This clinical strategy involves therapeutic interventions designed to re-establish the proper phase and amplitude of an individual’s endogenous circadian rhythms when they have become dysregulated. The goal is to align the internal biological timing (the chronotype) with the external light-dark and social cycles, thereby restoring optimal hormonal and metabolic function. Correction often targets the master clock in the brain and its downstream effectors, improving sleep quality and daytime vigilance. It represents a personalized approach to treating rhythm disorders beyond simple symptom management.
Origin
The term emerges from the intersection of chronomedicine and personalized health, recognizing that an individual’s unique manifestation of their circadian rhythm (the phenotype) can be suboptimal or pathological. “Correction” implies a deliberate, evidence-based adjustment of the timing system to restore a state of physiological balance. This approach acknowledges that genetic predisposition and environmental factors both contribute to rhythm disturbance.
Mechanism
The correction mechanism fundamentally relies on precisely timed external cues, known as zeitgebers, with light being the most potent. Strategic light exposure, particularly high-intensity blue-spectrum light in the morning, is used to phase-advance or phase-delay the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) clock. Behavior modification, including meal timing and exercise, also serves as a strong cue to peripheral clocks, helping to re-synchronize the entire system and restore robust rhythmicity to cortisol and melatonin secretion.
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