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From: hiebeler@heretic.lanl.gov (David Hiebeler)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: 25 hour day
Message-ID: <%0X${2+@rpi.edu>
Date: 19 Jul 90 06:45:54 GMT
References: <8455@ur-cc.UUCP>
Organization: Theoretical Division, Los Alamos Nat. Lab; RPI CS Dept
Lines: 33


  I'm glad to see this discussion, since I've been wondering about
what the natural cycle for humans is.

  During summers, or other periods of time when I am working on
research or independent projects and have no meetings to attend, I'll
tend to get on a schedule that varies between 25 and 30 hours.  It's
nice, because when I'm tired I go to sleep, and when I wake up, I get
up.  I feel I'm most productive under these conditions, since I just
go with my body's flow, so to speak.

  My bedroom has fairly thick curtains, so not a lot of light comes in
when I end up sleeping during the day.

  Once in a while, I end up doing a "short" day (only staying away for
say 8 hours), but when that happens I still don't seem to synchronize
to either a day or night schedule, so I don't think it's exposure to
external stimuli that do it to me.

  It does usually take me a few days to get onto a day-schedule, say
if I want to attend some meetings or a conference.. usually I end up
staying up longer than usual in order to get onto a day schedule (if I
don't happen to be on a day schedule when the meeting occurs).

  I keep meaning to write down how long I stay awake and sleep, to get
a feel for how much my daily cycle varies, but haven't gotten around
to doing so.

-- 
Dave Hiebeler                      | Internet: hiebeler@heretic.lanl.gov
Complex Systems Group              | Bitnet: userF3JL@rpitsmts
MS B213, Theoretical Division      | UUCP: crdgw1!automtrx!hiebeler
Los Alamos National Laboratory  /  Los Alamos, NM 87545  USA