Zeitgeber- literally ‘time giver’.
Our daily rhythms and
routines are governed and influenced by a number of factors. Internal factors
set by hormonal levels and circadian rhythms such as sleep/wake cycles may
operate at a cellular level and remain roughly consistent but not exactly in
synch with a 24 hour clock. Zeitgebers exert influences on our internal ‘body
clocks’.
Examples of physical
zeitgebers are noise or daylight, social zeitgebers could be meal times or bed
time rituals. Zeitgebers are very important to maintain synchronicity between
an individual and their environment e.g. helping to conform to the 24 hour
cycle that governs most people’s lives as work and other activities are
arranged to start and finish at set times daily.
We can experience the
disruption of this relationship when we travel across time zones and have
‘jet-lag’. Any disruption in zeitgebers, such as a traumatic life event, can
lead to a period of instability as usual routines are disrupted, literally
enough to disrupt internal rhythms as the expected prompts no longer occur-
perhaps this is why family holidays are said to be one of the most stressful
occasions!
Zeitgebers can be used to
help ‘train’ into a desired pattern of daily life or to reinforce and maintain
stability. In order to perform at our best we need to be in balance with our
internal rhythms. Occupational therapists may find that considering the
implications of this can be helpful when working with individuals, especially
those who are in a disrupted situation, such as an acute admission to hospital.
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