Circadian Dissonance: The Elephant in the Room
In the past 20 years, an emerging field of research has demonstrated how dysfunctional circadian rhythms underlie a host of chronic physical and mental disorders, including inflammation and neurodegeneration.
Every cell in our body has its own innate circadian clock, organized by the master circadian pacemaker housed in the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the brain. When synchronized, the organism functions effectively at the cellular, tissue, and systemic levels in its ability to adapt to change. Cellular metabolism, epigenetic modification, gut microbiome function, immune response, and cognition all depend on our connection to the rhythm of day and night.
For over 2,000 years, East Asian Medicine has based its understanding of health on our deep connection to the dynamic processes of circadian and seasonal cycles described as Yin and Yang. Light and dark function as fundamental mediators of organ function that promote immune resilience, mental health, and longevity.
In this presentation, Z’ev Rosenberg, LAc, and Stephen Cowan, MD, co-authors of A Ring without End, will discuss an ecological medical approach to improving circadian rhythm regulation. Through case discussions and clinical examples, they will explore the implications of circadian health in the treatment of hospitalized patients.
Agenda
9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Presentation and case discussion
12:15 – 1:30 PM
Q&A, book signing and lunch break
1:30 – 2:30 PM
Optional clinical session
