Dr. Paul Kelley, a prominent researcher at Oxford University, recently said that the most common form of modern torture is having to start working before 10 am. And if he said true ...?
According to him, the traditional office hours (namely 9h-17h) would be incompatible with our sleep, even dangerous for our health!
"Classic work schedules are totally out of sync with our circadian rhythm. This is the reason why it is not advisable to work before 10 am! Explained the professor. But by the way: what is the circadian rhythm?
The circadian rhythm
The circadian rhythm defines the 24-hour period during which a number of biological and physiological mechanisms are repeated in our body.
The circadian rhythm is modeled on our internal clock. It regulates the growth rate of our nails for example or our hair, as well as the production rate of our hormones, our blood pressure or our body temperature ... But above all, it is the circadian rhythm that regulates our sleep!
Still according to Professor Kelley, forcing us to work before 10 am (which represents the time we wake up biologically and at which we reach our maximum waking state during the day), could have unforeseen repercussions on our health. This applies to adults as well as teenagers and children!
A few years ago, Professor Kelley before tried a surprising experience to say the least. While he was director at a school in northeastern England, he changed the start time from 8:30 to 10:00. The results are clear: the average scores of students had increased by almost 20%!
Poor sleep can hurt you ...
For the researcher, sleep is a public health issue! He explains, "Today we live in sleep-deprived societies. Waking up early to go to work after 8:30 or 9:00 is a big mistake, because even if you feel like you've been able to get your body used to that pace, it does not matter. remains no less than this one has its own rhythm. And to add: "Your body obeys the rhythm of sunlight, which is why it only wakes up at a late hour like 10 o'clock in the morning. You have to learn to respect this particular rhythm. In this case, you risk weakening your immune system, and thus, falling more easily sick ... ".
He concludes: "So it is useless to torture yourself by waking up every day earlier than expected, because you are only affecting your sleep ...".
Today, many studies show how dangerous it can be to not take care of your sleep and not respect it, because lack of sleep leads to:
- A decrease in brain performance
- An increase in the risks of cerebrovascular accidents
- An increased risk of suffering a day of obesity
- An increase in cancer risks
- An increased risk of dying before the age of 65!