entrainment

Circadian rhythms are near 24-h rhythms in physiolgy, metabolism and behavior. Due to the persistence of these rhythms under conditions where the regular cycling between day and night does not happen, they are believed to be generated internally, by a system of interconnected neurons in the brain - the circadian clock.

Our circadian clocks time and shape almost every aspect of our daily lives. However, if one were to maintain a daily routine, say waking up for work at the same time every day, this clock must be synchronized to the environmental cycling of light and temperature. Studying the mechanisms of how this synchronization happens is a major focus of my current research.