Definition of Biological Clock

All living beings have a system that establishes their vital rhythms. This internal mechanism is known as the biological clock and, of course, it also affects humans.

A watch that distinguishes itself in every phase of life

We are subjected to different life cycles (those of pregnancy, night and day or the heartbeat heart) and all of them work as if they were a clock. The regulator of this clock is found in our brain, specifically in the region of the hypothalamus, in which an interaction is carried out with the environment external that is marking our rhythms as a species and as concrete individuals.

The biological clock communicates temporary signals to our body. This process is carried out through output signals, which are neurotransmitters or nerve signals that send information to other areas. At the same time, for this to occur it is necessary that melatonin intervene, a hormone located in the pineal gland of our brain. Thus, the clock in our brain receives external signals (for example, light or darkness from outside), then processes the information and sends messages to the brain itself and to the different organs.

An internal calendar

This watch maintains a programming body hours. We therefore have an internal calendar that works by the action of the mentioned melatonin and the neurotransmitters involved. These two mechanisms intervene in the processes of reproduction of some species (for example, in periods of heat).

Melatonin is not a hormone that remains stable. In fact, in humans it varies at puberty and at old age and for this reason our vital rhythm in both periods is very unique.

Each person has their own watch

Each person has small variations in their biological clock. There are individuals who have more Energy when they get up and throughout the day they lose it and they would be daytime people. On the other hand, others wake up with less energy and during the night they have more vitality, so they are more nocturnal. This morning or evening quality is called a chronotype and it is very common for it to change from the childhood at puberty and with aging, a return to childhood's own chronotype.
As humans have become disconnected from environmental cycles due to artificial light, we have lost natural references.

Finally, there is no think that light and darkness are the only signals that set our body on time, but that our way of life can modify our vital rhythms.