Many of us know the feeling of a disrupted body clock, usually from jet lag or working night shift. It can be very difficult to get back into a normal routine and get the restful sleep you need.
However, there may be a solution in sight for this common problem, with a recent study finding that certain drugs can actually reset or restart the body clock.
The natural rhythm of the body clock (circadian rhythm) is what helps us to remain awake and alert during the day and to sleep soundly at night. Disturbances to this clock rhythm cause us to feel off-kilter and have trouble sleeping. Body clock problems seem to be common in some psychiatric disorders and people who work night shifts or variable shift patterns.
The successful experiment in resetting the body clock were conducted on mice, which opens up the possibility of treating many human conditions related to the circadian rhythm.
Research leader Professor Andrew Loudon from the University of Manchester says:
“We’ve discovered that we can control one of the key molecules involved in setting the speed at which the clock ticks and in doing so we can actually kick it into a new rhythm.”
“We’ve shown that it’s possible to use drugs to synchronise the body clock of a mouse and so it may also be possible to use similar drugs to treat a whole range of health problems associated with disruptions of circadian rhythms. This might include some psychiatric diseases and certain circadian sleep disorders. It could also help people cope with jet lag and the impact of shift work.“
Sleepio’s Professor Colin Espie is excited by the potential of these results but notes that it is not a treatment for sleep conditions like insomnia.
“Research on small animals, in this case mice, can help to unlock some of the mysteries of science. This exeprimental research is important because it shows that it is possible to resynchronise a maladaptive rhythm with a drug that slows down an enzyme called casein kinase 1,” he said.
“It’s a long way from being a treatment for sleep or mental health problems in humans but it’s definitely an exciting discovery and a positive step forward.”
Read the study here - Body Clock Drugs Could Ease Psychiatric Disorders And Jet Lag
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