Why do we get tired around the same time each night and hungry around the same times each day? This is because of our internal body clock, known as the circadian rhythm. It's sort of like a maintenance program the computer of our bodies, letting us regularly eat and sleep. When this internal alarm clock doesn’t work, this is a red flag that we need to get to our doctors.

The Importance Of Regular Sleep

Recent studies have shown that if you don’t get regular sleep (at least seven hours a night for women and six for men), you can knock years off of your life. Not only will lack of sleep make you feel tired, but you also can't ward off sicknesses or bad decisions that could lead to illness and injury. Insomniacs often suffer from disorientation, an inability to concentrate and have a very difficult time getting their daily tasks done.

This is all because their body clock is off. Just why this body clock is off differs from person to person. For one person, the reason could be not being able to handle stress and for another it could be due to clinical depression. But not being able to sleep regularly is not normal. When your body clock stops working, then you know that your body is trying to tell you that it is sick.

Your body clock can also be greatly affected by your diet and your television viewing habits. You need to keep an eye on your caffeine consumption and not stimulating television right before you go to sleep.

Third Shift Workers

More and more, people are finding that they have no choice but must work through the night and sleep during the day. Some people's internal clock adjusts to this way of life better than others. These are people who are usually healthy, keep to a regular sleep schedule, darken their sleeping rooms to simulate night and do not rely on chemicals to get them drowsy.

Scientists are finding out that third shift workers can lead miserable lives if their body clocks aren’t attended to. This means that if a company has an overnight shift, they need to have the lights on just as brightly as for the day shift. This helps fool the body clock into thinking that it's daytime. Some companies are learning to abandon the night shift when they realize that can cost them in high turnover and increasing electricity bills. The internal body clock is often mightier than the paycheck.