Body clocks are ancient mechanisms that regulate fundamental biological systems important to health, such as insulin secretion, the time we go to bed, the time we get up and, in part, when we get hungry.
The main circadian clock lies in the suprachiasmatic nuclei that is deep in the brain, but there are local biological clocks also found in tissues throughout the body.
These clocks can be found in the pancreas, lungs, liver, heart and other tissues. They operate on a 24-hour, circadian cycle that governs functions such as sleeping and waking, rest and activity, fluid balance, body temperature, cardiac output, oxygen consumption, metabolism and endocrine gland secretion.
Growth hormone, which is essential to the repair and restorative processes of the body, is also secreted during sleep, particularly during deep non-REM sleep, as are other hormones like testosterone. Thyrotropin (or thyroid-stimulating hormone), on the other hand, is suppressed during sleep because it is responsible for the body’s engine to get working during the day.
Unlike melatonin and cortisol that are almost entirely dependent on the circadian clock, these hormonal effects appear to be regulated by actual sleep and not by circadian rhythms per se. We see so many ill effects of sub-par sleep.
If you have headaches, lethargy and other symptoms at certain times of day, you may be able to find a clue to which organ is trying to repair the damage done to it. The resulting symptoms may be due to the energy being expended to do these repairs.
Take a look at the following table to provide you with information about the body’s clocks:
Large intestine: 5 to 7 a.m.
Stomach: 7 to 9 a.m.
Spleen: 9 to 11 a.m.
Heart: 11 to 1 p.m.
Small Intestines: 1 to 3 p.m.
Bladder: 3 to 5 p.m.
Kidneys: 5 to 7 p.m.
Pancreas: 7 to 9 p.m.
Blood Vessels and Arteries: 9 to 11 p.m.
Gallbladder: 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Liver: 1 to 3 a.m.
Lungs: 3 to 5 a.m.
— Julie Freeman, MA, RD, LD, RYT, is a licensed integrative nutritionist with advanced training in counseling and functional medicine. Her “toolbox” includes certifications in yoga, reiki, mind-body medicine, modeling and finishing for personal development, and she has written two cookbooks, Balanced Eating for a Balanced Life and Sweets n’ Treats. Click here to read previous columns, or contact her at juliefreeman57@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are her own.