Want to pick up night shifts? Think again!

  We all know that sleep is important, but do we truly know just how important it is to maintain our internal circadian clock? The night shift may offer per hour, but the cost is detrimental as it affects both mental and physical health.               Our internal clock is based on a 24-hour cycle. This clock is essential for regulating our alertness and sleepiness and light exposure has a great impact on it. The suprachiasmatic nucleus in the thalamus is where the internal clock and the cellular oscillators are located. In the chapter titled,  Circadian Desynchrony and Health , Dr. Summa and Dr. Turek investigate how an altered circadian-rhythm clock can affect human health. It was found that in shift workers, whose internal clocks are disrupted, there is a significant increase in health issues such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and more. Not only is it that the risk for these diseases increase, ...