Researchers at Indiana University have been working at the Fernandez Lab to learn more about our circadian rhythms. The lab just recently moved from Colombia University of New York City to Bloomington in August of 2024. The lab resided in the Barnard Neurobiology Lab in New York, but now it is temporarily located in the Biology Department at Indiana University.

Orie Shafer and María de la Paz Fernández, a married couple who contributed to the study of our circadian clocks, moved from New York to Indiana to expand their work. The lab focuses on expanding our understanding of our circadian rhythms and internal clocks. These rhythms and clocks are responsible for our sleep patterns and quality of sleep. In an interview with Shafer, he explained that contrary to belief, our clocks do not run on a 24-hour schedule. It is just under 24-hours and is hinted at in its name “circadian rhythms.” The word “circadian” comes from the Latin phrase “Circa Diem,” which translates to “about a day.” Shafer also explained how most college should be getting around eight to nine hours of sleep each night, but after many interviews, it’s clear that some students are missing that mark.

One element of their study focuses on the types of environments that can help or harm our sleep patterns and rhythms. While some might think that you would need a human to research human sleep cycles, there is actually a small organism that can tell us exactly what we need to know about our neurological makeup. Shafer and Fernandez chose the fruit fly, or the drosophila melanogaster, for their model organism for their research.

One of the reasons why it is so important to get eight to nine hours of sleep each night is because we go through 90-minute sleep cycles. Our quality of sleep also has a heavy impact on how we feel when we wake up in the morning. There are two types of sleep: delta and REM sleep. As Shafer explains, delta sleep is what will relieve our sleep pressure; our sleep pressure is what makes us sleepy. REM, or Rapid Eye Movement Sleep, is useful for dreaming and our overall emotional wellbeing. If people are only sleeping four or six hours a night, their body will most likely prioritize delta sleep to try and relieve some of the sleep pressure. However, this means that they are missing out on the REM sleep that is also vital for our wellbeing.

Throughout the night, we have different stages of sleep. When we first go to sleep, we will experience a deep sleep, or delta sleep, and then toward the end of our first 90-minute cycle, we will have a little bit of REM sleep. As the night goes on, the delta sleep period will become shorter and the REM sleep period will become longer.

Another element Shafer touched on was how we feel depending on what stage in our sleep cycle we wake up in. I’m sure we’ve all experienced having our alarm go off in the morning and feeling groggy, but there are also times when we wake up and feel refreshed. This feeling depends on when we wake up during our cycle. Shafer explained that if you wake up during delta sleep, you’re going to feel very groggy, and it’s going to be hard to wake up. However, if you wake up during REM sleep, you will most likely feel more awake and refreshed. This is because delta sleep is a much deeper type of sleep in comparison to REM sleep.

It is clear that sleep is a vital part of our wellbeing, physically and emotionally. If we do not get enough sleep, our performance and focus can decrease. There are many things we can do to help our sleep patterns, but some are harder than others. When Shafer was prompted to give advice on this, he put it bluntly and said, “We need to live by the sun.” Our circadian rhythms have been around since the first human was on the planet, so they are very sensitive to light. Shafer explained how we should seek out light during the day and try to make it as dark as possible when it’s time to sleep. However, our world is not built for this type of lifestyle. Artificial light can confuse our rhythms and does not give the same effect as natural sunlight. Eva Scholz-Carlson, a lab assistant, explained that she tries to get as much sunlight throughout the day as possible by eating lunch outside and just spending more time outside in general. This is just one example of how we can incorporate sunlight into our busy lives.

Another way we can help our sleep is through limiting our screen time and not looking at our phones right before we go to sleep. A good alternative to this is to read a book or partake in a low-stress activity before bed. Shafer explained how it is vital that we give our bodies the signs that it’s time to go to sleep. This can be done by making it as dark as possible in your sleep space and saving stressful mental or physical activities for the middle of the day.