Biorhythm
A biorhythm (or biological rhythm) is a cyclic pattern of alterations in physiology, emotions, and intellect. "Bio" pertains to life and "rhythm" pertains to the flow with regular movement.
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The theory of biorhythms is a theory that claims one's lifecycle is affected by rhythmic cycles and makes approximate predictions of cycles of physical, mental and emotional characteristics. A rhythm or a cycle is a characteristic that's periodically repeated in a predictable and measurable way. Biorhythmics is composed of forecasting the synchronized rhythm by division into equal parts by time in one's life cycle. These inherent rhythms appear to control or initiate various biological processes and is classically composed of three cyclic rhythms that govern human behaviour and the innate periodicity in natural cyclical physiological change. In its simplest general form, the theory states that from birth to death every human is governed by internal biophysical cycles: the physical, the emotional, and the intellectual. Others state there are more rhythms than the basic three. Biorythyms are related to bioelectricity and it's interaction in the body.
Basic rhythms includes certain facets of physiological cycles, though it may include others and the details may vary pending the specific source. The three classical cycles of Biorhythms are endogenous infradian rhythms.
Basic rhythm details:
Theory
The theory's basis lies in physiological and emotional cycles. The cycles are drawn as sinusoidal waveform This is a graphical approximate representation of the bioelectric activity. The cycle flow of bioelectric activity undergoes periodic reverses in direction. Since biorhythms are a continuous bidirectional rhythmic cycle of bioelectricity it can be represented as a symmetrical or asymmetrical (though most theories rely on a symmetrical form). A waveform is just a visual representation of the cycle's forcast. The waveform start, in most theories, with their minimum values at the birth of each individual [neutral baseline (0%)]. Each cycles oscillates between a positive phase (<= 100%) and a negative phase (>= -100%), during which bioelectric activity strengthens and weakens. The purpose of biorhythms is to enable the approximate calculation of critical days for performing or avoiding various activities.
The classical definition (deriveratives of the original theory exist) state that one's birth is an unfavorable circumstantial event, as is the day about 58 years later when the three cycles are again synchronised at their minimum values. According to the classical definition, the theory is assumed to apply only to humans. The value of each cycle is claimed classically to be able to be calculated at any given time in the life of an individual, and there are web sites that do exactly that.
Biorhythms is a new speculative area of scientific endeavor. Biorhythms are based upon the study of biological organisms. Biorhythms have echoes of chronobiology, the study of circadian and other rhythms. Through medical research, doctors have found that there are periodicity and rhythms during a person's lifespan. Biochronometry has shown that rhythm and cycles such as the circadian (from the Latin circa and dia; literally, "about a day"). These discoveries, among others, have shown that people are affected by physiological, emotional and intellectual rhythms. Studies in this protoscience are still being done regarding the affects of biorhythm on the human condition.
The theory is treated by some as a type of pseudoscience and, hence, harmless entertainment attracting little controversy (classifying it in the same league as horoscopes). [Others consider all forms of pseudoscience harmful.] Critics of the theory point to the fact that the sinusoidal cycle curves as arbitrarily means of measurement. Also, critics see the neutral baseline as a dubious assumption.
The classical theory originated at the turn of the 19th century, between 1897 and 1902, from various observational research.
Dr. Hermann Swoboda into the possibility of a rhythmic change in mood and health. (Professor of Psychology, University of Vienna) on periodic variations in fevers. He collected data on reaction to pain, outbreak of fevers, illnesses, asthma, heart attacks, and recurrent dreams. He concluded that there was a 23-day physical cycle and a 28-day emotional cycle.
Dr. Wilhelm Fliess (nose and throat specialist; reportedly a numerologist) independently was researching the occurrences of fevers, recurrent illnesses and deaths in his patients. He too came to the conclusion that there was a 23 and a 28-day rhythm. Fleiss's theories were of great interest and importance to Sigmund Freud during his early work in developing his psychoanalytic concepts.
Alfred Teltseher (professor of engineering; University of Innsbruck, Austria) observed that his students' good days and bad days followed a rhythmic pattern of 33 days. Teltscher found that the brain's ability to absorb, mental ability,and alertness ran in 33 day cycles. Dr. Rexford Hersey (psychologist; Pennsylvania, America) in the 1920s reportedly made contributions to the classical theory also.
These three biorhythms compose the classical theory. The classical theory (and it's various derivatives) has been studied, especially in Germany, Japan, and the United States, with conflicting results.
Related terminology
Plausibility
History
External links, resources, and references
