• ISBN13: 9789372264517
• Binding: Hardcover
• Subject: Medical, Nursing and Health Sciences
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: November 24, 2025
• Pages: 364
• Original Price: INR 995.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 550 grams
• BISAC Subject(s): Sleep Medicine, Cognitive Neuroscience & Cognitive Neuropsychology, and Life Sciences / Neuroscience

Circadian Cycle: Neuro-Biology of Human Time Structure offers a lucid and interdisciplinary exploration of the biological rhythms that shape our body, mind and daily lives. Rooted in neurobiological insights from the suprachiasmatic nuclei and enriched by contemporary research, this second edition bridges science and practical living, including everything from mental health and maternal care to stress and ageing. Designed for students, educators and curious minds across behavioural, life, medical, social and management sciences, the book demystifies the physiological and psychological foundations of circadian rhythms. It addresses their impact on mental health, maternal-foetal dynamics, stress, time management and human development, from pregnancy to old age, offering engaging explanations of complex neurobiological processes. Whether you're exploring the science behind your sleep patterns or seeking tools for better time management, this book makes the invisible clock within us visible and actionable. With clarity and accessibility at its core, the book empowers readers to understand and apply biological time structures for enhanced well-being. A timely resource, aligned with UGC curricula, it invites readers to rethink time—not just as a clock, but as a living rhythm.

Dr Santa Misra, MPhil, PhD and DLitt, is a former Professor and Head of DCBS, Sri Sri University, and retired Principal of Sri Sathya Sai College for Women, Bhubaneswar. With over four decades of academic experience, she has taught at several reputed colleges in Odisha and has guided multiple PhD scholars. A prolific author, Dr Misra has co-written numerous books including Fundamental Statistics for Behavioural Sciences (Sage) and A Textbook on Environmental Psychology with Dr Mohanty. She has published 69 research papers and presented at over 60 national and international conferences across the globe. Her research collaborations include a Russian government-sponsored project on social policy. Specialising in Cognitive Psychology, Experimental Designs and Research Methodology, Dr Misra also serves as Chief Editor of the Odisha Journal of Social Science.

Prof. Banamali Mohanty, DLitt (Experimental Psychology), is a former Professor and Head at the Department of Psychology, Utkal University, with a teaching career spanning over 35 years. He has guided more than 90 theses at the doctoral and postgraduate levels and co-authored several books including Fundamental Statistics for Behavioural Sciences (Sage) and A Textbook on Environmental Psychology with Dr Misra. He has published over 50 research papers, presented his work extensively in national and international forums and delivered lectures addressing pivotal themes in psychology. A recipient of the 'Indo-French Cultural Exchange Fellowship', he has worked in Paris in 1991. His expertise lies in Experimental Psychology, Applied Psychology and Research Methodology. Currently, he is the Professor-Emeritus at Srusti Academy of Management and Guest Faculty at Trident the Academy, Bhubaneswar.

• Preface....................................................................................iii
1 Introduction to Circadian Cycle........................................1
• 1.1. Introduction.......................................................... 3
• 1.2. Circadian Cycle and Circadian Rhythm.............................................. 5
• 1.3. Circadian Cycle: Origin and History................................................... 11
• 1.4. Circadian Cycle in Animals, Plants and Mammals................................. 14
• 1.5. Circadian Cycle in Human Beings........................................................... 15
• 1.6. Physiological Basis of Circadian System.............................................. 22
• 1.6.1. Internal Oscillations................................................... 22
• 1.6.2. Peripheral Oscillations................................................. 24
• 1.7. Effects of Circadian Rhythm............................................. 24
• 1.7.1. Biological Effects............................................ 25
• 1.7.2. Psychological Effects................................... 26
• 1.7.3. Socio-Cultural Effects.................................. 26
• 1.8. Circadian Cycle and Hormonal Homeostasis...................................... 27
• 1.9. Circadian Rhythm and Metabolic Processes..................................... 30
• 1.10. Circadian Rhythm and Regulation of Energy Balance............................. 32
• 1.11. Circadian Cycle and Time Management............................................. 33
• Practice Questions…………………………….. 39
2 Circadian Cycle and Clinical Challenges.........................41
• 2.1. Introduction.................................. 42
• 2.2. Circadian Cycle.................................. 43
• 2.2.1. Circadian Cycle: Sensible Solutions to Clinical Challenges.................................. 44
• 2.2.2. Development of the Circadian System.................................. 45
• 2.2.3. Development of the Circadian System in Organisms.................................. 47
• 2.2.4. Circadian Misalignment in Naturalistic Settings.................................. 47
• 2.2.5. Circadian Misalignment in Daylight Saving Time.................................. 48
• 2.3. Circadian Cycle and Disorders.................................. 48
• 2.3.1. Physiological Disorders.................................. 49
• 2.3.2. Bio-Psychological Effects.................................. 49
• 2.3.3. Psychological Disorders.................................. 50
• 2.4. Physiological Disorders Related to Circadian Rhythm.................................. 51
• 2.4.1. Experimental Findings on Misalignment of Feeding Rhythms.................................. 53
• 2.4.2. Night Eating Syndrome and Meal Timing Pattern.................................. 54
• 2.4.3. Circadian Cycle and Sleep Mechanism: Issues Related to Sleep Disorders...................... 57
• 2.4.4. Cellular Biology of Sleep.................................. 57
• 2.4.5. Studies on Misalignment of the Sleep-Wake Rhythm.................................. 58
• 2.4.6. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders (CRSD) .................................. 59
• 2.4.7. Different Causes of Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders.................................. 61
• 2.4.8. Shift Work and Shift Work Sleep Disorders.................................. 62
• 2.4.9. Jet Lag and Jet Lag Disorder.................................. 63
• 2.4.10. Social Jet Lag.................................. 64
• 2.4.11. Chronotype and Social Jet Lag.................................. 65
• 2.5. Circadian Misalignment and Bio-Psychological Effects.................................. 69
• Practice Questions.................................. 72
3 Circadian Cycle and Related PsychologicalDisorders..........................................75
• 3.1. Introduction.................................. 78
• 3.2. Psychological Disorder Related to Circadian Rhythm.................................. 78
• 3.2.1. Circadian Cycle and Mood Disorder.................................. 78
• 3.2.2. Bipolar Disorder (BD) .................................. 82
• 3.2.3. Circadian Rhythm Disruption and Anxiety.................................. 84
• 3.2.4. Depression.................................. 86
• 3.2.5. Circadian Cycle and Stress.................................. 96
• 3.2.6. Stress and Immunity.................................. 104
• 3.3. Circadian Cycle and Sleep Disorder (CRSD) .................................. 107
• 3.3.1. Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder (DSPD) .................................. 107
• 3.3.2. Advanced Sleep Phase Disorder (ASPD) ..................................110
• 3.3.3. Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (N24HSWD) .................................. 111
• 3.3.4. Irregular Sleep-Wake Type.................................. 111
• 3.4. Circadian Misalignment in Psychiatric Disorders.................................. 112
• 3.5. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) .................................. 112
• 3.6. Circadian Cycles and Aggression.................................. 114
• 3.7. Other Psychiatric Disorders.................................. 135
• 3.7.1. Schizophrenia (SZ) .................................. 135
• 3.7.2. Sundowning Syndrome.................................. 138
• 3.8. Possible Therapeutic Approaches to Circadian Cycle Disorder.................................. 142
• 3.8.1. Medications.................................. 142
• 3.8.2. Manipulating Circadian Rhythms.................................. 143
• 3.8.3. Social Zeitgebers.................................. 143
• 3.9. Alternative Therapies.................................. 144
• 3.9.1. Meditation.................................. 144
• 3.9.2. Yoga.................................. 145
• 3.9.3. Acupuncture.................................. 146
• 3.9.4. Osteopathy.................................. 146
• 3.9.5. Nature Therapy.................................. 147
• 3.9.6. Substance Use and Avoid Alcohol.................................. 147
• 3.9.7. Exercise.................................. 147
• 3.9.8. Learn How to Set Limits.................................. 148
• 3.9.9. Supplements.................................. 148
• 3.9.10. S-adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe) .................................. 148
• 3.9.11. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) .................................. 148
• 3.9.12. Omega-3 Fatty Acids.................................. 149
• 3.9.13. Natural Remedies and Change of Lifestyle.................................. 149
• 3.10. Psychotherapy.................................. 149
• 3.10.1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) .................................. 150
• 3.10.2. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.................................. 150
• 3.10.3. Psychodynamic Therapy.................................. 150
• 3.10.4. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) .................................. 150
• 3.10.5. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) .................................. 150
• 3.10.6. Light Therapy.................................. 150
• 3.10.7. Rogers’ Nondirective Therapy.................................. 151
• 3.10.8. Lifestyle and Behaviour Therapy.................................. 151
• 3.10.9. Bright Light Therapy.................................. 151
• 3.10.10. Chronotherapy.................................. 152
• 3.11. Thought Process Re-engineering (TPR) .................................. 152
• 3.12. Blue Brain/Virtual Brain.................................. 154
• 3.13. Induction through Sleep Learning.................................. 154
• Practice Questions.................................. 156
4 Rhythmic Process, Sleep and Sleep Learning...............159
• 4.1. Introduction..................................159
• 4.2. Rhythmic Process.................................. 160
• 4.3. Sleep.................................. 160
• 4.3.1. Neuro-Biological Basis of Sleep.................................. 161
• 4.3.2. REM.................................. 162
• 4.3.3. NREM.................................. 163
• 4.3.4. Functions of Sleep.................................. 164
• 4.4. Sleep Learning.................................. 185
• 4.4.1. Meaning and Definition.................................. 186
• 4.4.2. Process of Sleep Learning.................................. 186
• 4.4.3. Induction through Sleep Learning.................................. 186
• Practice Questions.................................. 188
5 Circadian Cycle and Analysis of Human Time Structure: A Model....................... 191
• 5.1. Introduction.................................. 192
• 5.2. Circadian Cycle and Prenatal Genesis................................ 192
• 5.3. Circadian Cycle and Foetal Movements—Feeling of Foetal Movements in Mother.................................. 194
• 5.4. Circadian Cycle and Different Tests of Foetal Activity.................................. 200
• 5.5. Correlational Studies on Maternal and Foetal Circadian Rhythm.................................. 205
• Practice Questions.................................. 226
6 Circadian Cycle: Sensible Solutions to Clinical Challenges......................................229
• 6.1. Introduction.................................. 229
• 6.2. Description of the Facts.................................. 229
• 6.3. Thought Process Re-Engineering (TPR) .................................. 230
• 6.4. Transforming Thought to Reality.................................. 231
• 6.4.1. Models of TPR.................................. 232
• 6.4.2. Models of Blue Brain.................................. 233
• 6.4.3. Models of Sleep Learning.................................. 234
• Practice Questions.................................. 237
7 Evidences of Daily Rhythm in Human Behaviour.......239
• 7.1. Introduction.................................. 239
• 7.2. Circadian Cycle and Intelligence.................................. 240
• 7.3. Circadian Cycle and Adolescents’ Nonverbal Intelligence............................ 240
• 7.4. Circadian Cycle and Locomotor Activity.................................. 242
• 7.5. Circadian Cycle and the Arousal Level.................................. 242
• 7.6. Maternal Stress Affects the Foetus.................................. 243
• 7.7. Physiological Correlates of Circadian Rhythm between Mother and Foetus.............................. 243
8 Neurobiology, Neurochemistry and Biochemistry of the Circadian Cycle from Infants to Old Age...............245
• 8.1. Introduction.................................. 246
• 8.2. Life Cycles and Circadian Rhythm: From Infants to Old Age................................ 248
• 8.2.1. Infancy.................................. 248
• 8.2.2. Early Childhood.................................. 248
• 8.2.3. Early School Age.................................. 250
• 8.2.4. Adolescence.................................. 250
• 8.2.5. Adulthood.................................. 251
• 8.2.6. Old Age.................................. 252
• 8.3. Age-associated Changes in Circadian Rhythms.................................. 254
• 8.3.1. Activity/Rest Rhythms.................................. 255
• 8.3.2. Impaired Phase Shifting.................................. 256
• 8.3.3. Function of Sleep During Development.................................. 257
• 8.3.4. Behavioural States, Sleep Stages and Sleep Electro-Physiology from Infancy through Adolescence................... 258
• 8.4. Neurobiology, Neurochemistry and Biochemistry of the Circadian Cycle.................................. 259
• 8.5. Fundamentals of Circadian Rhythm.................................. 268
• 8.6. Circadian System in Animals.................................. 272
• 8.7. Chronobiology Mechanisms and Circadian Rhythm.................................. 278
• 8.8. Strategies to Reset Your Body Clock.................................. 281
• Practice Questions ..................................283
• Bibliography............................................................................285
• Index....................................................................................325
• About the Authors...............................................................351