Night float

Working the night shifts at the Cardiac / Coronary ICU. Day starts at 7:45 PM and usually ends 9-10 AM this next morning. The part that feels weird is coming back to work the same day you left . . . I am though starting to get used to coming home and getting some sleep during the day. Which is tough to me because I think I have a sensitive Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. Whaa??

We think that the day / night circadian rhythm in humans is regulated by sunlight hitting the retina and triggering signals to flow down neurons to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a small area of the brain located in the hypothalamus. The SCN in turn causes the pineal gland (another brain structure) to dole out certain amounts of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin levels in your body peak at night and get low during the day, and are involved in creating your proper sleep / wake physiologic balance.



So the bits of sunlight coming past the shades in my bedroom during the day is kind of messing with me a little. But I'm adjusting. Wonder how much the flip side -- sitting in a dark room all day as a Radiologist -- will affect me . . . think I should probably make sure to eat lunch outdoors every day to trigger the SCN / pineal gland (and take care of sunlight-derived vitamin D production too!)