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The role of biological rhythms in the organization of human life. Human biological rhythms

Biological rhythms of the body are changes in the nature and intensity of biological processes in the body that have a certain periodicity. They are present in every living organism and are so accurate that they are even called “biological clocks” or “internal clocks.” In fact, it is biorhythms that control our lives, although we are not even aware of it. But if you think about it, the importance of human biological rhythms becomes obvious, because even the main organ - the heart - works in a certain rhythm, which is set by that very “internal clock”. But what are these biological rhythms and what exactly role do they play in human lives, what is their significance? Let's look at these issues in a little more detail.

Types of biological rhythms

All biological rhythms are divided into certain types. However, there are several different classifications based on different criteria. The most common, one might even say, the main classification, is the one in which the criterion is the length of the period of biological rhythms.

According to this classification, there are circadian, ultradian, infradian, circalunar and lunar-monthly biological rhythms. Circadian rhythms have a periodicity of about twenty-four hours and are the most studied of all. Ultradian rhythms are approximately hourly. Infradian - rhythms whose periodicity is more than twenty-four hours. The remaining two biological rhythms are associated with lunar phases.

There is also a classification of biorhythms according to their source of origin. They are divided into physiological, geophysical and geosocial. Physiological are the biorhythms of human internal organs that do not depend on external factors. Geophysical biorhythms are already closely dependent on external environmental factors. And geosocial rhythms are not innate, unlike the first two, and are formed under the influence of both environmental factors and social factors.

The role of biological rhythms in human life

There is a very conditional, according to scientists chronobiologists, theory of three biorhythms. According to it, a person’s condition is determined by three biorhythms: physical, intellectual and emotional. And there are days when some biorhythms are more active than others, since they all have varying degrees of periodicity. That is why on certain days and at certain times there are bursts, for example, of physical activity when in a bad mood, or bursts of positive emotions, and, perhaps, there is a great desire to engage in some kind of mental activity.

That is, the activity of the human body and its condition completely depend on biorhythms. Therefore, you should not “force” your body. On the contrary, you need to listen to him and wisely use your own resources.

For example, a dream and its meaning, like biological rhythm is perhaps one of the most important. That is why you should never go to bed too late or sleep too little, because this results in a violation of absolutely all the body’s biorhythms. In general, scientists have found that the best sleep occurs between twenty-three hours and seven. And going to bed after midnight is very harmful for mental activity, that is, intellectual biorhythms.

We must not forget that man is still a part of nature, therefore he is also influenced by the phases of the moon. For example, many people experience a loss of energy during the new moon and increased activity during the full moon.

On the state of human health.

The roots of knowledge about biorhythms go back to ancient times. The treatises of Hippocrates and Avicenna have reached our time, in which significant attention was paid to a healthy lifestyle based on the correct alternation of phases of activity and rest. In folk medicine, the influence of the phases of the moon and sun on health has long been noted. If we talk about modern chronobiology, the first serious scientific research was carried out in the first half of the twentieth century. It is very important that the greatest contribution to the awareness of this problem was made by Russian scientists - Nobel Prize laureate Academician I.P. Pavlov, academician V.V. Vernadsky and A.L. Chizhevsky, who convincingly proved that there is a close connection between solar activity and events on earth - the number of deaths, suicides, epileptic seizures and other diseases. Modern chronobiology, in addition to studying the relationship between biorhythms and human health, is developing methods and means for restoring and harmonizing disturbed biological rhythms. Currently, this direction is considered one of the most promising in preventive medicine, since it allows us to influence the earliest causes of the development of many diseases.

1. The role of biorhythms in ensuring human life

Biological rhythms are the periodic repetition of changes in the nature and intensity of biological processes and phenomena in living organisms.

The outstanding chronobiologist F. Halberg divided all biological rhythms into three groups:

1) High frequency rhythms with a period that does not exceed a half-hour interval. These are the rhythms of contraction of the heart muscles, breathing, brain biocurrents, biochemical reactions, and intestinal motility.

2) Rhythms of medium frequency with a period from half an hour to seven days. These include: changes in sleep and alertness, activity and rest, daily changes in metabolism, fluctuations in temperature, blood pressure, cell division frequency, fluctuations in blood composition.

3) Low-frequency rhythms with a period from a quarter of a month to one year: weekly, monthly and seasonal rhythms. Biological processes of this periodicity include endocrine changes and hibernation.

The shortest period of time to which the human brain and nervous system can react is from 0.5 to 0.8 s. Therefore, it is no coincidence that our heart contractions average 0.8 seconds. Approximately the same pace of movement of our legs and arms when walking. The time interval of 0.5 - 0.7 s corresponds to the speed of our auditory and visual receptors.

In addition to these small rhythms, another common periodicity has been established, which is 30 minutes. This includes sleep cycles, contractions of the stomach muscles, fluctuations in attention and mood, and sexual activity. Whether a person is sleeping or not, every half hour he experiences either low or increased arousal, then peace, or anxiety.

biorhythm lark owl aging

Human circadian rhythms are interesting primarily because the maximum and minimum activity of various biological processes do not coincide in time.

There is experimental evidence of the presence of a daily rhythm in the functioning of the digestive organs. The formation of bile in the liver alternates with the formation of glycogen. In the first half of the day, the largest amount of bile is formed, which provides optimal conditions for the digestion, in particular, of fats. In the afternoon, the liver accumulates glycogen and water.

In the morning, intestinal motility and gastric motor function increase, and the intestines are cleansed.

In the evening, the excretory function of the kidneys is most pronounced, its minimum occurs between 2 o'clock in the morning and 5 o'clock in the morning.

During the day, phases of performance also alternate with periods of relaxation and sleep. At the same time, the peak of activity in the morning falls on the period from 8 to 12 hours, and the daytime peak of activity falls on the period from 15 to 18 hours. These periods of activity are necessarily interspersed with periods of relaxation.

In addition, it turns out that each of our organs has its own biological schedule. If we stick to this schedule, we will preserve our beauty and health for a long time.

3.00 - 6.00: the most difficult and debilitating period for the body. It is characterized by the lowest blood pressure.

6.00 - 7.00: optimal time for the transition from sleep to wakefulness.

5.00 - 7.00: the period of greatest activity of the large intestine and the optimal time to cleanse the body.

7.00 - 9.00: the time of greatest activity of the stomach, and therefore this time is good to use for the first meal.

8.00 - 9.00: the largest amount of sex hormones enters the blood.

9.00 - 10.00: the optimal time for medical procedures associated with external influences, since at this time the skin is least sensitive to injections.

10.00 - 12.00: the time of the most active brain activity and the best time for intellectual work.

13.00 - 15.00: time of activity of the small intestine. This means that if you had lunch before, the food will be best absorbed within two hours.

16.00 - 18.00: this time is best used for physical work and sports. It is during this period that hair and nails grow fastest.

17.00 - 19.00: at this time we best capture the nuances of taste, aromas and music.

18.00 - 20.00: at this time the liver copes with alcohol most easily.

18.00 - 20.00: during this period it is best to apply cosmetic masks. This is a time of beauty, as during these hours the skin is most sensitive to cosmetic procedures.

18.00 - 21.00: time for the most intimate conversations. At this time, a person is open to communication and feels loneliness most acutely.

19.00 - 21.00: During this period, our joints are most mobile, which means it is well suited for yoga and stretching and relaxation exercises.

22.00: starting from this time, the body’s defenses begin to operate especially intensively. This is the time that is most favorable for going to bed.

Knowledge of human biorhythms allows us to produce chronological calendars that improve the normal course of life and optimize the results of human activity. Here is some data on the peaks of biological processes in the body during the day:

· max. finger sensitivity - 15-16 hours.

· max. hand squeeze - 9-10 hours.

· maximum production of stomach acids - 13 hours.

· max. susceptibility to injections - 9 hours.

· max. liver performance - 18-20 hours.

· max. lung capacity - 16-18 hours.

· max. hair and nail growth - 16-18 hours.

· max. brain activity - 10-12 hours.

· min. driver attention - 2 hours

· the hardest time to be alone is 20-22 hours.

· min. vascular pressure - 4-5 hours.

· max. activity for men and women - the beginning of autumn.

1.1 Biological rhythms and aging

According to one scientific definition, biological rhythms ensure the body's ability to adapt and survive in changing environmental conditions. It follows that when biological rhythms are disrupted, a person’s resistance to various environmental factors decreases. And since one of the main signs of aging of the body is precisely the decrease in the ability to withstand destructive external influences, a logical question arises as to whether disruption of biorhythms is one of the causes of aging.

As modern research shows, human biological rhythms undergo significant changes throughout the entire age cycle. Thus, in newborns and infants the biorhythmic cycle is very short. The phases of activity and relaxation alternate every 3-4 hours. Moreover, in children under 6-8 years of age it is almost impossible to determine the chronotype (i.e., “lark” or “night owl”). As the child grows up, the cycles of biological rhythms gradually lengthen and by the beginning of puberty they acquire the character of daily biorhythms. At the same time, chronotypes are formed, which determine the nature of biorhythms throughout almost the entire adult life. In the period from 20 to 50 years, human biological rhythms are the most stable. (Interestingly, it is during this period that a person achieves the greatest business and creative success.) After 50 years, for most people, the structure of biological rhythms becomes less stable, and chronotypes become less pronounced. "Owls" develop traits of "larks", and vice versa. One of the most striking and unpleasant manifestations of instability of biological rhythms in the elderly is insomnia. At an even older age, many older people experience a significant reduction in the period of activity in parallel with a sharp prolongation of the relaxation phase, which can be manifested by increased sleepiness.

The above facts most likely indicate that age-related changes in the structure of biorhythms may be the cause of a slowdown in the development of the body and, ultimately, its aging. Modern scientists in the field of chronobiology agree that disruption of the body's circadian biorhythms is a chronological marker of aging. The discovery of this pattern is very important in the context of the prospects for extending human biological age. After all, if we manage to develop effective drugs or methods for harmonizing and maintaining the optimal structure of biorhythms, we will be able to delay many of the unfavorable age-related changes associated with disruption of the structure of biorhythms.

1.2 Harmonization of biorhythms

One of the main directions of modern chronobiology is the development of various methods and drugs for correcting human biological rhythms. Over 30 years of intensive research in this area, scientists from different countries have created many tools that in one way or another contribute to the harmonization of biorhythms. Among them, five main groups can be distinguished.

1. Physiotherapeutic methods. Correction of biorhythms using physiotherapeutic devices is one of the very first methods used in chronobiology since the late 1960s. This method was originally developed to restore the natural biorhythms of astronauts who had been in space for a long time. Currently, hardware procedures such as electrosleep and light therapy are used mainly to correct biorhythm disturbances in people working on rotation in the Arctic.

3. Pavlova mixture and its analogues. Pavlov's mixture is a drug that simultaneously combines stimulants and sedatives in equal proportions. This combination allows you to stabilize nervous processes and, in particular, normalize the biorhythms of sleep and wakefulness.

4. Preparations based on chronobiotics. Chronobiotics are special plant substances that regulate various phases of biological rhythms. They are found in some food and medicinal plants. At the same time, there are chronobiotics that regulate predominantly the active phase of biorhythms, and so-called relaxing chronobiotics that lengthen the rest and recovery phase.

5. Preparations based on vitamins, microelements and chronobiotics. These drugs represent the latest generation of chronobiological drugs. Their creation was made possible thanks to intensive study of various plant chronobiotics. It was found that most chronobiotics largely lose their biorhythmic activity when synthesized or isolated in pure form. As it turned out, most known chronobiotics exhibit their activity only in the presence of certain vitamins, vitamin-like substances and microelements, which, together with chronobiotics, are contained in the plant. Moreover, it was possible to establish that vitamins and microelements have their own biorhythmic activity. This is how the first vitamin and mineral complexes with plant chronobiotics were developed.

2. The role of vitamins and microelements in the harmonization of biorhythms

Everyone knows that a deficiency of vitamins and microelements can be accompanied by a sharp decrease in performance and vitality, not to mention a decrease in resistance to many diseases. This is explained by the fact that vitamins and minerals are universal regulators of most cellular functions. The word “vitamin” itself is translated as “a substance necessary for life.” Starting from the earliest stages of evolution, first unicellular, then multicellular organisms and, finally, man himself learned to use biologically active substances in food to regulate their vital functions. Already ancient doctors knew that food products contain certain substances, the deficiency of which can cause various diseases. People with scurvy quickly recovered if they were given lemon juice, patients with severe anemia got back on their feet by receiving raw liver every day, and the people of the northern countries long ago learned to treat rickets with the help of fish oil. It is enough to look at a short list of the properties of vitamins and microelements to understand their importance for the body.

2.1 Basic biological properties of vitamins

Vitamin C: m powerful antioxidant; strengthening immunity; protection of blood vessels; strengthening bones and teeth; participation in the synthesis of hormones; regulation of cholesterol metabolism.

Vitamin B1: regulation of carbohydrate metabolism; regulation of fat metabolism; energy supply for the heart.

Vitamin B2: regulation of protein metabolism; hair strengthening; improving the appearance of the skin.

Vitamin B6: at part in hematopoiesis; increasing physical performance; strengthening immunity; regulation of protein metabolism.

Vitamin B12 and folic acid (vitamin B9): R regulation of hemoglobin synthesis; increased mental performance; protection of the cardiovascular system.

Pantothenic acid (vitamin B3): at strengthening the immune system, regulating digestion; participation in the synthesis of hormones.

Vitamin PP (niacinamide): regulation of digestion; regulation of nervous activity; protection of skin cells.

Biotin (vitamin H): at hair fastening; improving the appearance of the skin.

Vitamin A: at improved vision; maintaining skin elasticity; regulation of sexual functions; strengthening the immune system.

Vitamin D3: at bone attachment; participation in the absorption of calcium by the body.

Vitamin E: h protection of the cardiovascular system; maintaining brain function; regulation of sexual functions; strengthening immunity; increasing physical performance.

2.2 Basic biological properties of microelements

Iron: at part in the synthesis of hemoglobin; improving the condition of skin, hair and nails.

Iodine: regulation of thyroid activity; prevention of obesity and atherosclerosis; activation of brain activity.

Selenium: h protection of the heart and blood vessels; slowing down the aging process; strengthening the immune system.

Manganese: at attachment of joints and bones; strengthening blood vessels; regulation of hematopoiesis.

Copper: at hair strengthening and graying prevention; improving the appearance of the skin; prevention of varicose veins.

Zinc: at strengthening immunity; improving the appearance of hair, skin and nails; regulation of sexual activity in men; strengthening bones; synthesis of the hormone insulin.

Vitamins and microelements are involved in the regulation of most life processes and biochemical reactions in our body. In this sense, the role of vitamins and microelements can be compared with the regulatory role of hormones, and the consequences of chronic deficiency of vitamins and microelements with severe hormonal disorders. True, if a healthy body itself is capable of synthesizing the required amount of hormones, then it can obtain most vitamins and microelements exclusively from food or in the form of vitamin and mineral preparations. Any deficiency is considered as a general pre-disease state, from which a variety of diseases can subsequently develop.

As you know, the main vitamins were discovered in the first half of the twentieth century. And therefore, historically, the name “vitamins” was assigned to these substances. However, since then, scientists from different countries have discovered several dozen more biologically active substances in food. Many of these substances have proven to be as essential for human health as the vitamins themselves. That's why they were called vitamin-like substances. Since most vitamin-like substances have a very complex structure, they can only be used in their natural form, i.e. in the form of plant extracts. This hinders their widespread use in conventional vitamin and mineral preparations. Meanwhile, vitamin-like substances significantly enhance the preventive activity of vitamins and microelements.

2.3 Basic biological properties of vitamin-like substances

Bioflavonoids: h protection of heart, liver and brain cells; prevention of thrombosis; antioxidant effect; antiallergic effect; strengthening bones.

Phytosterols: With lowering cholesterol levels.

Beta carotene: P antitumor effect; antioxidant effect.

Kholin: at improvement of mental activity; liver protection (including with alcohol damage).

Inositol: R regulation of fat metabolism and prevention of obesity; regulation of fat metabolism and prevention of diabetes.

Nucleotides: n Essential substances for all processes of synthesis and cellular renewal.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids: P prevention of thrombosis; lowering cholesterol levels; decreased blood pressure; regulation of heart rhythm; antiallergic effect.

Inulin: R regulation of carbohydrate metabolism; normalization of intestinal microflora; lowering cholesterol levels.

Phospholipids: at improved brain activity; protection of liver cells; lowering cholesterol levels.

There are several main reasons for the mismatch of individual biorhythms. These include violations of the daily routine, lack of regular physical activity, excessive use of psychostimulants (for example, tea and coffee), frequent business trips, and many other “attributes” of modern life. However, the problem of malnutrition occupies a special place among these reasons, since it affects most of us.

And here we return again to the importance of vitamins, microelements and biologically active substances in food. The fact is that the correct alternation of biorhythms and the full functioning of our body depend not only on the supply of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, which are the main building and energy materials, but also on the daily intake along with food of a large number of regulatory substances, which include vitamins, vitamin-like substances, microelements and many other biologically active food components. If there is a chronic deficiency of these essential substances in the body, a conflict situation arises. Biological rhythms enter their active phase, which requires the body to actively work, but it simply cannot cope with the increased load due to a deficiency of vitamins that regulate the functioning of the cardiovascular or, for example, muscular system. Or, conversely, in accordance with the relaxation phase of biorhythms, all human organs and systems should rest, but real relaxation does not happen, because The body's cells constantly send alarm signals about a deficiency of vitamins or minerals. It is not at all surprising that in this situation there is a rapid mismatch of biological rhythms. During the day, a person feels tired and incapacitated, and at night he cannot get a full night’s sleep. Agree, many of us felt this in late winter and spring, when hypovitaminosis is most evident. On the contrary, people who constantly take vitamin and mineral supplements are much more able to cope with situations associated with jet lag. In this case, vitamins and microelements increase the body’s resistance and its ability to quickly heal itself. In order to prevent biorhythmological disorders, experts recommend complex preparations containing all the necessary vitamins, microelements, as well as most vitamin-like substances. It is desirable that these drugs be biphasic, i.e. consisted of morning and evening complexes. This form makes it possible to take into account the structure of human biorhythms to the greatest extent.

3. What are chronobiotics?

Definition. Chronobiotics are a new class of plant biologically active substances, the main property of which is the ability to regulate various phases of human biological rhythms. To date, this is the only class of natural compounds that have a proven biorhythmic effect.

Types of chronobiotics. In accordance with the two-phase nature of biological rhythms, chronobiotics are divided into two main subclasses: D-chronobiotics (from Lat. diurnal - daytime) and N-chronobiotics (from Lat. nocturnal- night). At the same time, D-chronobiotics regulate predominantly the active (daytime) phase of biological rhythms, and N-chronobiotics regulate the relaxation (nighttime) phase. Some researchers additionally identify another very narrow class of chronobiotics, which occupies an intermediate position. These are the so-called C-chronobiotics (from lat. circadian- round-the-clock), which simultaneously regulate both phases of biorhythms.

Mechanisms of action of chronobiotics. How do chronobiotics work? Currently, two main mechanisms of biological action of chronobiotics have been studied. So called neurotropic Chronobiotics affect biological rhythms, activating or, conversely, calming the nervous system. This mechanism of action is characteristic of both D-chronobiotics and N-chronobiotics. Metabolic Chronobiotics affect biorhythms through the energy system of cells, stimulating the intensive formation of biological energy that supports the activity of the whole organism. This mechanism of regulation of biorhythms is characteristic almost exclusively of D-chronobiotics.

Natural sources of chronobiotics. To date, effective concentrations of chronobiotics have been found in the following medicinal and food plants: Sources of D-Chronobiotics- maral root (leuzea), angelica, fir needles, green tea, coffee tree, eleutherococcus. Sources of N-chronobiotics- valerian, oregano, hops, peppermint, corydalis, peony.

Awakening.

True early risers usually have no problems waking up in the morning, even if they need to get up at 6-7 o'clock. However, they have another problem - the fight against drowsiness, which falls on them in the middle and at the end of the working day. You can cope with drowsiness with a very hot, or better contrast, shower. After this, you need to drink hot, strong tea with 2-3 slices of lemon.

Unlike night owls, energetic early risers do not need tonic drinks in the morning. If early morning people drink coffee early in the morning, they only become overexcited, quickly get tired and lose their ability to work. It is better to drink green tea, which tones but does not excite. As for breakfast, real “larks” are capable of any gastronomic feats already from early morning. Their stomachs are not only ready, but also require nutritious, high-calorie food. For breakfast, early risers will enjoy cottage cheese or omelet, milk porridge, sandwiches with cheese or sausage. High-calorie protein foods must be supplemented with a vitamin tonic salad (tomatoes, peppers, dill, radishes with hot sauce). Second breakfast can be carbohydrate. Any porridge, muesli, bran bread, dried fruit will do. Lunch for early risers occurs at 1-2 p.m. It should be dense and no less high in calories than breakfast, since at this time the digestive system of early risers begins its second peak of activity. It is best to eat soup, spaghetti with cheese, potatoes with fish or meat. Lunch can be completed with a cup of strong tea in order to maintain high performance during the remaining working hours. (Remember: the best tonic drink for early morning people is black tea, and coffee is best left for night owls.) For dinner, carbohydrate foods are recommended, taking into account the early bedtime. This could be porridge or muesli with honey or dried fruits, light toast with jam, bananas, green tea with chocolate. There are two reasons for a carbohydrate dinner: firstly, fats and protein take a long time to digest, and secondly, carbohydrate foods promote the production of a special hormone - serotonin, which promotes good sleep. Of the vitamins, early risers should primarily consume B12, folic acid, vitamin E and vitamin C. Of the minerals, early risers are very sensitive to deficiency of iodine, zinc and magnesium. Among the medicinal plants that will help optimize your daily routine, you need to pay attention to eleutherococcus, angelica and peony.

Most early risers have only two peaks of intellectual activity. True, unlike "owls", these periods are longer. The first peak of activity begins at 8-9 hours and ends at 12-13 hours. The second - shorter - peak of intellectual activity occurs in the afternoon - from 16 to 18 hours. As for the physical activity of “larks”, it is also two-phase in nature. They can perform physical work most effectively in the morning from 7 to 12 o'clock and in the evening from 16 to 19 o'clock.

It is best for early risers to train in the morning. Morning exercises and jogging at 6-7 o'clock are for early risers. It is better to do morning workouts on an empty stomach, drinking only sweet cocoa or eating a few shares of chocolate, and the main breakfast should be taken after this. If “larks” prefer athletic exercises, then it is best to do them at 10-11 a.m., about an hour after a hearty breakfast. In this case, the most effective muscle growth can be achieved. In the evening, early risers are not recommended to overload. Firstly, the activity of most body systems decreases sharply in the evening, and secondly, this can interfere with sleep. For evening activities, we can recommend quiet types of physical activity - swimming, walking, slow cycling.

"Lark people" usually fall asleep easily. However, if for some reason they do not go to bed at a time when they are “dyingly” sleepy, they can ruin their entire night. If you still have problems falling asleep, you can make going to bed much easier by using the following simple rules:

1) try to go to bed at the same time;

2) about 40 minutes before bedtime, stop working on the computer or watching TV;

3) before going to bed, it is advisable to take a walk or take a relaxing bath;

4) do not eat dense food less than 2 hours before bedtime. Instead, drink half a glass of milk with honey - this will help you fall asleep smoothly;

5) before going to bed, ventilate the room well.

Awakening

For most night owls, the optimal wake-up time is 10-11 am. Unfortunately, the workday in most countries of the world is designed for early risers, and therefore we provide a number of recommendations to make the process of waking up early easier. To make awakening easier, you can simply gradually return to consciousness using a “soft” alarm clock. For example, it should sound not nearby, but in the next room. And the Japanese actually came up with an alarm clock that emits the scent of a flower at the right time. A gradually increasing aroma can wake you up more accurately than a sharp signal. For a gentle awakening, you can use a tape recorder. If he quietly plays the melody you have chosen for half an hour, you will awaken in the most non-violent way. True, no matter what method of awakening you choose, you must comply with one indispensable condition: as soon as you wake up, do not let yourself stay under the covers “just one more minute” - immediately take a contrast or hot shower, taking an “energy” drink (honey and half a lemon per glass of hot green tea). After water procedures, you can drink a cup of natural coffee. You can add smells to the awakening process (remember the “aromatic” alarm clock.” Pine essential oil relieves morning stress, and citrus oil lifts your mood.

When planning your diet, remember that owl stomachs wake up only two hours after waking up. Therefore, immediately after waking up, night owls are recommended to drink a glass of mineral water to wake up the stomach and rid it of toxins accumulated during the night. It's good to drink a glass of grapefruit or apple juice. You can also eat a light fruit salad, since fruit in any form stimulates juice production. Breakfast for night owls should be as protein-free as possible. These can be fermented milk products such as yogurt, muesli, toast with jam. The best morning drink for night owls is natural coffee. After two to three hours, breakfast can be repeated, including fruit, chocolate or honey, bread and coffee. By lunchtime, the owls' digestive system gains strength and begins to require protein. These can be meat or fish dishes. For afternoon tea (from 17 to 19 hours) green tea and dried fruits are recommended. The best dinner for night owls is easily digestible proteins such as fish, cheese or nuts. Protein foods will help keep you feeling full for a long time and avoid eating at night. However, during night vigils, night owls may need to eat again. Bananas, low-fat yogurt and a slice of chocolate are best for this. Of all the vitamins, night owls need vitamins C, A and B the most. You should also take special care of minerals such as calcium, iron and selenium. “Owls” can optimize their biorhythms with the help of medicinal plants such as maral root (leuzea), eleutherococcus, mint and oregano.

Unlike early risers, most night owls have three peaks of intellectual activity. The first peak (daytime) is observed from 13.00 to 14.00, the second (evening) - from 18.00 to 20.00, and finally the third (night) - from 23.00 to 01.00. At the same time, the evening period is the most complete. You need to structure your work day in accordance with these periods of activity. The physical activity of "owls" has a slightly different character. It gradually increases starting from 14.00, reaches its peak at 19.00, after which it decreases by 21.00.

Night owls should not pedal an exercise bike or push weights in the morning. At this time, their body is not yet ready for physical exercise. Around 12-13 o'clock you can go jogging. The following types of exercise are recommended in the evening: weight training, brisk walking, or swimming. The optimal time for sports is from 19 to 23 hours. It is at this time that you can achieve the desired results in body shaping and weight loss.

Unlike early risers, real night owls often have problems falling asleep. You can make it easier to go to bed by using the same rules as for early risers.

6. Biology of success: building a career according to biorhythms

It is debatable whether man was created for work. But since you are working, you should wisely use the capabilities and habits of your body. It is foolish to force yourself to create when the body is disposed to mechanical work, or to negotiate if both you and those around you are closed and unfriendly. This disregard for the biological clock results in excessive energy consumption and disappointing results.

By imagining the general principles of bioactivity, you get a rough plan of action even in situations when chaos reigns around you, and a tsunami of rush jobs is about to overwhelm you. Moreover, by relying on your own biorhythms, you can prevent many annoying moments. The expression “for everything there is a time” will become for you not a general phrase, but a guide to action - successful action!

And further. To prevent your life from turning into a dull routine, it is very important to bring a playful element into it. For example, brighten up your working day with short, pleasant rituals. Their importance is difficult to overestimate. First, they create the necessary breaks to maintain performance. Secondly, they establish positive reflexes and provide “first aid” for emotions, even on “not your day.” Thirdly, the body, receiving encouragement and mini-rest, will thank you by producing endorphins and other pleasure hormones, which means efficiency and creativity will increase.

9:00-11:00 - time for assimilation of information and planning. The body temperature is higher than at any other time of the day, the glucose level in the blood is at its maximum, which means the cerebral cortex is the most sensitive and active.

Things to do. Finishing things left over from yesterday is not the worst idea. Right now you are disposed to see yesterday's problem in a new way. The well-known saying “the morning is wiser than the evening” is actually confirmed by the findings of psychobiologists. If you miss time, the unfinished business will hang there, creating a feeling of delay and nervousness and, most likely, will carry over into tomorrow.

There are no "tails"? Dedicate your morning to planning, developing strategies for today or a longer period. Now you can adequately assess how much time and effort this or that task will require: the level of self-control reaches its peak two to three hours after waking up.

A special ritual. A cup of hot coffee and, of course, something sweet. It will make you a stable and friendly person among your grumbling, sleepy colleagues. And if you involve them in the morning action, very soon they will develop a “conditioned reflex”, and your appearance will always be a small holiday for them. This will make life a lot easier.

11:00-13:00 - a surge of vitality.

Things to do. It's time to act! Make a presentation, present your most daring project to the judgment of those around you, go to negotiations: complex matters, if you have thought them through in advance, will now proceed in full accordance with plans. During these hours, there is an increase in interest in others, so you are now insured against the indifferent silence of your interlocutors. It has been proven that you lose the most energy when breaking through the wall of indifference, and sincere interest in your affairs and endeavors doubles your efficiency and productivity. In addition, your voice now sounds most soft and pleasant: the morning hoarseness has passed, and the overstrain of the ligaments has not yet occurred. Take advantage of this moment! The timbre of your voice, as psychologists say, is even more important for your listeners than the words you speak: it creates the overall impression.

A special ritual. Before you go into a personal meeting, take a few minutes to think sympathetically about that person. You will help him to be in a favorable mood before you cross the threshold of his office.

Refrain from excessive commitments and promises. Now you are determined to love all of humanity, including your bosses and competitors, so you can easily be persuaded into an unprofitable project by dropping one or two praises of your intelligence and talents into the conversation.

13:00-15:00 - the working mood of the previous hours remains, but the euphoria gradually subsides.

Things to do. Ideal time to work with documents. In the middle of the day, visual acuity is maximum: the lacrimal glands are actively working, protecting the cornea from tension. And the eye muscles completely recover from nighttime relaxation no earlier than noon.

If a conflict situation cannot be avoided today, plan an unpleasant conversation for this period of time. At least there will be no nervous breakdowns and the threat of immediate dismissal. Especially if you argue your position and try to understand the opposite side. Don’t delay: in an hour the general mood will change, and it will be more difficult to keep the situation within limits.

A special ritual. Several breathing exercises. And during lunch, don’t forget to sprinkle the salad with black pepper. In addition to all other advantages, it stimulates the work of the heart, on which now, more than ever, your overall condition depends - both emotional and physical.

Refrain about t unnecessary stress and worry. At this time, it is especially easy to panic about falling behind schedule. If you stay calm, you'll be rewarded with an amazing afternoon performance.

15:00-19:00 - time for relaxation and communication.

Things to do. Now is the time to check email, call partners and clients, write invitations, letters of recommendation and press releases. Intuition is not at its best now, but logic is acquiring the properties of iron, and intelligence is in order. You clearly know the answer to the question “why” (“how” is best left for tomorrow) and easily identify the logical failures that have crept into the draft agreement.

A special ritual. Feeling tired? Go to the next department, drink tea - best with salty cookies or pistachios. These 15 minutes will help you effectively live the rest of the working day, so don't regret them. If your colleagues (and everyone in the world) are tired, go away and actively massage your ears so that blood flows to them. This exercise helps shake off numbness and fatigue and is beneficial for the kidneys.

Resist the urge to cut anchors, burn bridges, and break off relationships. This desire is especially strong and, as a result, dangerous after 17:00 (the second such peak occurs between five and seven in the morning, but it is not dangerous for career growth). It's not you - it's your body. It requires entertainment. And since you force it to sit at work, it communicates its dissatisfaction to you in accessible ways - through emotions and fatigue.

7. Method of calculating biorhythms

To calculate your own biorhythms, you should determine the number of days lived on a certain date, starting from the day of birth. Then the total number of days lived must be divided by the duration of the periods of the physical, emotional and intellectual cycles (23, 28, 33). By doing this, we “catch” the end of the sinusoid and determine which day of each cycle corresponds to the desired date.

From the day of birth, a person is in three biological rhythms: physical, emotional and intellectual.

· The physical cycle is 23 days. It determines a person’s energy, strength, endurance, and coordination of movement.

· The emotional cycle is 28 days and determines the state of the nervous system and mood.

· The intellectual cycle (33 days) determines the creative ability of the individual.

Fig.1. Sinusoids of biorhythms

Any cycle consists of two half-cycles: positive and negative.

· During the first half of the physical cycle, a person is energetic and achieves better results in his activities; in the second half of the cycle, energy gives way to laziness.

· In the first half of the emotional cycle, a person is cheerful, aggressive, optimistic, overestimates his capabilities, in the second half he is irritable, easily excitable, underestimates his capabilities, pessimistic, critically analyzes everything.

· The first half of the intellectual cycle is characterized by creative activity, a person is accompanied by luck and success; in the second half there is a creative decline.

When calculating, it is enough to round numbers to tenths of a fraction. Based on your exact date of birth, calculate how many days you have lived: multiply 365 days a year by the number of years you have lived, excluding leap years; multiply the number of leap years by 366 days; Sum both products.

Divide the number of days lived by 23 (physical cycle) - you will get a number with a remainder after the integer. For example, if the remainder is 20, this means that it is the 20th day of the physical cycle, that is, the second half of the cycle, which is unfavorable. Also calculate the emotional and intellectual cycles.

There will be approximately six days in a year when the initial phases of two cycles coincide - these are difficult days. And about once a year all three cycles are at zero - this is also a very bad day.

The days when the biorhythm graphs cross the horizontal line in the center of the graph ("zero" days) are critical. According to statistics, these days have the most accidents, accidents, emotional declines and mental breakdowns are observed on these days.

Example of calculating biorhythms

The student’s date of birth is March 15, 1980. Make a monthly biorhythm chart starting from September 1, 2000.

We calculate the number of days lived for a full 20 years, taking into account the high years (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012):

365 * 20 + 5 = 7305 days.

16 + 30 + 31 + 30 + 31 + 31 = 169 days.

The total number of days is

1) 7474/23 = 324,9565217;

(324,9565217 - 324) *23 = 21,999 ~ 22.

2) 7474/28 = 266,9285714, (266,9285714 - 266) *28 = 25,999 ~ 26.

3) 7474/33 = 226,4848484, (226,4848484 - 226) *33 = 15,999 ~ 16.

The resulting numbers 22, 26, 16 mean that September 1, 2000 marks the 22nd day of the physical, 26th day of the emotional and 16th day of the intellectual cycle of the student.

We analyze in which part of the period - positive or negative - the calculated days are located (Fig. 2).

Fig.2. Period charts

We are building a calendar chart of biorhythms for September 2000 (Fig. 3).

Fig.3. Biorhythm calendar

conclusions

Analyzing the resulting schedule, we conclude that the most unfavorable from the point of view of student life safety will be September 1, 2, 13, 17, 18, 25. These days, you should be especially careful and, if possible, avoid situations associated with stress (driving a car), exhausting physical and mental labor, and travel.

Bibliography

1. Biological rhythms / Edited by Yu. Ashoffa: In 2 vols. - M.: Mir, 1984. T.1. P.5-406; T.2. P.5-260.

2. Breus T.K., Chibisov S.M., Baevsky R.M., Shebzukhov K.V. Chronostructure of biorhythms of the heart and the external environment. - M.: Publishing house of the Russian Peoples' Friendship University, 2002. - 232 p.

3. Glass L., Mackey M. From hours to chaos. Rhythms of life. - M.: Mir, 1991. - 248 p.

4. Oransky I.E., Tsarfis P.G. Biorhythmology and chronotherapy (chronobiology and chronobalneophyiotherapy). - M., 1989. - 159 p.

5. Chronobiology and chronomedicine / Edited by F.I. Komarova. - M.: Medicine, 1989. - 401 p.

6. Lebedev N.N. Biorhythms of the digestive system. M: Medicine, 1987. - 320 p.

7. Zhelibo E.P. Life safety. Basic handbook for students of the Higher Educational Institution of Ukraine. - Kiev: "Karavela", 2001. - 320 p.

Biological rhythm and cyclicity play a significant and most direct role in the life of any living organism, including humans. Nature is designed in such a way that the rhythm of processes surrounds a person at every step, be it the change of time of day, season of year, rotation of the Earth around the sun and much more. Thus, we can say that biorhythms are those self-sustaining and self-regulating principles according to which all living things exist, develop, reproduce on the planet, and also govern the time frame.

In order to better understand what biorhythms are and how they directly affect the human body, it is necessary to emphasize their main characterizing features, namely the period (one cycle per unit of time), rhythm frequency (frequency of periodic processes for a specific period of time) , phase (initial, final), as well as the amplitude of oscillations) the difference between maximum and minimum). It is also worth noting that, depending on their duration, biorhythms can be divided into high-frequency, mid-frequency, and low-frequency.

In fact, a person is the very creature whose body is completely connected with rhythmically manifested processes, such as: the work of internal organs and tissues, the activation of cell activity, brain activity, the work of the digestive system and metabolism, etc. In the process of multiple studies, it was possible to establish that, depending on a certain period of time, a person has four biological rhythms, namely: an hour and a half, a daily monthly, and an annual biorhythm. Thus, during an hour and a half biorhythm, a person’s state of activity, excitability, anxiety or calm may change. The circadian rhythm has a direct impact on the phases of wakefulness. Such a biorhythm as the monthly one manifests itself to a greater extent in the female body, while the annual biorhythm affects the state of the human body as a whole (content of nutrients, muscle activity, light sensitivity of the eye, increase or decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, etc.)

However, the human body is systematically influenced not only by natural biorhythms, but also by those instilled in it by its communication environment, that is, society. Thus, taking into account a normal working day and a day off, as a rule, a weekly biorhythm is added to the four main biorhythms, which, in total, is responsible for the performance of the human body. The weekly biorhythm is most developed among schoolchildren, students, and government workers with a standardized work schedule.

Processes of origin of biorhythms

Depending on two determining factors, human biological rhythms can be either innate (endogenous) or acquired (exogenous). By their origin, biorhythms are defined as physiological and environmental.

If we consider the physiological biorhythms of a person, that is, the processes of human life that have developed through evolution (breathing, the functioning of the heart and brain, etc.), then in this case it is necessary to note that the main determining factor here is the multioscillatory theory. This theory is explained by the presence in the human body of a main guiding rhythm, which affects the rhythm and forces all other processes to work in systematic subordination.

Unlike physiological biorhythms, which depend on one central driver, environmental biorhythms are influenced by all kinds of natural factors, as well as environmental changes (change of season, degree of solar activity, influence of the Moon, etc.)

The main functions of biorhythms, their influence on the human body

The natural purpose of biological rhythms in the human body is manifested in their four main functions, each of which has its own direct impact on a person. One of the main such functions is:

Optimization of the body’s vital functions, for which the cyclical nature of processes is responsible. In order for each vital system of the human body to carry out its full-fledged work, it is necessary to have a systematic alternation of minimum and maximum activation of its phases. Thus, this function of biorhythms is responsible for rest and restoration of the body for further functioning and consumption of resources.

Considering the fact that the time unit of biorhythms is not astronomical, but biological time, their second function is:

Reflection of the time factor. This function is responsible for ensuring that all processes of change within the human body occur regardless of its consciousness. Thanks to this function, the human body can also fully adapt to changes in nature, seasons, and fluctuations in the external environment.

Another important function of biorhythms, which has a direct impact, first of all, on the creation of functional systems in the central nervous system, is:

The regulatory function of biorhythms, for which rhythm is responsible and affects human behavior as a whole. The thing is that for the normal level of functioning of the human central nervous system, the process of creating a so-called dominant is necessary. In turn, this same dominant appears due to the process of combining nerve cells into one system by creating an individual rhythm for each organism.

The last, but no less important function of biorhythms is the process of combining and subordinating all levels of biorhythms according to the principle of hierarchy, and is called:

Integration. Thus, with the help of this function, as well as the principle of multiplicity, high-frequency biorhythms and all systems of the human body are adjusted to the optimal level of the average daily rhythm.

by discipline

"LIFE SAFETY"

"Biorhythms and their role in human life"

Introduction

1.2 Harmonization of biorhythms

3. What are chronobiotics?

4. General advice on daily routine for early risers

5. General tips on daily routine for night owls

7. Method of calculating biorhythms

Bibliography

Introduction

Of all the sciences dealing with human health, one of the most unusual and amazing is chronobiology - the science of the influence of biological rhythms on human health.