Diurnal and ultradian rhythms in human endocrine function: a minireview

Rapidly accumulating evidence indicates that every hypothalamo-pituitary axis is influenced by both sleep (irrespective of the time of day when it occurs) and circadian rhythmicity (irrespective of the sleep or wake condition). Circadian effects seem to be exerted by a modulation of the amplitude of secretory pulses. Sleep may affect pulse frequency. Recent studies indicate that this complex temporal organization is not limited to pituitary and pituitary-dependent hormones but also underlies glucose regulation and insulin secretion.