Maria de los Angeles The Role of the Llama: “Regular exercise and a healthy diet will help you age better.”

Maria de los Angeles Rol de Lama is a professor at the University of Murcia and director of the Laboratory of Chronobiology. His research specializes in chronobiology with an emphasis on the prevention of circadian system disorders. In more than 15 years of work in collaboration with the artificial intelligence group, he has developed innovative technologies to solve circadian problems in a personalized way, which he tells La Opinión.

How does an urban lifestyle affect the deterioration of the circadian system with age?

Modern lifestyle requires activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This makes it difficult to maintain adequate periods of nightly rest. In large cities, noise or light pollution at night also does not favor the functioning of the circadian system.

Are there significant differences between men and women in how their circadian rhythms age?

There are some differences, which are mainly related to chronotype. Chronotype is what defines us as more morning or afternoon people. For example, some people are more active in the morning, while others are more active in the evening. Most people usually have an uncertain chronotype, but it changes with age: as children we are larks, in adolescence we are more evening people, and with age we return to morning people. In terms of differences between the sexes, women tend to think more in the morning than men until menopause. From this point on, men become more morning-oriented.

He mentions that blue light is critical for regulating the body clock. What role can lighting technology or special glasses play in counteracting the effects of aging on blue light perception?

First you have to understand why blue light is important. The main signal for the circadian system to stay on time is the light/dark cycle, but not all light sources are created equal. We need the day to be light and the night to be dark. Ganglion cells in the eye are sensitive to blue light between 460 and 480 nanometers, making it particularly effective at informing the circadian system that it is daytime. Therefore, exposure to blue light at night can confuse your body clock and make it difficult to secrete melatonin, which is essential for sleep. This is one of the reasons why it is not recommended to use electronic devices in bed. In addition to being difficult to turn off, backlit screens emit blue light, which delays the time we fall asleep. On the contrary, blue light advances our biological clock in the morning, forcing us to go to bed earlier.

In your experience as director of the Chronobiology Laboratory, what interventions have been most effective in improving circadian synchronization in older adults?

An integrated approach works best. Light is a key signal, but we often don’t control it properly. For example, it’s helpful to use orange or lower-intensity lights when you’re getting ready for bed, but during the day, reserve whiter or bluer lights for areas like the kitchen or bathroom. It is also important to maintain a regular diet and exercise schedule as they help synchronize your body clock, which promotes faster aging. In addition, social contacts are necessary, and in old age, when friends or a partner are lost, it is extremely important to encourage social interaction.

Given the relationship between exercise and the circadian rhythm, are there specific types of physical activity that are more appropriate for older adults with altered rhythms?

There is no one type of exercise that is best for everyone. In the lab, we work hard to personalize recommendations. One of our research areas uses wearable devices, such as our patented Kronowise watch. It records variables such as temperature, light and movement to analyze each person’s circadian habits. This way we can personalize recommendations. For example, for a sedentary person, walking would be ideal, but if you are a marathon runner, this recommendation does not make sense. It is necessary to know the functional state of each person.

How does dietary quality affect the proper functioning of the body clock in old age and what dietary changes would you recommend?

This falls under the field of chrononutrition, which studies not only what we eat, but also when we eat it. Since we are diurnal animals, our bodies are prepared to fast at night rather than eat. Therefore, delaying eating later in the day, especially at night, can negatively impact your metabolism.

Besides what has already been mentioned, what other research is being carried out in your laboratory?

We participate in the Ciberfes network on frailty and healthy aging. We are also involved in the European Diabfrail LatAm project, which is looking at how exercise can help people with diabetes, focusing on the relationship between sleep and circadian rhythms. In addition, we are conducting a national study called Light and Aging, which looks at the role of light in regulating the circadian system. Finally, together with the Spanish Sleep Society, we launched SleepChool, a project aimed at introducing sleep education in schools and improving the rest of adolescents.