The Inner Clock

Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms

By: Lynne Peeples

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

"A rich history of what makes us tick, so to speak, paired with fascinating modern discoveries about how circadian rhythms influence our daily lives"—The Wall Street Journal

How the groundbreaking science of circadian rhythms can help you sleep better, feel happier, and improve your overall health

Your body contains a symphony of tiny timepieces, synchronized to the sun and subtle signals in your environment and behavior. But modern insults like artificial light, contrived time zones, and late-night meals can wreak havoc on your internal clocks.

Armed with advances in biology and technology, a circadian renaissance is reclaiming those lost rhythms. The Inner Clock explores the emerging science and its transformative applications: How could taking a walk in the morning and going to bed at the same time each night keep your body in sync? Why are some doctors prescribing treatments at specific times of day? And how might a better understanding of our circadian rhythms improve educational outcomes, optimize sports performance, and support the longevity of our planet?

Science journalist Lynne Peeples seeks out the scientists, astronauts, athletes, and patients at the forefront of a growing movement. Along the way, she sleeps in a Cold War-era bunker, chases the midnight sun, spits into test tubes, and wears high-tech light sensors to decipher what makes our internal clocks tick and how we can reset them for the better.

©2024 Lynne Peeples (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Edifying. . . . This enlightens."—Publishers Weekly

"An immensely informative and fascinating account."—Psychology Today

“I stayed up all night reading this book! Lynne Peeples, you have wrecked my circadian rhythms, and I enjoyed every minute.”—Mary Roach, bestselling author of Fuzz and Stiff

a must read!

Very interesting read about circadian rhythms backed up by research. Excellent science and entertaining as well.

So many aha moments!

Over the years, I have gathered bits of knowledge from casual reading on this topic. The Inner Clock connected many of those pieces together and triggered lots of new aha moments for me. The research, studies, and products referenced were plentiful, many of which I jotted down (guessing at spellings since I didn't have the print edition) for future reading. The rigor of Lynne's research satisfied my inner science enthusiast, while still being engaging and entertaining. The story of the knocker-uppers and hooters is one I'll be sharing soon, LOL! I believe this book is going to become a must-read for anyone interested in optimizing health, energy, and other aspects of their lives.

The master class I never knew I needed

I am not a part of the science community, but I was intrigued to read this book because I know so little about circadian rhythms and was having a lot of disrupted sleep. The book turned out to be a surprising and delightful adventure through every facet of circadian rhythms: science, history, sports, architecture, public policy, healthcare, world cultures and even Lynne's personal experiences testing the limits of her own body through extreme light and dark exposures. There were so many brilliant insights and takeaways - it was like the master class I never knew I needed! I can't help but look around me now and see dozens of changes I want to make to improve my own rhythms at home and at work. Thank you, Lynne, for investing the time to make this wealth of research available in a way we can all understand!