Sleep: the environment plays a decisive role
According to FHMRI Sleep Health, days of the week, seasons, and places of residence have a significant impact.
People's sleep patterns are actually shaped by the day of the week, the time of year and where they live. This is the conclusion of an international study led by FHMRI Sleep Health. The researchers analyzed data from around 73 million nights. Their findings have been published in the specialist journal "Sleep".
Quiet everyday troublemaker
The sleep data of over 116,000 adults around the world was collected using a device attached under the mattress. Sleep duration and timing were recorded over a period of 3.5 years. According to research leader Hannah Scott, the results allow a detailed insight into how geography, seasons and daily schedules silently disrupt sleep. Scott: "Sleep patterns are not just about habits. They are closely linked to the world around us."
According to co-researcher Bastien Lechat, there are differences in sleep patterns between weekdays and weekends. Most people make up between 20 and 35 minutes of previously lost sleep on the two days off. Although they go to bed between 30 and 40 minutes later at the weekend, people also sleep longer. Values of up to 80 minutes have been observed here.
Middle age strongly affected
Lechat emphasizes that these changes may seem small, but they have a drastic effect on the internal clock. Middle-aged adults, especially those aged between 40 and 60, show the greatest differences in sleep duration between weekdays and weekends. This is probably due to the double burden of a full-time job and family commitments.
Changes in the seasons also play a greater role than previously assumed. People who live in the northern hemisphere sleep between 15 and 20 minutes more in winter. Those living in the southern hemisphere, on the other hand, sleep less in the summer months. According to Scott, the further away a person lives from the equator, the greater the seasonal changes in sleep.
A subtle but steady decline in the total time spent sleeping was already evident during the course of the study. Between 2020 and 2023, people slept around 2.5 minutes less per night. The researchers suspect that there is a connection here with the COVID-19 pandemic. This development is also consistent with the growing concern that irregular sleep is linked to health problems.
