Saturday, December 22, 2007

give me a break with circadian rhythm


Guys today mornin wen i woke up i read abt this circadian rhythm which attracted me a lot this tells abt the brain activity abt time management abt how u wake up abt how u sleep everything abt wat u do how u do and y u do so here's wat i think abt it
Do you know what your most productive time of day is?For me it’s those early morning hours when I feel fresh andenergized. In the early hours my body is optimized forbrain work.
According to science, this early morning brain time isbased upon what’s called the circadian rhythm. Thecircadian rhythm is what wakes us up in the morningand makes us sleepy in the evening. This circadianrhythm is defined by clear patterns of brain waveactivity, hormone production, cell regeneration andother biological activities.
This is a powerful rhythm that is set by daylight anddarkness. Disruption of these natural rhythms usually havea negative effect in the short term. If you have done muchtraveling, then you have probably experienced the conditionknown as jet lag, which often brings fatigue, disorientation,and insomnia. This is one example of what happens when ourcircadian rhythm becomes distorted.
Sleep also has a powerful impact on our productivity. Forexample, without enough sleep, it’s harder to concentrateand retain new material. However, when you are well rested,learning new material becomes much easier.
Late-night cramming often works for college students.However, they are highly unlikely to remember the materialmuch longer after the test. It’s simply a brain dump without acause.
Some evidence also shows that the quality of sleep after alesson may influence how well you retain what you learned.
The circadian rhythm also has a large influence on yourlearning effectiveness throughout the day. You will findthat different activities are performed best at differenttimes of the day.
For example, the early morning hours are prime time forbrain work. Most people find their brain to be more alertand creative during these morning hours.
Around lunchtime, your body will naturally want a shortpower nap. This typically occurs somewhere between 11 a.m.and 1 p.m. A short 30 minute nap during this time cando wonders for your overall productivity.
You will receive another boost in productivity later in theafternoon from around 1p.m. to 8 p.m. This time period isoptimal for brain work as well as physical activity. Theafternoon hours are prime time for a variety of physicalactivities.
As the evening progresses, your body will begin preparingfor sleep. This occurs around 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., dependingon the person. During this time, your body temperaturedrops and sleep hormones increase.
In addition to the circadian rhythm, there is also aninety-minute ultradian rhythm that also affects yourproductivity and learning performance.
The brain, in general, works on a ninety-minute cycle ofaltertness and rest. This means that you feel alert forabout seventy minutes, and then your alertness drops forabout twenty minutes.
What does this mean for productivity junkies like you andme? For optimum productivity, we should work in 60-70 minutebursts and then take a 20 minute break in preparation forour next burst of activity.
By working with your natural cycles of productivity, youwill find yourself accomplishing much more than if youtried to overwork yourself against them.
Prolonged mental activity without breaks drains yourbrain’s neurotransmitters and glucose, which are both keyto learning and recall.
Research supports regular breaks during learning and allother brain work.
Keep in mind that if you live in a more extreme climate oron a different work schedule, your body may have a slightlydifferent circadian rhythm.
So, what’s your productivity rhythm?

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