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Can you change your sleep schedule?

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4,151 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

An early bird rises with the sun, springing out of bed abuzz with energy. Meanwhile, a night owl groggily rises much later, not hitting their stride until late in the day. How many people are truly night owls or early birds? And are our sleep schedules predetermined at birth, or can we change them? Explore how our circadian systems act as internal clocks to keep our bodies functioning properly.

The circadian systems that determine our sleep patterns are anchored by nerve cell clusters that respond to ___.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Jamie Zeitzer
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer
  • Director Avi Ofer
  • Sound Designer André Aires
  • Composer André Aires
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Produced by Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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