Have you ever wondered why some days you feel full of energy and creativity, while on other days you can barely focus on simple tasks? Wilhelm Fliess, a German physician born in 1858 in what is now Poland, was the first to attempt a scientific explanation of this phenomenon, formulating a theory of the three basic biological cycles of humans. His fundamental intuition about the cyclic nature of life processes turned out to be astonishingly accurate – this vision was confirmed by the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine awarded in 2017 for the discovery of the molecular mechanisms of diurnal rhythms.
🏛️ Berlin 1895: Birth of revolutionary theory
At his office on Achenbachstraße 10 in Berlin, Dr. Wilhelm Fliess saw patients suffering from a variety of upper respiratory ailments. As a renowned otolaryngologist, he specialized in diseases of the nose and throat, but his interests went far beyond the traditional medicine of the time. Fliess was a Renaissance man – he combined the practice of medicine with mathematics, philosophy and the search for universal laws governing the human organism.
The correspondence between Fliess and Freud, comprising 284 letters written between 1887 and 1904, is an invaluable source of knowledge about the development of biorhythm theory. In a letter dated December 6, 1896, Freud wrote to a friend:
📜 “Your findings on the periodicity of life processes shed a whole new light on the mystery of the human psyche and soma.”
This exchange of ideas was a catalyst for the development not only of biorhythm theory, but also of the foundations of psychoanalysis – Freud admitted that Fliess’ concepts of biological bisexuality influenced his understanding of human sexuality and psychosexual development.
Fliess documented his observations with remarkable meticulousness. His notes include descriptions of 134 cases of patients in whom he observed the regularity of fevers, migraines, asthma and even anxiety attacks. For example, patient Emma Eckstein (later Freud’s famous patient) experienced:
- 🔴 Anxiety attacks – exactly every 23 days
- 🔵 Somatic symptoms – on a 28-day cycle
It was such observations that led Fliess to formulate the hypothesis of two basic biological rhythms.
🔢 The mathematical symphony of life: the Fliess equations
Wilhelm Fliess was convinced that biological life was subject to strict mathematical laws, much like the motion of the planets described by Kepler. His fundamental equation:
📐 n = 23x + 28y
was to explain not only the rhythms of health and disease, but also the key moments in a person’s life – from birth to death.
In his monumental 1906 work Der Ablauf des Lebens, Fliess presented an elaborate theory in which every significant life event could be predicted through mathematical calculations. He analyzed the dates of births and deaths of famous historical figures, finding in them confirmation of his theory. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who lived exactly 30295 days, was a perfect example for Fliess – this number was the result of the equation 317 × 28 + 923 × 23. He similarly analyzed the lives of Bismarck, Napoleon and other great figures of history.
Fliess’ theory also assumed that the sex of a child could be predicted by the parents’ cycles at the time of conception. When the father’s 23-day cycle predominated, a boy would be born; the predominance of the mother’s 28-day cycle predicted the birth of a girl. Although these predictions proved inaccurate, the very idea of how the biological rhythms of the parents affect the offspring has found some expression in modern epigenetics, which studies how the state of the parents’ bodies at the time of conception can affect gene expression in children.
🎓 Innsbruck 1920: Alfred Teltscher and the discovery of the intellectual cycle
While Fliess’ theory was gaining popularity in European medical circles, in Innsbruck, Austria, engineering professor Alfred Teltscher conducted his own independent research. Between 1920 and 1924, he analyzed the results of examinations:
📊 4936 students of the Technical University 📚 1621 high school students in Innsbruck
Teltscher noticed a fascinating pattern – every 33 days there were repeated periods of exceptional mental clarity, during which students performed best on tests requiring logical thinking and creativity. He documented cases of students who, at intervals of exactly 33 days, solved the most difficult mathematical tasks with astonishing ease, while at other times the same people had difficulty with simpler problems.
Of particular interest was the case of student Johann Mayer, whom Teltscher observed throughout his four years of study. Mayer obtained his best exam grades always around the peaks of his 33-day cycle: January 15, February 17, March 22, and so on, to the nearest 1-2 days. Moreover, his thesis and engineering projects showed marked differences in quality depending on the phase of the intellectual cycle.
Teltscher collaborated with Dr. Hermann Swoboda of the University of Vienna, a professor of psychology who also independently studied the cyclical nature of mental processes. Swoboda analyzed the dreams, moods and creativity of Viennese artists, documenting 23- and 28-day rhythms in their work. Together they published the 1928 work Die kritischen Tage des Menschen (The Critical Days of Man), which became the foundation for the development of biorhythm theory in the 20th century.
✨ Golden era of biorhythms: 1970s-1980s
The real boom in interest in biorhythms came in the 1970s, especially in the United States and Japan. This was the time when personal computers were beginning to enter home use, and biorhythm calculation programs became among the first popular applications.
George Thommen, a Swiss engineer living in the U.S., published his book “Is This Your Day?” in 1973, which sold more than a million copies in its first year. Thommen developed a theory about “critical days” – moments when cycles cross the zero line, claiming that on such days the risk of accidents increases by 300%. His research included an analysis of 700 industrial accidents at General Motors factories, where he actually observed an increased number of incidents on workers’ critical days.
🚂 In Japan, Ohmi Railway Company introduced mandatory biorhythm monitoring of its 500 drivers in 1971. Over the next five years, there was a 64% decrease in accidents – a result that, while impressive, may also have been due to increased overall safety awareness. Nevertheless, Ohmi Railway’s success has inspired hundreds of Japanese companies to introduce similar programs.
📊 The National Safety Council in the United States conducted a study in 1975 involving 4,279 car accident victims. The analysis showed that 46.5% of fatal crashes occurred on drivers’ critical days, when statistically it should have been only 20% (critical days account for about 20% of all days of the year). Although the methodology of this study was later debated, the results contributed to a growing interest in biorhythms in the insurance industry.
🏆 Nobel confirmation: molecular chronobiology
The breakthrough in understanding biological rhythms came with the discoveries of Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young, honored with a Nobel Prize in 2017. Their research, conducted since the 1980s, revealed molecular mechanisms controlling diurnal rhythms in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, which have been shown to be universal to most living organisms, including humans.
🧬 Key discoveries of Nobel laureates:
- 1984 – Hall and Rosbash isolated the period gene (per)
- 1994 – Young discovered the timeless gene (tim)
- 1998 – Discovery of the negative feedback mechanism
This negative feedback mechanism, in which proteins inhibit the expression of their own genes, creates a 24-hour molecular oscillator.
Fascinatingly, further research has shown that in addition to the main clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, virtually every organ in our body has its own peripheral clocks. The liver has its metabolic rhythm, the heart its contractile rhythm, and even the skin shows diurnal variations in its rate of regeneration. This complex network of biological clocks must be precisely synchronized for optimal health – a process that can be disrupted by shift work, jet lag or an irregular lifestyle.
The Nobel laureates’ discoveries have direct implications for practical medicine. Chronopharmacology, a field that studies the optimal timing of drug administration, has shown that the effectiveness of some therapies can vary by as much as 50% depending on the time of administration. For example, blood pressure-lowering drugs are most effective when given in the evening, preparing the body for a nighttime drop in blood pressure. Cancer chemotherapy administered according to diurnal rhythms can significantly reduce side effects while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.
🌍 Contemporary applications: from medicine to sports
Today’s understanding of biological rhythms goes far beyond the classic three cycles of biorhythms. Modern chronobiology identifies dozens of different rhythms, from ultradian (shorter than a day) to infradian (longer than a day). The 90-minute rhythm regulates the REM and NREM sleep phases, but also affects our concentration during the day – hence the natural need for a break every hour and a half or so of mental work.
In sports medicine, the use of knowledge of biological rhythms has become a standard for Olympic preparation.
⏰ Key sports discoveries:
- 17:00-19:00 – most world running records
- Afternoon – peak testosterone (strength training)
- Morning – the best neuroplasticity (technical training)
🚀 Chronobiology has also found applications in the aerospace industry. NASA has developed detailed protocols for managing astronauts’ diurnal rhythms, using controlled exposures to light and melatonin to synchronize biological clocks with mission schedules.
💼 In the tech industry, giants like Google and Microsoft have introduced “chronotype” work schedules:
- 🌅 “Larks” – start at 6:00 am
- 🦉 “Owls” – work from noon to late
- 📈 Effect: 15-20% increase in productivity
🇵🇱 Polish perspective: from Choszczno to modern wellness
Of particular interest is the Polish thread in the history of biorhythms. Wilhelm Fliess was born in Arnswalde, now Choszczno in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. This town was part of Prussia in the 19th century, an important trade and cultural center of the region. Fliess’ birth house on today’s Liberty Street (formerly Friedrichstraße) has not survived, but the city archives hold documents relating to his family.
Modern Poland is showing growing interest in the topics of biological rhythms and wellness. Warsaw University is conducting advanced research into the chronobiology of plants, while the Jagiellonian University’s Collegium Medicum in Krakow is studying the impact of disrupted diurnal rhythms on the development of metabolic diseases. The Polish wellness market, now worth more than 30 billion zlotys, is dynamically adapting knowledge of biological rhythms to local needs.
An interesting example is the development of Polish technologies supporting the harmonization of biological rhythms. Devices using low-frequency electromagnetic fields that are consistent with the brain’s natural rhythms (alpha, beta, theta waves) are gaining popularity as methods to aid recovery and reduce stress. Although the mechanisms of action of these technologies are still under investigation, preliminary results suggest beneficial effects on sleep quality and cortisol levels.
🔮 The future of chronobiology: personalized rhythm medicine
Developments in genome sequencing technology and big data analysis are opening up new opportunities in the field of personalized chronobiology. More than 20 gene variants affecting individual chronotype – whether we are “larks” or “owls” – have already been discovered. In the future, it will be possible to precisely determine the optimal times for different activities based on the genetic profile.
Artificial intelligence analyzing data from wearable devices (smartwatches, fitness bands) can already predict a user’s energy phases with up to 85% accuracy. Machine learning algorithms identify individual rhythm patterns that often deviate from the classic 23-28-33 day cycles, suggesting the existence of more complex, individual biological rhythms.
Regenerative medicine is discovering that stem cells show different proliferative activity depending on the phase of the diurnal rhythm. Cell therapies administered at optimal times can be up to twice as effective. Similarly, cancer immunotherapy shows better results when administered according to the rhythm of immune system activity.
📚 Summary: From intuition to science
The history of biorhythms is a fascinating journey from the intuitive observations of Wilhelm Fliess to the precise molecular science of the 2017 Nobel laureates. Although Fliess’ mathematical formulas proved too simplistic, his fundamental intuition about the cyclical nature of life processes was revolutionary and decades ahead of its time.
Modern chronobiology confirms that we live in the rhythm of numerous biological clocks – from the molecular to the behavioral level. Understanding and respecting these rhythms is becoming the key to health, longevity and optimal performance in every area of life. Apps that monitor biorhythms, technologies that support regeneration in line with natural cycles, and chronotherapy are just the beginning of a revolution that will change our approach to health and wellness in the 21st century.
Wilhelm Fliess, looking from the perspective of his Berlin office in 1895, probably never imagined that his theory of the periodicity of life would find such spectacular confirmation in molecular research more than a century later. His vision of the mathematical harmony of life, although simplified in its original form, opened the door to one of the most important fields of modern biology and medicine. It is proof that great discoveries often begin with a simple observation and a bold hypothesis that is ahead of the verification capabilities of its era.
