Light Therapy

Body Clock

The "Body Clock" Affects Our Eating, Sleeping & Emotional Patterns

The body clock in humans controls sleep, eating patterns, mental alertness or fatigue, heart rate, hormone production, and mood patterns. This 24 hour internal clock is "set" by the sunlight, temperature, and the turn of the seasons.

The importance of proper functioning of our internal clocks cannot be underestimated. Once our rhythm gets out of sync, we can experience all kinds of discomforting effects, from sleeplessness to irritability, sudden daytime drowsiness to depression. Because of its impact on overall health and wellbeing, major universities have dedicated departments to the body clock's workings, in a field of study called Circadian BiologyA circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle in the biochemical, physiological or behavioral processes of living entities, including plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria (see bacterial circadian rhythms)..

Where is our body clock located? Is it a physical "clock"?

The body clock is physical. It is located in a group of special cells in the hypothalamus. These cells are roused by light-induced signals, signals that are transmitted by one of our eye's receptors.

We all learn about rod and cone receptors in the eyes. These tell us what color we are seeing. Just a few years ago, researchers discovered a third receptor that measures brightness or darkness, daytime or nighttime. It is this third receptor that is so important for our body clock's proper functioning.

This third receptor is made of roughly 2000 cells. Its light sensitive meters tell our brain what season it is, what time of day, and other information vital to smooth functioning of our hormonal system.

How can we use this new "light" information?

Researchers have found that light of varying frequencies actually adjusts our body clocks. Just like we manually set our external clocks to the correct time, we can use light of different wavelengths (colors) to reset our inner clocks when we get out of sync.

For example, blue light calms disturbed rhythmic patterns. By isolating this frequency in special bulbs, and stimulating the photoreceptors in the eyes, new information is sent to the brain to reset our inner clocks.

How does Nature Bright Company utilize this discovery?

NatureBright harnesses the latest research on light to fine-tune our body clock. Our products provide light of the optimal wavelength to gently support our body's natural rhythm. With gentle daily light therapyLight therapy or phototherapy consists of exposure to daylight or to specific wavelengths of light using lasers, light-emitting diodes, fluorescent lamps, dichroic lamps or very bright, full-spectrum light -- by a so-called light box. Light therapy which strikes the retina of the eyes is used to treat circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase syndrome and can also be used to treat seasonal affective disorder, with some support for its use also with non-seasonal psychiatric disorders. , we can help you experience a significant improvement in your sleep cycle, daytime alertness, jet lag, and even your overall sense of happiness.