Circadian Rhythms in Man: A self-sustained oscillator with an inherent frequency underlies human 24-hour periodicity
Abstract
Like many animals, humans have adjusted to the natural environment so as to be prepared for efficient activity during daytime and to rest at night. As the basis of this program, almost all structures and functions undergo regular changes within 24 hours. Such rhythms have been described in physiological parameters, such as hormone levels in blood plasma, blood pressure and heart rate, body temperature, and sleep propensity, and in behavioral parameters, such as mood, reaction time, computation speed, and performance in learning tasks. These rhythms normally keep distinct phase-relationships with each other, implying a high degree of internal temporal order. In principle, this rhythmicity is maintained when subjects are sleep deprived, when they are starved, or when they receive equal amounts of food at short intervals over the day. The timing of single meals, however, may influence the pattern of some variables, and the sleep-wake cycle can have phase-setting as well as masking effects on the instantaneous value of rhythms as especially known for body temperature and some hormones.
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People living in caves or bunkers without light or temperature cues maintain circadian sleep-wake and body temperature rhythms, although they begin to free-run with a rhythm slightly longer than 24 h.
“People living in caves or bunkers without light or temperature cues will maintain circadian sleep–wake and body temperature rhythms, although they begin to free-run with a rhythm slightly longer than 24 h41.”
From Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health (2020) · cites this paper as [41]
During the earliest human circadian experiments, subjects lengthened their own free-running period by controlling their daily light exposure.
“During the earliest human circadian experiments, unbeknownst to researchers at the time, subjects lengthened their own free-running period by controlling their daily light exposure [14].”
From The neuroendocrine control of the circadian system: Adolescent chronotype (2012) · cites this paper as [14]
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- Authors
- Aschoff, J.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Aschoff, Jürgen
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1965-06-11
- Volume
- 148
- Issue
- 3676
- Pages
- 1427-1432
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W1569552610
- Cited by
- 752
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 37 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 10.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Keywords
- circadian rhythm, human physiology, hormone levels, blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, sleep propensity, mood, reaction time, meal timing, sleep deprivation, fasting, sleep-wake cycle, phase shift, masking
- MeSH terms
- Behavior, Birds, Body Temperature, Calcium, Circadian Rhythm, Fluids and Secretions, Humans, Male, Periodicity, Physiology, Potassium, Sensory Deprivation, Sleep, Social Isolation, Time Perception, Urine, Water
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