We know that the brain's behavior changes throughout the day according to our circadian rhythm cycle (our biological clock). The hypothesis, according to a group of American scientists, is that a brain change after midnight, making us more impulsive and more emotional. This stems from the fact that for the body, the expectation is that we are sleeping. Keep reading and understand more about the research and its results.
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The importance of the circadian cycle
The internal clock sets our body's 24h (1 day) rhythm, regulating our circadian activity. It determines many behaviors, such as our sleep schedule, alertness and activity, as well as what time we wake up. In addition to having effects on blood pressure, appetite, body temperature and hormones.
This cycle not only interferes with our emotions or the energy we use in our daily activities, but it can also leave us vulnerable to situations that can lead to illness. That's why this cycle is so important in our lives!
Study published in a scientific journal
In a recent article published in the journal Frontiers in Network Psychology, the team suggests that staying awake at night leads to significant neurophysiological changes in the brain. In this way, they change the way we interact with the world, especially in actions related to processing rewards and information, as well as controlling impulses. For example, raiding the fridge, drinking another bottle of wine or negative thoughts predominate at these times due to changes in the brain.
Theory about brain change after midnight
Elizabeth Kleiman, a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, explained that the basic idea is that, from a perspective global evolution, the biological clock is tuned to the sleep-promoting process, not the part that keeps you awake after at 00h. We know that millions of people stay awake in the middle of the night, but there's also evidence that their brains don't work the same way they do during the day. However, the researcher claims that health is affected and therefore more studies should be done.
Negative consequences on habits
Thinking about everyday experiences, it's common to sleep after midnight to browse social media or watch series. In addition, it is possible that during these hours an unexpected drinking hangover occurs or that other impulsive behaviors develop.
However, the theory presented today suggests that after midnight we are more likely to give in to these urges than during the day. One of the possible explanations has to do with dopamine, which is more produced by the body at night and can disrupt our reward system.
