It’s almost midnight and I’m eating some Netflix shows and leftovers from the fridge. You’ll regret it in the morning, and you’ll probably regret it for years to come.
As I munch on my late-night feast, I’m inadvertently playing fast and loose with the systems that have evolved to synchronize my body to the natural 24-hour cycle of day and night. Its effects include setting optimal meal times, and evidence is emerging that ignoring this schedule can have serious health consequences.
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Synchronization begins in the body’s central timekeeper, a small cluster of neurons in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Its function is to ensure that biological processes such as falling asleep occur at optimal times. The SCN is reset daily by light and darkness, creating a roughly 24-hour period called the circadian rhythm. It also regulates your appetite so that you have enough energy during the day and can get through the night without waking up due to digestion or hunger.
This causes your appetite to naturally peak in the morning and evening. Processes involved in the digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food are similarly regulated by the SCN to ensure that they are activated at the appropriate time.
