When to Sleep and When to Eat

Tuesday, 29 March 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Like most things in life, when your body gets behind schedule, everything is thrown out of whack. The Wall Street Journal says new research has found that interrupting our circadian rhythm can create negative health consequences, things like weight gain and depression.  And studies show getting thrown off your schedule can even increase the chance of heart and liver problems. Scientists used to believe that the brain served as the body’s “master clock.” Now, they believe specific organs have their own “master clocks” and the role of the brain is to synchronize all these different clocks, making sure bodily functions happen at a consistent rate. When the clock gets off schedule, so do those bodily functions.

Doctors say to avoid messing with your clock, aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night and try to wake up at generally the same time, even on the weekends. Eating well and exercising—but not too close to dinner are also helpful ways to keep your circadian rhythm humming smoothly.

The Journal put together this timeline describing what your body is doing at any given time. Click on image: