This study is a part of the burgeoning field of neuro-cardiology. It began when Armour and Ardell discovered a web of neurons in the heart. This web is described as being like a small scale brain, and it is endowed with functions like learning, data processing, remembering, and cognition – and it performs these independent of the central nervous system. These neuron cells in the heart both maintain communication with the brain and regulate the heart’s functions. Thus, a two-sided information transfer between the heart and brain is realized. In 2010, research conducted in different centers demonstrated that more information is sent from the heart to the brain, than vice versa.

Specific findings (McCraty, 2002, 2010; Haspel, 2009) have drawn particular attention to the relationship between the heart and brain, and they reveal that the heart communicates with the brain in four different ways:

1. Neurons (the neurological way)
2. Hormones and neurotransmitters (the biochemical way)
3. The pulse waves produced by blood pressure (the biophysical way).
4. The mutual transaction of electromagnetic fields.

The heart’s two-sided communication network with the brain and other bodily systems is one of the most complex communication systems known to humankind. While the brain has abstract, analytical, and logical intellects as well as functions like thought processing, data storing, and remembering, the heart is endowed with the intellects of feeling and communication. It is the center where feelings are first produced, and these emotions are then conveyed by the limbic system. In addition, the brain’s response to these emotions not only impacts all cells, but also the heart and brain waves of other people in the same vicinity.

Each heartbeat pumps blood, but it also sends and receives data to and from the entire body via neurological, hormonal, and electromagnetic means.

The same research from 2010 showed though the heart is the root of these functions, it also has functions relating to judgment, decision making, data-processing and remembering, just like the brain. The science of neuro-cardiology seems likely to radically change how we perceive the human body and soul.

The beating heart’s influence on our lives

The time that passes between heart beats is described as “heart rate variability.” Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects whether electric signals by the sinoatrial node (a group of nerve cells responsible for the electric current in the heart) is healthy or not. As HRV measures the heart’s ability to respond to the signals coming from and going to the brain, understanding the variability ratios of the heart has gained importance in recent years.

HRV is not always constant. The research conducted by Thurber et al (2010) studied HRV’s influence on a person’s mood, and it yielded interesting findings. According to their study, if HRV is consistent, all the body’s systems are positively influenced, or negatively if the HRV is inconsistent.

Depending on the emotional state of the individual, the heart influences the brain stem, amygdala, and cortex via the data it sends by means of heart rate variability. All of these findings indicate that the heart is not only given the duty of pumping blood, but also of being an administrative signal center that regulates the entire operation of the body in rhythm. When individuals experience different emotions like rage, joy, fear, or despair, the rhythmic patterns in HRV also differ.

For example, if a person is experiencing positive feelings like gratitude, appreciation, love, or mercy, the heart rate variability is consistent; but if the person is experiencing negative feeling such as fear, anxiety, despair, depression, or the like, the HRV becomes inconsistent. In addition, if the person is experiencing positive feelings, the heart perceives other positive feelings with more ease; and if not, the perception of such feelings becomes more difficult. Thankfully, the research conducted by McCraty et al (2009) and Halpel indicated that it is possible to intentionally evoke positive feelings in a person. External factors play a major role in our moods.

The electromagnetic field of the heart and its influence on our lives

The human heart is a reactor where the strongest and widest electromagnetic field in the body is produced. The bio-electromagnetic field produced in the heart has been measured to be 50-70 cm wide by magnetometers with a base of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). According to McCraty’s measurements of the heart’s electric field, which can be measured with an electrocardiogram (EKG), it is, on average, 100 times greater than the electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded in the brain – and the magnetic component is an average of 5,000 times stronger than the one produced in the brain.

The changes in blood pressure, sound pressure, and electromagnetic waves – all of which are produced by the rhythmic activity of the heart – are perceived by every organ and cell in the body. For instance, electromagnetic waves sent from the heart affect brain waves. Recent research by Haspel as well as Bedell and Kaszkin-Bettag suggest that the heart is where emotional states originate – the brain is simply sensing these feelings.

For instance, when the heart rate variability is 0.10 hertz, there is complete harmony between our body and spirit. In this state of harmony, it was observed that the waves from the two lobes of the brain are in the same phase and they turn into a single wave. In other words, the two lobes of the brain begin to work in perfect harmony. In addition, it was observed that at this state the brain secretes a serious amount of endorphins, which are the source of the feeling of pleasure.

Science is beginning to show that if the waves formed by HRV and brain waves are harmonious, a person will be physically and psychologically healthy. If the two sets of waves are not harmonious, the person is likely to be ill. This indicates that the changes observed in pulse patterns over time are a key measure of the balance between the brain and heart.

At the same time, this balance varies according to our mood. Attaining harmony only happens only when we experience feelings such as compassion, love, affection, appreciation, forgiveness, and thankfulness (Thurber et al, 2010; McCraty and Reese, 2009). A great deal of this harmony is realized through electromagnetic communication, which also strengthens our senses, concentration, and ability to generate new ideas. And physically, our immune system is strengthened, stress is reduced, and we are overall healthier. The equation is simple: good moods equal good health.

In addition to all of these benefits, a 2002 study by McCraty showed that a magnetic area of influence that surrounds the body is formed with every beat of the heart (figure 2). While the heart influences the functioning of our bodily systems with the data it sends to all cells and to the brain, it also influences other people’s hearts and brainwaves by sending out external data. In many instances, we witness that being close to certain people may both influence our heart (feelings) and brain (thoughts and decision making processes). This explains how parents and educators who constantly share the same environment with children can have a great impact in their lives. For this reason, all people, but particularly parents and teachers, must be very careful about what passes from their heart. It is ultimately our body’s functions turned into external action that have the greatest influence on those around us.

The following statements from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, summarizes this issue well:

• “God does not look at your bodies nor your forms, but He looks at your hearts and your actions.”[1]
• “There is lump of flesh in the body, the nature of which is that when it is sound, the entire body is sound, and when it is corrupt, the entire body is corrupt—it is the heart.”[2]

[1] Sahih al-Muslim, Birr, 33.

We are now approaching the end of the series of organs that told you about themselves. They have been pointing out the seal of God on them, and celebrating themselves as they manifest the beauties and the delicacies of God’s art. Thus, they have not only expanded your knowledge, but also guided people to the truth of God’s Oneness, stressing that natural and biological causes alone can never be an explanation for their splendid creation.

Each of your organs told you about its perfect structure and how it functioned within your body system. Let us think that each organ is a musical instrument. No matter how splendid and artful a musical instrument is, its true value is understood only among other orchestra instruments as they perform a wonderful concert. Your body is like that orchestra, where hundreds of instruments play together. In addition to the perfect structure of each organ, more importantly all the organs have to work together perfectly as a team. The success of an orchestra depends on how the instruments play in harmony with each other. The conductor of an orchestra is the person who ensures that harmony. The orchestra members carefully watch the conductor and play according to his arm movements, sometimes louder or softer, sometimes pausing or breaking into a very loud introduction. That is how a perfect concert can be performed.

In order to achieve such harmony, the organs in your body need a system that works just like a good orchestra conductor. This “regulating system,” which has to maintain the perfect harmony and order of the ongoing activities in your body, has two sub-units: One is the brain and the nervous system, and the other is me; your endocrine system (hormonal system). Since I work as a system that consists of many organs, from now on I will refer to myself as “us.” Each of us adjusts itself to the whole system by carefully watching the movements and works of the other organs. At our head are the brain and nervous system, which act as the general control center. However, it cannot carry out the regulating and controlling task alone; it needs our help.

The most basic principle that your body has to follow in order to maintain its health is keeping the inner medium stable in a dynamic balance while responding to varying environmental conditions properly. This is also known as homeostasis. For the inner medium to be kept stable, it is first of all important to be aware of the changes that are happening in the outer world, which is initially done by your sense organs. The signals related to the changes in the outer world are sent to your brain and nervous system through the sense organs. Afterwards, the signals are evaluated, and then they are sent to the related organ so that the proper reaction is produced and the inner balance can be regained. While all the activities regarding growth and reproduction are carried out, the inner medium should be kept stable at the same time (homeostasis). In order for all these activities to be performed continuously, you need inner secretion glands, which are small, but highly important.

The most important of all your organs that constitute the endocrine system is called the Pituitary (hypophysis) gland, which is recognized as the commander of all these organs and situated in your brain. The other secretion glands included in my system are the thyroid, parathyroid, suprarenal (adrenal) gland, epiphysis, pancreas, testicles, and ovarium. Now, these small but very important organs of mine will respectively talk about themselves and demonstrate the perfect program and the sensitive balance within which they work. You are the one who will draw the necessary lessons from this.

In all tissues, there are specific recipient molecule groups that respond to a particular hormone. Each hormone is programmed to stimulate its target cells, which contain those special recipient molecule groups that start doing their specific work. The principal functions of my endocrine system are: to enable growing; to regulate the necessary reproduction process in an ordered manner; and to carry out the physiological processes in the body in a relatively stable medium. I guess your amazement, admiration, love, and apprehension will increase when you hear about my secretion glands. Now, here comes the hypophysis.

My name is Hypophysis (the Pituary Gland)!

I am appointed as the commander of all your glands. Therefore, I am situated in a very firm place at the lower brain. I am an organ that is as small as a bean and that weighs only a few grams, but I have got so many talents. I have two parts. The first is my frontal lobe (adenohypophysis) which secretes most of the hormones. Our Creator has given key roles to the hormones of my frontal lobe to direct secretion activities of other endocrine glands. For example, thyrotropin hormone is arranged in such a way that it affects the thyroid gland and stimulates it for secretion. The unbalance in my thyrotrophic secretion affects the function of Thyroid gland negatively. If it is secreted too much, hyperthyroid; if it is secreted too little, hypothyroid illnesses emerge. In both cases, some problems occur during metabolism. Adrenocorticotropic hormone is created to arrange the activities at the adrenal cortex. Follicular stimulating hormone has two very important roles. The first one is regulating the secretion of estrogen, which is one of the female hormones. The second one is maintaining the physiological activities in the maturation of sperm cells in males, as well as the egg cells in females, for the continuation of human generation. The Luteinizing hormone together with the Estrogen stimulates the secretion of other sexual hormones (progesterone and testosterone).

When you were born, you were 20 inches tall. Now you are almost 6 ft tall. Both your height and your hands and feet grew. Meanwhile, your head and body got bigger proportionally. Another important secretion of yours that controls your growth appropriate to your age is somatotropin hormone. If, for some reason, my working balance got deteriorated, and this hormone secreted less, you would be like a dwarf, or some of your parts would be unbalanced with your body and abnormally short. If this hormone were secreted too much, then you would get into gigantism due to abnormally large growth. Together with gigantism illness, several problems occur; i.e., heart and blood pressure problems, muscle weaknesses, and problems regarding immunity and general metabolism.

Other hormones that are secreted from my frontal lobe are prolactin hormones, which help milk glands develop in expecting mothers, and melanocyte stimulating hormone, which stimulates the pigment cells that give color to your skin. However, these two hormones have no relation with the other hormonal glands.

The lipoprotein molecule of my melanocyte stimulating hormone helps the morphine substances, known as encephalin and endorphin, to be synthesized. You can call these two substances naturally inherent drugs. These secreted substances help you to bear several physical pains. The secretion of my hormones has direct relation with your nervous system and psychological well-being.

Although formed in the hypothalamus part of the brain, one of the hormones that is secreted after being stored in my back lobe (Neurohipofiza) is oxytocin, and the other one an antidiuretic hormone called vasopressin. Oxytocin makes the smooth muscles work. In particular, it stimulates the contractions at uterus during labor and delivery, and it also stimulates the secretions of milk canals by making them contract. Vasopressin enables blood vessels to shrink, causes the blood pressure to increase, and also reduces the production of urine by increasing the transition of water to blood through the kidneys. Hence, it prevents dehydration in hot and dry weather. In the deficiency of the secretion of this hormone, an illness called diabetes insipidus will occur and water metabolism will be deteriorated. I have more amazing features to tell, but I should not be selfish. I think it is time for Thyroid to speak.

My name is Thyroid!

I am placed in your neck, right at the two sides of the trachea (air tube) and below the larynx (voice box). I consist of two pieces that are attached to each other with a thin tissue. Inside me, there are many little saccules called Follicules which are densely surrounded by a capillary network. Following their innate program my cells produce three important hormones in the cavities of those saccules. The two of them are thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which contain iodine atoms and the other one is calcitonin. My hormones have highly important impact in your body. Our Lord God has appointed me, the hormones secreted by a very small piece of flesh, with regulating the oxygen use of all of your cells, and thus the speed of your metabolism which all affect your body’s overall performance. In addition to that, I also adjust your cholesterol level by lowering it in your blood. My iodine-containing hormones are vital for children’s growth. In the case of their deficiency, conditions like growth failure, dwarfism and mental disorders appear. If there is not enough iodine in the earth or water, it becomes more difficult for me to produce hormone and I start to work harder, which causes me to enlarge. This is a disease called goiter. When I secrete excessive hormone, your eyeballs become bulged, a disease called exophtalmic goiter or Basedow syndrome.

My iodine hormones and the stimulating Thyrotropin hormones secreted by the Hypophysis work together; they watch and control each other. If I get lazy and slow down secretion, the Hypophysis immediately warns me. If I secrete too much, this time Hypophysis stops warning me and waits for me to “calm down.”

Do you see what a wonderful system I am? Not only between us, but also all other systems have the same feedback organization between themselves and the Hypophysis. The Hypophysis is an organ as big as a chick pea, and we are only a small piece of flesh. Peter, look at the great jobs we are doing! Can coincidence play any role in this, do you think?

Lastly, I will tell a little about Calcitonin, a hormone which works to adjust the calcium level in the blood serum. That is not an easy job at all. This hormone is vital in the healthy growth of your bones; otherwise your bones will empty, get weak and they might even break for no reason at all.

My name is Parathyroid!

As my name suggests (“para” is a prefix signifying alongside of, beside), I am located just behind the Thyroid, consisting of four small parts. I have so many important functions beyond what is commonly known. My foremost duty is to delicately adjust the amount of calcium between your skeletal bones and your blood. Moreover, I am also assigned with controlling the phosphate and magnesium metabolism. In order to do that, I produce a hormone called parathormone. Of course, I have no idea about the chemical composition of this hormone; but I am just doing my job by producing it and working as I am programmed. When the level of phosphate in the urine and the level of calcium in the blood are measured, you can understand whether I am working well or not. The decrease of calcium in your blood leads to the stimulation of your nerves, thereby causing muscle spasms or titanic contractions that occur along with dotage. The healthy function of your heart and muscles highly depends on this calcium. Who knows, Peter, what other functions of me you human beings will discover in the future!

My name is Adrenal gland!

I consist of two little parts located on top of the kidneys, one on each side. Do not underestimate me by just looking at my size! You will be amazed to learn what crucial functions I perform. Each of my parts has an inner (medulla) and an outer (cortex) section. Those two sections differ quite markedly from each other in their structure, functions and in the origin of the embryonic layer where they form. But despite those differences, our God Almighty has put them one within the other. The two important hormones that my inner section secretes are Adrenaline and Noradrenaline. My adrenaline secretion speeds up the conversion of glycogen (in your liver) into glucose, and thus the sugar level increases in your blood depending upon your energy needs. This increases the power and the speed of your heart contractions and constricts the diameter of the blood vessels, thereby causing the blood pressure to increase. I assist in dilation of the narrow bronchioles of your lungs so that you can get more oxygen. When you become nervous, quarrel with somebody, face a danger or experience any stressful moment, I cause all those activities to happen by secreting more hormones expeditiously. That is how I help in protecting your body. All in all, 80% of my secretion is adrenalin, whereas the 20% is noradrenalin. Noradrenaline has less impact on your heart and metabolism.

My cortex (outer section), where steroid types of hormones are produced, secretes aldesterone, cortisol, and some androgens (a male hormone). Aldestrone regulates the water and salt levels (especially sodium and potassium metabolism) of your body. Cortisol meets your glucose needs if you are starving by breaking down the proteins into amino acids; it is also responsible for preventing the infections and allergies. Although the testicles (male reproductive glands) are the main organs that produce the male hormones, I also supply them. My androgens help in the development of male characteristics such as voice changes, beard and moustache growth and hair growth. When women get older, the androgens that I secrete causes the voice to deepen and hair to grow on their bodies.

My name is Epiphysis (Pineal gland)!

I am a small gland that is situated at the roof of the dieencephalon (“interbrain”). As it is most commonly known, I secrete the melatonin hormone. This hormone helps the melanin (the black or brownish pigment that gives your skin its color) to aggregate or dissolve in the special skin cells called melanophore. Thus, it senses the intensity of the light that changes according to the seasons and day length, and adjusts your skin color by lightening or darkening it. Moreover, I work as your biological clock, regulating your sleep-wake cycle. It is also thought that I arrange the different working periods of your organs.

Our Name is Testicles!

We are male reproductive glands. Our God Almighty has created us for the continuation of human generation. Each of us is oval-shaped and located in a pouch that weighs 25 grams and facing to each other. Each of us is protected by a case of skin and muscle. This case extends into our internal part where it is divided into 200-400 lobules. Each lobule consists of fine coiled tubes. The reproductive cells and the sperm cells which contain a group of your genetic program are produced in those tubes.

When you reach puberty, upon responding to the stimuli that comes from the hypophysis, we start to produce sperm, as well as Testosterone, a type of androgen (male) hormone. Testosterone is necessary for your male appearance; it helps in the developing the characteristics that distinguish you from females in terms of appearance.

A special cell division called meiosis is needed for sperm production. Along the layer that make up the walls of the coiled tubes lie the cells that are called Spermatogonium. Each of these contain 46 chromosomes (23 maternal and 23 paternal). As a result of serial divisions and crossover of those cells, new cells are created with new characteristics. From one Spermatogonium, four sperms are formed and each of them has 23 chromosomes.

Each sperm differs from one another, and each of them contains a mosaic composed of the different characteristics you possess. Among the millions of sperms that are produced, not one of them is identical to another. The reason is the interchange of sections between pairing homologous chromosomes (that you take from both your mother and your father) during the process of meiosis. For example, in one sperm, your nose traits that come from your father might come together with the ear traits that come from your mother. In another sperm, for example, the fingers traits that are inherited from your father might come together with the eye traits that are inherited from your mother. When so many different traits can be mixed in so many different ways, you can imagine the great potential of variety for human beings.

We are private organs that some people see as “obscene” to talk about and which generates “dirty” sperm-containing fluid. However, as you have seen, we are given to you as a gift from God, wrapped with so many beautiful meanings, one of which is the important task of continuing human generations.

My name is Ovarium!

Dear Peter! My duty is particularly relevant to women; I am the female reproductive organ. Therefore, I should begin by saying something like ‘I am Jenny’s…’ this time. Just as the Testicles are the male reproductive system, the ovaries are the woman’s organ. It cooperates with the male productive system in order for human generation to continue. We, the two ovaries, are located in the lateral wall of Jenny’s pelvis, one on the left and one on the right, and we measure approximately 1x 0.60 x 0.60 inches and weigh between 4 and 8 grams. Even before Jenny was born, we contained an amazing 150–500 thousand immature egg cells inside us.

During childhood, the follicles which contain the eggs diminish continuously, and by the time a young girl reaches puberty, only 35,000 of these follicles remain in each of her ovaries. Throughout the woman’s reproduction lifespan, usually between the ages of 13–50 years, a mere 300–500 of these follicles actually transform into mature eggs. You will certainly realize that you have reached puberty when I begin to produce the estrogen and progesterone hormones. As the estrogen I produce stimulates the development of the female’s sexual characteristics, progesterone prepares the wall of the uterus, making it more receptive to the implantation of a fertilized egg. If the egg I produce is not fertilized by sperm, every month (in approx every 28 days), it will degenerate and then be discharged from the body together with the lining of the uterus during menstruation. Then another one of my eggs matures, and patiently begins to await sperm.

The principle event of chromosomal change in my eggs and their diminishment in numbers is the same in the development of sperms. The only difference being that every spermatogonium produces four sperms, whereas only one mature follicle is produced from the mother cell (Oogonium) that produces my eggs. The remaining three are degenerated. You would have thousands of eggs awaiting fertilization if this was not the case. However, due to the fact that your bodies are not capable of harboring and protecting so many eggs, our Creator provided you with the mechanism of reducing the number of these eggs, and therefore relieved you of any difficulties.

I must take this opportunity mention another two of my organs, one of which is the pancreas, who described itself previously (see The Fountain # 67). As you may recall, the pancreas is a compound gland. The pancreas previously described how it produces digestive enzymes, and also how it produces insulin and glucagon to deal with the metabolism of carbohydrates. As this is a very complex organ, we allocated the pancreas the opportunity to describe itself and explain its functions in a previous edition of the magazine. For more information you may refer to the issue listed above.

An organ which is a part of your immune system, and also considered part of the endocrine system, but an organ you are probably unfamiliar with, is the Thymus gland. If the immune and lymph systems feel the need to describe themselves to you in the future, the Thymus gland will inform you that it resides at the same level as your heart, behind your breastbone (sternum). Then it will go on to define its specific duties. But for the moment, the only thing I am going to inform you of is the most important duty of the Thymus gland.

The Thymus gland produces soldiers called T lymphocytes (T cells) and special antibodies which fight the invasion of diseases, illnesses, and also attack cancer cells and any foreign antigens. The Thymus gland is recognized as a part of the endocrine system because it produces hormones and antibodies. The special lymphocytes and antibodies that are produced in such a complex process by other organs of the immune system are transformed into T cells as they pass the Thymus gland. Then, gaining new characteristics, they secrete specific hormones which in turn stimulate the development and differentiation of T lymphocytes.

Whatever the system may be, the Thymus gland, to the contrary of other organs, is at its largest and most active during the embryonic and neonatal periods. During adolescence, the Thymus gland begins to shrivel and shrink, and continue to shrink gradually into old age. The reason why the Thymus gland is large during the early stages of life is because it must constantly generate new antibodies to enable the body to fight against new germs and diseases, which the body encounters every day.

I may have extended the topic slightly this time because every organ of my endocrine system described themselves individually, and then we got onto the subject of Jenny’s special case, as wel as the different aspects of Peter’s case. All the organs I mentioned today are small, but as you may have noticed, these small organs behold great mystery and wisdom. In addition to this, all of these organs’ individual duties are connected, in particular the Pituitary gland (Hypophysis), and have been arranged and regulated in such a way that they control one another. Can such a magnificent hormone system and bodily activity working in such harmony be explained as a mere coincidence?

Irfan Yilmaz is a professor of biology at Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey.

And We made your sleep to be rest (to you) and the night to be a covering. (Qur’an 78:9-10)

Most time management experts agree that the essence of time management is self-management. A successful time management strategy requires the setting of goals, and then assigning priorities and identifying important activities that help achieve these goals. People then will organize their time into a ‘time map’ (just like a floor map), writes Morgenstern, and place important activities in fixed blocks of time.

This general strategy, which has worked for many, requires strong willpower. According to Taylor, it is ‘self-management with respect to time.’ We can achieve more important goals by increasing the time we spend on them and/or by increasing our productivity. To use our mind and body in the most effective manner, we need to understand the psychological and physiological aspects of our selves and act accordingly. This article considers the relationship of hormones, our body’s biorhythms, and self-management with respect to time.

Hormones

Hormones, which are produced in certain parts of the body, are chemical signaling molecules that travel to another site to have an effect. Many researchers believe that these messenger molecules are the basic channels of mind-body communication. The periodic release of messenger molecules regulates our mind-body activities, but this does not mean that we are controlled by our hormones. We know that our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions can influence the release and flow of these messenger molecules just as they can influence our thinking, feeling, and behavior. By focusing on positive thoughts, we can induce the secretion of hormones associated with calmness and serenity, and vice versa (the mind-body communication flows both ways). Let’s examine several important hormones that regulate our energy, stress, activity, and rest.

Energy and stress hormones. Energy is crucial for performance. Two important hormones, among others, are secreted to provide a steady level of energy for the brain and other organs: insulin and glucagon. Insulin, released when the blood sugar level increases, helps various organs consume sugar and hence decreases the blood sugar level. Glucagon, the other pancreatic hormone, tends to raise the blood sugar level.

Both hormones work together to help maintain the blood’s normal level of glucose so that this critical energy source’s supply is always constant and even. While different bodily organs can use other forms of sugar for energy with the help of insulin, the brain’s only energy source is glucose. Therefore, it is vital to maintain a steady level of glucose in the bloodstream for the brain’s healthy functioning.

Insulin is important because its excessive release causes large fluctuations in the blood sugar level, which affects our mental performance. High glycemic index foods, such as high-carbohydrate and sugar-loaded processed foods (e.g., cookies, cakes, sweet carbonated drinks etc.) raise the blood sugar level too quickly when they are digested. The body responds by releasing insulin, which causes the blood sugar level to drop too much.

Normally, various bodily mechanisms collaborate to ensure that the glucose level remains within certain limits. But if the brain cannot get enough glucose, it first may reduce its activity in the form of sleepiness or unconsciousness. Continued deprivation may cause brain damage and even death. To achieve maximum mental performance, high glycemic index foods should be avoided, and steady blood sugar levels should be maintained.

The adrenals glands, located just above the kidneys, often are referred to as the stress glands, because we could not survive stress without them. Cortisol, DHEA, and adrenaline are the three adrenal stress hormones that raise blood pressure and heartbeat. Under their influence, glycogen is converted to glucose for additional energy. A normal adrenal rhythm will produce correct amounts of these adrenal stress hormones at appropriate times during the day.

Occasional surges of stress hormones temporarily raise the heart rate, blood pressure, and mental acuity so that the task at hand can be accomplished. They give us the energy to escape danger, fight (verbally, psychologically, or physically), and generally survive the pressures of our lives. The downside is that too much of this activity erodes our health in insidious but serious ways. An excess of stress hormones compromises health, from damaging blood vessels to weakening the immune system. Some physicians blame stress for most disease.

Stress hormones play an important role in time management. Natural stress hormone secretion is at its peak during the early morning so that it can awaken the body and prepare it for the day. Cortisol and insulin secretions reach their maximum around 6:00 am, and we awaken. Lubeck states that German researchers have discovered that two hormones, ACTH and cortisol, send a message that alerts the brain. Even the blood’s contents are enriched to get ready for the day. The early morning increase in stress hormones is part of our circadian biorhythm, and we can take advantage of it by scheduling demanding activities at this time.

However, an artificial increase in stress hormones may sometimes hurt us. A frequent cause for excess stress is the use of such stimulants as cola drinks (e.g., Coca Cola and Pepsi) and coffee. When trying to focus on a task, mental clarity is very important. When we are under stress, we may find it hard to concentrate and thus spend a lot of time to achieve very little. Continued stress depletes our energy and prevents us from undertaking important tasks. An abnormal release of stress hormones also affects our REM sleep, which is very important for memory consolidation. People who find it hard to wake up in the morning may suffer from an abnormal stress hormone cycle.

Some neurohormones such as pinoline and DMT, which are linked to spiritual imagery, reflection, and out-of-body experiences, are secreted at their peak level around midnight. Early Islamic scholars, following Prophet Muhammad’s tradition of night prayer, used to wake up at midnight for reflection, study, and prayer. The discovery of these hormones may explain why this time of day might be the best time for such activities.

The rest hormone. The pineal gland’s cells secrete the hormone melatonin in a 24-hour (circadian) cycle. The amount remains low during the daylight hours but increases during the nighttime hours. Melatonin regulates the 24-hour circadian biorhythms, and its secretion is affected by light. As a biological timekeeper, melatonin is critically involved in synchronizing hormone secretion and is responsible for regulating many biorhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle.

Since it is the ‘rest hormone,’ it generally is more productive to rest when its secretion is high, namely, the dark hours. Trying to work or study with the help of caffeine and other stimulants despite increased melatonin levels is like fighting the body’s natural rest and healing systems. Students sometimes cram on the night before the exam. While this strategy may work for short periods, continued disruption of the body’s rest cycle may leave the person weak and susceptible to diseases. Melatonin secretion turns off around 8:00 am.

Biorhythms

Each person experiences mental lows several times throughout the day. Most people attribute these to the food they have eaten, not enough sleep, or other external factors. While some of these factors may be real, Rossi informs us that there is a more fundamental factor: ultradian rhythm. Scientists have observed a number of interrelated biological rhythms of the body and the brain since the 1950s. These rhythms are named according to how much time they take to complete a cycle. Circadian rhythms occur once every day, ultradian rhythms occur several times a day, and infradian rhythms take more than a day to cycle. Originally it was thought that our circadian rhythm was simply a daily alteration between being awake and asleep. The second stage of our developing understanding began when researchers discovered, in the mid-1950s, that sleep was divided into 90-120 minute ultradian alterations of dreaming and deep sleep. While such external factors as daylight and seasons do affect us, the periods of our bodily rhythms are regulated primarily by the hormones our body secretes. When planning activities for different periods of the day, it helps to know which periods are conducive to what kinds of activity. For instance,early morning is the time of energy hormones and mental clarity.

Therefore, it is more effective to schedule our early morning hours for mentally taxing, difficult problems. Afternoons, however, are ideal for socializing, relationship building, and long-term memory building. There is a second peak of bodily energy around 5:00 pm, and a mental peak around 7:00 pm. Ultradian rhythms were observed first in military research laboratories, where the objective was to determine the effects of time on human performance. A common pattern among the ultradian rhythms was their occurrence within a period of 90-120 minutes. They consisted of a peak of heightened alertness and performance, followed by a trough /deep of fatigue and a need for a break from the current activity. Mental activities modulated by ultradian rhythms include right-left brain dominance, attention, concentration, learning, memory, sensations, dreaming, fantasy, imagination, and creativity. Although ultradian performance rhythms follow a 90-120-minute activity cycle followed by a 20-minute rejuvenation, they shift easily to help us adapt to changing demands and circumstances. Thus we can skip a rejuvenation period and keep performing if necessary.

However, repeated neglect of the need for rejuvenation and chronic overactivity lead to stress by distorting our normal ultradian/circadian rhythms of activity and rest. The 20-munite break ameliorates stress-related symptoms by enabling our natural mind-body rhythms to normalize themselves. In other words, the 20-minute trough of our rest-activity cycle is a natural period for physical and psychological rejuvenation and healing from the wear and tear of everyday life. This is why Rossi calls it the ultradian healing response (UHR). The UHR also may be the hidden common factor in most holistic approaches to mind-body healing such as relaxation response, meditation, imagery, biofeedback, hypnosis, spiritual rituals as in Sufism and Yoga, laying on of hands as in holistic healing approaches, and the daily prayers in Islam. All such approaches require that the subject take a break for about 20 minutes to maximize his or her healing. The important elements of the ultradian healing response are:

1. Cutting off or minimizing input to the brain. This can be achieved by closing the eyes or looking steadily at fixed places.

2. Changing the activitys nature or simply taking a rest.

3. Allowing our consciousness to diverge and not trying to concentrate on the things we were thinking on before the break.

Other steps, such as washing parts of the body (e.g., ablutions made by Muslims before praying), moving parts of the body, stretching, or lying on a comfortable couch may help increase the UHRs healing effects. The afternoon nap can be considered a special case of UHR. Almost everyone experiences an after-lunch dip in performance. For many cultures, early afternoon signals siesta time. An afternoon nap may help reinforce the bodys self-healing mechanisms and make the rest of the afternoon as productive as the morning, writes Mednick et al.

In Muslim culture, asserts Nursi, a short afternoon nap was a tradition reinforced by Prophet Muhammad. Manycreative people nap during this time and often awaken refreshed and full of new ideas. Winston Churchill, prime minister of England during WWII, probably said it best: You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no half-way measures… When we use coffee and other stimulants to eliminate signals from our body, we may achieve a temporary mental alertness. But we also loose the opportunity to replenish our mental faculties depleted resources. The need for a break does not go away; instead, it either returns more strongly in the next period or we experience stress during the rest of the day.

Conclusion

Self-management lies at the heart of successful time management. When we conduct ourselves well with respect to time, we make the best use of our time. However, in the face of such adversities as lack of energy, interruptions, tendencies to diverge, and unimportant but appealing activities, it sometimes becomes difficult to control ourselves and focus on the right activity. A good understanding of how our body works makes this task easier. When we work in synchrony with our hormonal biorhythms and maximize our inherent potential, we optimize our achievements within the 24-hours allotted to us each day.

References

• Mednick, Sara et al. The Restorative Effect of Naps on Perceptual Deterioration. Nature Neuroscience, published online on May 28, 2002.
• Morgenstern, Julie. Time Management from the Inside Out. Henry Holt & Co.: 2000.
• Nursi, Said. The Flashes. Kaynak.earthlink.net /~rossi/ultradia.htm. search.ebi.eb.com/ebi/article/0,6101,33284,00.html (diabetes).
• Smolensky, Michael et al. The Body Clock Guide to Better Health. Henry Holt & Co.: 2000. Taylor Harold. Making Time Work for You. Dell: 2000.
• www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pinealstory2.htm (pinol: 1995. Rossi, Ernest. The Twenty Minute Break: The Ultradian Healing Response. Zeig, Tucker & Co.: 1991. Online at: http://homeine). www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9901/09/wakeup.call (Lubeck).
• www.growth-hormones.net/ (growth hormones). www.stanleykrippner.com/papers/Ayahuasca.htm (DMT).

Animals produce hormones in special endocrine glands which store the hormones or release them into the circulatory system. According to their chemical structure, animal hormones are classified as peptidal or steroidal and are easily sub-grouped according to their effects. In plants, however, the production of hormones occurs as a result of many cells co-operating. Since plants do not have any circulatory system the hormones are present only in certain parts of their structure and may travel short distances. Plant hormones can be classified chemically as purine based (cytolunins), amino acid based (auxins) or tespenoid based (dolmins, giberellins). The well-known compound, ethylene, is one of the major plant growth hormones doing its work through the air spaces between plant tissue and cells.

Although animals and plants are in most ways totally different types of living things, they produce or synthesize the same chemical compounds, with hormones often the common link. Now we know that plants have some animal and human hormones, and animals have same plant hormones. The hypothesis of hormonal interaction between plants and animals is supported by results from entomological studies:

‘There are hormonal interactions between plants and animals which are possible at many levels and depend on the ability of physiologically active chemicals to interact between the different types of living organism. In some cases the animal is the dominant partner in the interaction; for example, when leaf-cutting ants add auxin hormone to the fungal colonies on which they feed in order to maintain their growth and vitality. More frequently, the plant is dominant, exerting its effect by synthesizing animal hormones and pheromones and thus influencing the life and survival of its animal predators.’

Early reports of the presence of female sex hormones in seeds of the date-palm and pomegranate were received with scepticism and at times rejected. The reports were accused of relying on findings based on the use of crude research apparatus. However, the use of better equipment and more accurate analytical methods has clearly corroborated the early findings. The one issue still not resolved is the precise amount of animal sex hormone in plants.

Reports of unidentified oestrogenic materials in many plant tissues, based on their ability to upset the normal menstrual cycle in woman, cows or ewes, suggest that oestrogens may be much more widespread in plants than has ever been formally recognized. During the Second World War for example, women in Holland attributed menstrual upsets and ovulation failures to the eating of tulip bulbs (forced on them by food shortages). Among the more usual sort of foodstuffs that have affected oestrus in women and cows are garlic, oats, barley, rye grass, coffee, parsley, potato tubers and sunflower. It is possible that some or all of these plant materials do not themselves have the hormones but have, instead, compounds which mimic their effect. At the moment it is not known why plants produce these compounds, nor the precise function they have in the internal functioning of the plant.

The subject certainly calls to mind the incident in the Qur’an’s account of the birth of the Prophet ‘Isa, upon him be peace. Maryam, the mother of the future prophet, is suffering the pains of labour: ‘And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree. She cried out: “Ah! if only I had died before this! if only I had been a thing forgotten! But it was said to her from below (the palm-tree): “Grieve not! for your Lord has provided a stream of water below you; and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards yourself: it will let fall fresh ripe dates to you. So eat and drink and cool (your) eyes…”’ (Maryam, 19:23-6).

It is now known that the fruits of the date-palm contain oxytocin hormone, which is an oligo-peptide containing nine amino acids, the principal uterus-contracting and lactation-stimulating hormone. Thus, we can now understand that Allah was directing Maryam to eat the dates in order to encourage the birth and to ease the labour pains and to assist in the production of breast milk for the baby.

The verses can be read straightforwardly as a most moving moment in a moving story, expressive of Allah’s sublime compassion. But our recent knowledge adds to that some intuition of the depth of compassion in Allah’s creation as a whole, its extraordinary subtlety and complexity which by far exceeds the ability of our merely human knowledge to catch up. However, as our scientific understanding of natural phenomena matures we begin to grasp the wisdom of the Qur’an, to see more deeply into the meaning of its Divine Words. It is in that sense that the Qur’an gets ‘younger’ as time grows older.