A night-shift worker finishes at dawn. Their phone says Tuesday, but their body feels like it's Monday. The body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm, controls physiological processes such as sleeping, eating and physical activity, taking its cues from the daily cycle of light and dark. In the heart, that timing matters. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates. Irregular sleep disrupts this 24-hour cycle that keeps the body in sync.