--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
drafting spec…
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
---
name: Circadian Rhythm
slug: circadian-rhythm
type: biological_clock
status: running
version: 3.8B.2
released: "-700000000-01-01"
maintainer: hypothalamus/suprachiasmatic-nucleus
dependencies:
- light
- melatonin
- cortisol
- temperature_gradient
- social_pressure
license: GPL (Genetically Perpetuated License)
tags:
- biology
- time
- sleep
- oscillator
- human_firmware
---
# Circadian Rhythm
## What it actually is
A 24-hour internal timer running on [light](/light) and hormones that you override daily with poor decisions and artificial screens.
## How it works
The [suprachiasmatic nucleus](/suprachiasmatic-nucleus) (SCN), a cluster of roughly 20,000 neurons sitting above the optic chiasm, acts as the master clock. It reads photic input from the retina, adjusts phase accordingly, and broadcasts timing signals across the entire body via hormonal and neural outputs.
The core loop:
1. Light hits retinal photoreceptors
2. SCN is entrained to local solar time
3. [melatonin](/melatonin) suppressed during day, released after dusk
4. [cortisol](/cortisol) peaks at predicted wake time to pre-load alertness
5. Body temperature dips at sleep onset as a shutdown signal
6. Repeat until organism is deprecated
This cycle persists in complete darkness for roughly 24.2 hours before drifting, which is why isolated cave experiments always end with the subject eating dinner at 3am.
## Features
- **Auto-sync**: recalibrates daily via sunlight exposure
- **Predictive architecture**: prepares organs for meals and activity before they occur
- **Cross-system integration**: coordinates [immune system](/immune-system), metabolism, cognition, and mood from a single oscillator
- **Peripheral clocks**: nearly every organ keeps a local copy, synced to master
- **Seasonal adjustment**: photoperiod length influences baseline mood and sleep duration
## Known bugs
| Bug | Trigger | Observed behavior |
|---|---|---|
| `JET_LAG` | Rapid timezone traversal | Clock desync, cognitive fog, irritability |
| `SOCIAL_JET_LAG` | Weekday vs weekend schedule mismatch | Chronic Monday morning failure |
| `DSPD` | Genetic phase delay variant | User cannot fall asleep before 2am regardless of intent |
| `BLUE_LIGHT_EXPLOIT` | Screens after sunset | Melatonin suppression, latency spike |
| `SHIFT_WORK_CORRUPTION` | Forced schedule inversion | Elevated risk for cardiovascular and metabolic errors |
> "I set nine alarms and still arrived at my own wedding tired." — anonymous user
## Configuration
```yaml
# ~/.circadian/config.yml
wake_anchor: "07:00"
light_exposure_morning: true # critical. do not skip.
caffeine_cutoff_hours_before_sleep: 8
screen_curfew: "21:00"
meal_timing: aligned_with_daylight
nap_duration_max_minutes: 20 # beyond this, system enters deep reboot
alcohol: false # listed as a dependency by many users. rejected.