Biological Rhythms Flashcards
What are biological rhythms?
A cycle of change in bodily processes or behaviour in response to biological (‘body clock’) or external factors.
What three biological rhythms are there?
- Circadian
- Ultradian
- Infradian
What are circadian rhythms?
These biological rhythms occur once every 24 hours – they take 24 hours to complete one cycle
What are ultradian rhythms?
These are biological rhythms that occur more than once every 24 hours
What are Infradian rhythms?
These biological rhythms take more then 24 hours to complete one cycle
What is the scientific term for the biological body clock?
endogenous pacemaker
What is the scientific term for external factors in biological rhythms?
exogenous zeitgebers (‘time giver’- German)
Two examples of Circadian rhythms
- Temperature
- Sleep/Wake cycle
Examples of Ultradian rhythms
- Sleep Stages
- Blood circulation
- Heart rate
Two examples of Infradian rhythms
- Menstrual Cycle
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
What is the sleep/wake cycle?
The sleep/wake cycle is controlled by the internal body clock and external cues, with a waking up and going to sleep settings to ensure so you have about 17 hours sleep and about 7 hours awake. Sleep patterns do vary from person to person.
What is SCN?
Suprachiasmatic Nucelus
