Season of birth, gender, and social-cultural effects on sleep timing preferences in humans

Abstract

Study Objective: The present study aimed to analyze season of birth effects on preferred sleep-wake cycle timing as assessed by Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Participants and Measurements: The MEQ was administered to a sample of 5,720 university students (3,851 Italians and 1,869 Spaniards; 3,877 female and 1,843 male; mean age 22.23 ± 2.98 years). Results: Females preferred to go to bed significantly earlier and sleep longer than males, regardless of season of birth and nationality. Subjects born in spring and summer went to bed and reached midpoint of sleep later than subjects born in fall and winter. Nationality significantly affected all the sleep parameters considered except duration. Conclusion: Overall, the effect of the season of birth on sleep preference timing was significant but quantitatively small. We suggest an evolutionary context for the different contributions of genetic and environmental factors in modulating sleep-wake cycles in humans.