The study authors found that our internal clocks synchronize with both dawn and dusk, with some people being genetically more susceptible to these seasonal shifts. According to one of the authors, Ruby Kim, the length of the day and the amount of sunlight received do have a major impact on physiology, affecting mental health, including mood and anxiety, as well as metabolic and cardiovascular processes.
This study also confirmed that there is a genetic component to such seasonal sensitivity in humans, which explains why some people adapt easily to the change of seasons, while others tolerate it much worse, as Prof. Daniel Forger pointed out. To study this, the scientists analyzed the sleep data of thousands of medical residents, collected through wearable devices, as well as their DNA samples. Genetic analysis revealed a specific gene that plays an important role in tracking seasonal changes, variations in which influenced the adaptation of circadian rhythms to shift work in different seasons. Further study of this genetic aspect will help to better understand disorders such as seasonal affective disorder and identify individuals most affected by it.
While public attention is focused on topics such as the Department of Health's initiative to screen children's reproductive health from the first grade or doctors' advice on how to effectively quit smoking, research into the fundamentals of our well-being remains just as important.