Skip to content
What is your sleep pattern (chronobiology) and how to use it to improve productivity
What exactly is chronobiology?
In the wider context of the study by the Balkan Medical Journal: The topic of chronobiology investigates how time affects biological processes. Particularly, focus is placed on periodicity. In humans, the suprachiasmatic nucleus which works as a master biological clock regulates daily cycles of core body temperature- the rest-activity cycle, physiological and behavioral processes, psychomotor functions, and mood.
The circadian rhythms are produced by clock genes, and the biological clock is synchronized to the solar day by direct photic inputs.
Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock, running in the background to carry out essential functions and processes. One of the most important and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle.
How your chronobiology affects work?
We have all heard that one friend that “goes off” every morning at the slightest inconvenience and then blame their outbursts on not being a “morning person”. Well it turns out that there is more than a little bit of truth to this after all!
Some people genuinely are more productive at night and some more so in the morning. As much as it beggars religious beliefs, the history of our circadian rhythms is based on our roles in ancient societies i.e. (different evolutionary human stages) and the genes that came forth as a result.
According to a 2020 study by Houston Methodist, people with a syndrome known as delayed sleep phase disorder, or DSPD, frequently have genetic changes in the CRY1 gene, says Dr. Ayish, this gene is found in most people who identify themselves as “night owls.”
On the other hand, morning people reach their daily performance peak in the morning. Later in the day is when this climax happens for "evening types." The "intermediate types" are others. According to research, 40 percent of adults are morning or evening people, and 60 percent are intermediate people. Additionally, it is thought that the daily peaks of morning and evening types can differ by up to 12 hours. To put it another way, severe morning and extreme evening personalities may coexist in the same bed without ever meeting.
These types of people are often ostracized and looked down on by their colleagues who are by contrast, morning people/early birds. Unfortunately there are side-effects to being a “night owl”, being that the world runs on daylight it is the case most of the time that people who are night owls often still have to wake up early in the morning due to parental or career obligations. This results in these people not receiving enough sleep which leads to unwanted side effects like:
In fact, a 2018 study that examined the connection between sleep patterns and health in over 500,000 persons discovered that night owls are more likely to acquire diabetes than people who identified as morning people.
There may be other effects from these sleep problems. In addition to sleep onset insomnia and morning sleepiness, which both contribute to sleep deprivation and can result in mood issues, poor attention, and an exacerbation of pain, night owls with delayed sleep phase disorder may also experience these conditions.
How to work WITH your chronobiology
- To better understand your biorhythm, start by keeping a self-observation journal. Keep track of when you are most active during the day. Use that time to finish pressing chores. Record your work schedule and your state of alertness, fatigue, concentration, distraction, speed, and creativity in a table with an hourly or bi-hourly rhythm.
- Have your chronotype in mind when searching for a job: Contrary to belief its not just security guards that stay up late, there are many high-paying jobs that require employees to be alert at odd hours like surgeons/nurses emergency services etc.
- Already have a job?: You have 2 options, quit or change your internal clock, this would entail gradually changing your sleep schedule and regularly adhering to this new schedule. Making sure you receive enough ambient light exposure during the day and reducing your exposure to strong artificial light in the nights may also be helpful. **As a night owl myself I consider myself lucky to have a job that allows me to work in my own time and create content whenever I feel like it, as long as the work is done on time! I struggled when I had a formal 9-5 but I was slowly adjusting, so it is possible!
Chronobiology can also aid in creating teams that are more productive. Think of a group of people that need to be at their best at the same time, like surgical teams, first responders, athletic teams, and symphonies. In this case, it is preferable for each team member to have a comparable chronotype, and work should be arranged to coincide with their shared daily peaks.
Different chronotypes might be advantageous for teams performing activities that require sustained attention over time, such as long-haul flight crews, night shift nurses, and nuclear power plant operators, to ensure that there is always someone on duty who can notify the others in an emergency.
Whether you’re a morning person or night owl we all need help sometimes and being productive everyday is something not a lot of people can do alone, so if you’re like us you’ll find that an article or two will get you going, or better yet a vibrant office space with all the tools and gadgets to make your office experience that much better, check out the Nomad Supply Store for some awesome products and stick with us for more insightful articles!