We've been discussing for years now at http://www.alphachakra.com the implications of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm. Some of us have been diligent in our efforts by limiting light after 8pm and being in bed by 10 while some of us have simply been engaged in research and discussion. The bottom line though seems to be the human body was designed to live in this rhythm and we're now finding out that even things like diabetes have links to dysregulation of our circadian rhythm.
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/press/press-releases/press-releases-2009/press-releases-2009-detail/article/11503/44/index.html
Specifically there is a new gene variant recently discovered which has to do with melatonin AND insulin. This is the first time I've seen the two mentioned together but it would make sense since it's at night that we tend to be producing less insulin, that is unless we are busy snacking, which could be explained as well as addressed by our own messed up internal clocks.
From the article
"The gene mediates insulin secretion indirectly via the release of melatonin, which implicates a previously unknown relationship between the sleep-wake rhythm and the fasting glucose level. The finding could open up new possibilities of treatment which go far beyond the primarily symptomatic therapy approaches to diabetes that have been practised until now."
The article goes on to discuss this gene, the MTNR1B gene and explains that they have found the islet cells (insulin producing cells) in the pancreas have receptors for melatonin. Activation of these receptors by melatonin seem to inhibit the release of insulin!
This may even prove to be useful at some point for the treatment of hyperinsulinemia, or the overproduction of insulin. In the meantime the take home message to me is to get my own inner timeclock ticking in a natural rhythm through adjustments of sleep schedule and limiting light in the evening hours. When all else fails I'd recommend a melatonin product, preferably sublinqual so as to facilitate absorption. http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=1322&at=0
