plan ahead.
(All images from Google)
I think the batteries in my clock are drained!
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