Most replayed moment: How to stop fighting your body clock | Prof. Debra Skene

Biological rhythms act as internal tickers governing alertness, sleep, and metabolic processes, yet modern social clocks frequently conflict with these natural cycles. Professor Debra Skene, a chronobiologist, explains that this mismatch—common in shift workers and late-type "owls" forced into early schedules—increases risks for metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. While light remains the primary driver of the brain's master clock, meal timing specifically regulates peripheral clocks in the liver and pancreas. Maintaining consistent eating patterns is vital because the body develops a metabolic memory; irregular meal times or eating late at night when the body is unprepared can cause significant glucose spikes. Furthermore, standard winter time is healthier than daylight saving time because it aligns more closely with the solar cycle, reducing the gap between biological needs and social demands.