David Samson, a prominent sleep researcher and evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Toronto, highlights a growing concern among researchers: the misalignment of sleep patterns with the body’s natural clock. In a world where average sleep duration reaches 7.1 hours per night, many individuals in industrialized nations are not sleeping in sync with their circadian rhythms. This disconnect can have devastating health impacts.
Research shows that even when people in developed countries seem to be getting enough sleep overall, they’re still suffering from circadian disruption. Individuals residing in Indigenous/Indigenous-like communities experience a lower degree of excursive stressors. Consequently, they take longer sleep times, clocking in at almost nine hours a night on average. Horacio de la Iglesia, a scientist with the University of Washington in Seattle, emphasizes the rarity of these ancient communities. He opines that their lifestyle factors are the most salient element in deciding whether they will have quality sleep.
Circadian disruption has been associated with indices of depression, several types of cancers, heart disease and inflammation. Crossing several time zones, like on many long-haul flights, or the twice-a-year transition to Daylight Saving Time makes the issue even worse. Samson stresses the importance of maintaining your circadian rhythm. This is especially important for anyone who is regularly unwell, despite having had adequate sleep.
“If we’re blocking the data, our physiology’s got nothing to work on,” – David Samson
The idea of “chronohygiene” comes forth as an interesting way of addressing these problems. When indoor climates support the same benefits people receive in peaceful outdoor settings, people are able to shift their internal clocks more effectively. Get plenty of natural light during the day. This small step can go a long way in re-aligning your circadian rhythm with the natural day-night cycle.
In addition, the sleep duration gaps present between industrialized and nonindustrialized societies are a cause for concern about our current way of life. Individuals in nonindustrialized areas normally sleep around 6.4 hours per night. Every day they wake up, and every night they go to bed, in sync with the sun’s schedule. This natural rhythm is in stark contrast to the highly regimented schedules often found in urban environments.
Samson maintains that no matter how well rested people think they are, their biological rhythms could be out of sync. From a clinical perspective, this misalignment is especially worrisome for individuals who face fatigue or malaise symptoms even with sufficient sleep length.
“The amount of light that these devices emit is negligible,” – Juana Lamote de Grignon Perez
Experts like Samson and de la Iglesia advocate for increased awareness regarding the impact of modern life on sleep patterns. They suggest that fostering an environment conducive to natural rhythms could mitigate some of the adverse effects associated with chronic circadian disruption.
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