circadian
adjective
Did you know?
In 1959, a scientist formed the word circadian from the Latin words circa ("about") and dies ("day"), and it caught on quickly. Most often, it's seen and heard in the term circadian rhythm, which refers to the inherent cycle of about 24 hours that appears to control various biological processes, such as sleep, wakefulness, and digestive activity. If you want to impress your friends, you can also use the term circadian dysrhythmia, a fancy synonym of jet lag.
Examples of circadian in a Sentence
Regina G. Barber, NPR, 16 May 2024
One was to really be mindful of my circadian rhythms; controlling our sleep-wake cycles are very important.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
There are no major side effects to worry about—melatonin shifts the circadian rhythm with minimal side effects, the Springer article found.
—Moira Lawler, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 May 2024
The supplements: magnesium and melatonin Melatonin, a hormone that helps to regulate your circadian rhythms, and magnesium, a mineral naturally found in lots of foods that can help promote relaxation, are both available as OTC supplements, and plenty of people swear by them to help with sleep.
—Ali Finney, SELF, 19 Apr. 2024
Helps increase strength: A study published in 2021 found that muscles have a circadian rhythm similar to the sleep-wake cycle.
—Gabrielle Kassel, Health, 14 Apr. 2024
Disruption of an animal’s circadian rythmn makes sense, some animals thought their bedtime routine began due to the dimming sky.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2024
These include understanding circadian rhythms, learning what foods boost sleep cycles and practicing meditation.
—Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
Also, make note of other factors around your workout that might make a difference—for example, light, which strongly influences circadian rhythms.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'circadian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near circadian
Cite this Entry
“Circadian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circadian. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
circadian
adjective
Share