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Circadian system in adolescents and the use of light therapy
Kučerová, Jana ; Červená, Kateřina (advisor) ; Pačesová, Dominika (referee)
Circadian rhythms, as regularly recurring events in living organisms with a period of approximately 24 hours, are an important part of life on Earth. To keep the period of the internal circadian clock of an organism in line with the cycle of the Earth Day, synchronization of this clock is necessary. The most important factor in synchronizing the circadian clock is light, which provides the brain with information about the phase of the Earth Day. The individual setting of the circadian clock, which is manifested in the form of a chronotype, has a profound effect on the life of the individual. Chronotypes change throughout life, and the most significant changes occur during adolescence, when the overall chronotype shifts. This results in adolescents going to bed later even though they have to get up early for school. This is also why they are more likely to suffer from sleep deprivation, be inattentive at school or fall asleep during lessons. Consequently, they experience, often with significant, social jet lag, which is a health risk. Light therapy offers a solution. This paper presents its general use, as well as specific examples of its use with delayed adolescents. However, there are also other ways to improve the situation of adolescents, e.g., delaying the start time of school in the morning,...
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