Is There a Circadian Regulator in Your Retina?

3min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

There are no plans to either maintain daylight savings or end it. Most people in the research and medical communities agree that permanent standard time aligns best with our normal sleep and wake rhythms. Some individuals who are blind can still have sensing of light through those specific cells. Our skin doesn't know, but there's a little guy called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglia cells.

Ahh, Daylight Savings Time: does it mess up your brain? What time should you go to bed? Are you sleeping enough? Is shift work really that bad? How dark is dark enough? The wonderful and hilarious Dr. Katherine Hatcher got her PhD in hormones, sleep cycles and circadian rhythms, and helps Alie dissect her terrible sleep habits. We also chat about a tiny magical area in our brains that acts as your body's Big Ben. By the end of the episode, you'll be in footie pajamas eager to change your whole life.

Follow Katherine Hatcher on Twitter

A donation went to the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science at https://www.sacnas.org/

Saatva is the exclusive sponsor of this episode! Head to Saatva.com/ologies

More episode sources & links at alieward.com/ologies/chronobiologyencore

Wondercon: Friday March 24, 6pm panel

Other episodes you may enjoy: Somnology (SLEEP), Oneirology (DREAMING), Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS), Sports & Performance Psychology (ANXIETY & CONFIDENCE), Fearology (FEAR), Thermophysiology (BODY HEAT), Biogerontology (AGING)

Transcripts & bleeped episodes

Support Ologies on Patreon for as little as a buck a month

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, masks, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Twitter and Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on Twitter and Instagram

Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris