Sleep and circadian rhythms: pillars of health—a Keystone Symposia report

Abstract

The human circadian system consists of the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus as well as in peripheral molecular clocks located in organs throughout the body. This system plays a major role in the temporal organization of biological and physiological processes, such as body temperature, blood pressure, hormone secretion, gene expression, and immune functions, which all manifest consistent diurnal patterns. Many facets of modern life, such as work schedules, travel, and social activities, can lead to sleep/wake and eating schedules that are misaligned relative to the biological clock. This misalignment can disrupt and impair physiological and psychological parameters that may ultimately put people at higher risk for chronic diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic disorders. Understanding the mechanisms that regulate sleep circadian rhythms may ultimately lead to insights on behavioral interventions that can lower the risk of these diseases. On February 25, 2021, experts in sleep, circadian rhythms, and chronobiology met virtually for the Keystone eSymposium “Sleep & Circadian Rhythms: Pillars of Health” to discuss the latest research for understanding the bidirectional relationships between sleep, circadian rhythms, and health and disease.

Evaluating the Relationship between Circadian Rhythms and Sleep, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders: Current Clinical Evidence in Human Studies

“…There is increasing evidence of detrimental effects on metabolic function and dietary choices, emphasizing the importance of bolstering circadian system function and addressing sleep disruption [ 71 , 72 , 73 ]. Nowadays, it is common to be exposed to less light during the day and more light at night because of artificial lighting, which may impair circadian system organization and disrupt sleep, resulting in widespread adverse effects on metabolic health [ 74 , 75 , 76 ]. As indicated by strong epidemiological and laboratory evidence, the circadian cycle disturbance not only causes sleep problems, but further disrupts the optimal rhythm of many physiological functions, thus increasing the risk of cardiometabolic and other related diseases [ 77 , 78 , 79 ].…”

User-centered design of feedback regarding health-related behaviors derived from wearables: An approach targeting older adults and persons living with neurodegenerative disease

“…These outcomes were chosen for their relationship to chronic disease and brain health, their importance for self-management of health 9 and their potential for early detection or monitoring of declines in health. 9 , 44 , 53 – 56 Specifically, the report included the following parameters: daily volume and patterns of light and moderate-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior, daily volume and pattern of stepping, step count accumulated in walking periods of different durations, total sleep time, duration of additional time in bed and patterns of nighttime behavior. See Figure 5 for details regarding the Version 1 report.…”

Using Microbiome-Based Approaches to Deprogram Chronic Disorders and Extend the Healthspan following Adverse Childhood Experiences

“…Table 5 [123][124][125][126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133][134][135][136] illustrates examples of NCDs and other disorders that are intimately connected to a disruption in circadian rhythms. Because of the tight interconnects that exist between the circadian clock, the microbiome, and systems biology homeostasis or dysbiosis, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish what elements are actually the penultimate controllers.…”