The early morning transition from sleep to awake increases sympathetic activity, coinciding with an increased risk of events, such as myocardial infarction (MI) (Figure 2).7 Circadian rhythm disruptions—such as shift work, sleep deprivation, or irregular meal timing—impair molecular clock pathways, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and arrhythmias.7,8. The gene discussed is CLOCK; the disease is myocardial infarction.