Get up at the same time every day, weekends included
- Moderate value
- Evidence B
- Saves time
- Free
- Takes minutes
- Some willpower
In plain words
The one-fifth of people with the most irregular schedules had body clocks about 2.5 hours later than the one-fifth with the most regular ones. That is like living in jet lag all the time. Students with more regular schedules also had better grades.
- Cost
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Free. You have to sleep in less on weekends, which takes a little willpower.
- What you get
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61 college students kept records for 30 days. The most irregular one-fifth had body clocks (circadian rhythms) about 2.5 hours later than the most regular one-fifth. Specifically, the time melatonin began to be released was 00:08 against 21:32. The time of day when they felt sleepiest and most ready for sleep was also about 1.8 hours later. The more regular the schedule, the better the academic performance (correlation coefficient r = 0.37).
- Notes
-
This is one study, with few people and no comparison between assigned groups. The researchers estimated that the difference in body clocks comes mainly from differences in how much light people get each day. So a fixed wake-up time works only if paired with light in the morning. For how to catch up after an occasional late night, see §2.38 (catch up on sleep the night after a late night): the way is to go to bed earlier that night, not to sleep until noon the next day.
- Evidence grade
- B : Supported by research but without a precise number, or based on small or single studies.
- Sources
-
- Phillips et al. (2017). Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03171-4
Mentioned in
Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 3, tip 2. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer