Sleep and the Circadian Clock
Program Information
Series: NASA ConnectProgram: The Right Ratio of Rest: Proportional Reasoning
Segment Number: 1 (Watch entire program)
Duration: 00:05:57
Year Produced: 2005
Description:
In the first segment of the Right Ratio of Rest: Proportional Reasoning, Lynn Swann gives a summary of the entire video. Next Jennifer Pulley explains to the circadian clock to R. J. and how sleep in space differs from sleep on Earth. The first segment ends with a inquiry based question about Norbert and Zot as they encounter light dark cycles on other planets.
NASA CONNECT™ is a series of Emmy®-award-winning, math-focused programs. Each program supports the national math, science, and technology standards and has three components that include (1) a 30-minute television broadcast; (2) a companion educator's guide; and (3) an online activity that further explores topics presented in the broadcast. These programs establish a connection between the math, science, and technology concepts taught in the classroom to those same concepts used everyday by NASA researchers.
For more information visit: http://connect.larc.nasa.gov/Transcript
Hi, I'm Lynn Swann, formerly
of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On this episode of NASA Connect,
astronauts and NASA researchers
will help you learn why having
the right ratio of rest
is important.
Students
will construct a tool
for visualizing fractions
as they learn
about rational numbers.
All on NASA Connect,
"The Right Ratio of Rest:
Proportional Reasoning."
Is that RJ?
RJ?
RJ, wake up.
Oh, hey, Jen.
How are you doing?
RJ, I'm doing fine.
The question is
how you're doing.
You look beat.
Are you okay?
I've just been
really tired lately.
I even fall asleep in class.
Today my teacher had
to wake me up.
You're kidding me.
That's not good.
RJ, what's going on?
Track meets and practice
keep me pretty busy.
And I stay up late every night
doing my homework.
It's hard for me to get up
in the morning,
and I can't seem to keep
my head up during class.
I'm beat.
RJ, if you keep
going like this,
you're going to burn out.
Have you ever heard
of the term "biological clock"?
Isn't that where your body
has to be in sync?
Sort of.
A more scientific way of talking
about your biological clock
is the term
"circadian clock."
Now, this is when
your sleep period
and your activity period
are coordinated
with the environmental
dark and light cycle.
The circadian clock acts
as a master control
to ensure that the various
systems of the body--
the nervous system,
the respiratory system,
the cardiovascular system,
and others--work together.
Now, if your clock
is out of sync,
your health and performance
will be negatively affected.
Now, RJ, from what
you're telling me,
it sounds to me
like your lack of sleep
is affecting your ability
to stay awake in class
and focus.
We've already talked
about how NASA is researching
good nutrition
and exercise, remember?
Well, you know, NASA's also
researching sleep as well.
Astronauts on
the International Space Station
work long hours
performing critical tasks.
A lot of attention is paid
to their sleep schedule.
Astronauts don't experience
normal dark and light cycles
like we do on Earth.
How so?
Well, in order to stay
in orbit
around the Earth,
the ISS travels close
to 17,500 miles per hour,
or 27,880 kilometers per hour.
The ISS orbits the Earth
about 16 times every 24 hours.
That means the astronauts
experience a sunrise
every 90 minutes.
Now consider
what astronauts will face
when we return to the Moon.
Once the Sun rises on the Moon,
it won't set for a week,
and then it will be dark
for an entire week.
Get this; during
missions into space,
astronauts can lose up to
two hours of sleep
per night.
Now, after a two-week mission
of orbiting in space,
they've accumulated
such a sleep deficit,
they are fighting for a bed
when they get home.
So you see, RJ,
your extreme schedule
has you facing
a circadian challenge
much like the astronauts do...
on a much smaller scale.
Wow.
I'm facing a challenge
like the astronauts.
You know, RJ,
I have a great idea.
Why don't you
search the internet
for some more information
on the circadian clock?
Make sure
that your information comes
from reliable sources
like the NASA portal.
You know,
speaking of NASA,
I bet you could contact
some NASA researchers
and find out what NASA is doing
in this field.
I bet you could get
some really great information.
Okay, Jen.
I'll get on it
when I get home.
Don't forget your homework.
And please get
some rest first.
Oh, sure, yeah, I'll let you
know what I find out.
See you later.
Okay.
You know,
lack of rest and sleep
is an issue for many people.
Think about spring and fall
when we change our clocks.
Do you have difficulty adjusting
to the new time?
How about when you go
from your summertime routine
to your fall school routine?
If you are like most kids
in the summertime,
you stay up late at night
and you might sleep later
in the morning.
Do you have trouble adjusting
your biological clock
for school?
A University of Michigan
medical study found
teachers report
that 10% of their students
have trouble staying awake
in their class.
Are you one of these students?
Well, while RJ does
his research,
here are a few things you
and your teacher need to know
about today's
NASA Connect program.
During the course of the show,
your teacher
will stop the program
and ask you several
inquiry-based questions.
This is your time to explore
and become critical thinkers.
And here is Derek
with your first question.
Our friend Norbert
is from the planet Norbania,
where a normal day,
or a light-dark cycle,
is 24 hours,
just like it is here on Earth.
One day, he and his dog, Zot,
decided to visit other bodies
in our solar system
on their space scooters.
They visited Mars, Europa,
and Neptune.
Mars has a light-dark cycle
close to that of Earth.
Europa, a moon of Jupiter,
has a light-dark cycle
of about 85 hours.
And Neptune has
a light-dark cycle
of about 16 hours.
Norbert and Zot
are from a planet
with a 24-hour light-dark cycle,
so what are some
of the sleep challenges
they will face
as they explore
these other bodies?
Teachers, now it's time
to pause the program
and discuss this
with your class.
So how did you do?
We'll get back
to Norbert and Zot
a little bit later in the show,
but first let's see
how RJ is doing.