Fig 1. Circadian misalignment and disruption are associated with disease.

Circadian rhythms are present at the level of the individual cell, tissue, and system and contribute to the optimal temporal coordination of physiological organ functions with environmental entrainment signals (left). It is therefore not surprising that misalignment of endogenous circadian and exogenous environmental cycles, as well as disruption of endogenous circadian rhythmicity is associated with or increases the risk for many diseases (right). Moreover, by contributing to circadian disruption or by altering behavioral rhythms, disease may in turn aggravate pathologies related to dysfunction of the circadian system (created with biorender.com).