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Not All Clocks Can Be Reset Overnight
Original
Article
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COLLEGE STATION - This Sunday, (Oct.
25) many people will arrive at church an hour early. They won't be
there to beat the crowd - they'll just have forgotten to set their
clocks back one hour. However, even if people set their clocks back,
they may still wake up an hour early.
Why won't many people be able to sleep
an extra hour this Sunday? Waking up at the same time each day is
more than just habit. People have an internal clock that tells them
when to get up, and it is not as easy to change as the clock on the
wall. The internal, or biological clock will not change by twisting
your arm or pushing any buttons.
Adjusting the biological clock is a
gradual process, so it will take a couple of days before many people
adjust to the change.
Learning what makes the biological clock
tick is a research focus for several Texas A&M University researchers.
Their studies range from one-celled organisms to plants and animals.
Research topics include finding out how organisms can count 24-hour
time periods and if biological clocks work the same in different organisms.
"The study of biological clocks and
sleep/wake cycles can help us understand depression and other physiological
problems," says David Earnest, an assistant professor in the department
of human anatomy and medical neurobiology.
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By Tiffany Inbody
AggieDaily
Office of University Relations
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