Let’s Sleep On It

It took elderly mice to suggest that jetlag or working irregular shifts could damage health. The scientific community is not about to lose sleep over the recent finding. But what about the rest of us?
Researchers from the University of Virginia compared how old and young mice were affected by changes to the usual balance of day and night. Elderly mice subjected to changes like those experienced by humans with jetlag or who work unusual shift patterns died earlier than the others did.
Younger animals appeared unaffected by alterations to their schedule. Writing in the journal Current Biology, the American researchers concluded that the results raised concerns for humans affected by time disruption. As more and more people find themselves living in 24-hour societies or traveling across several time zones, the study becomes highly relevant.
Over the years, everything from decline in productivity to inter-personal conflicts at the workplace have been blamed on disrupted sleep patterns and the resulting fatigue. Some experts now may be tempted to factor in the latest findings in their macroeconomic calculations and observations of cultural dynamics. Each new study tends to create new uncertainties concerning attitudes and behavior. Should people stop all but essential long-distance travel or should those working the night shift demand regular hours backed by the threat of resignation?
Not so fast, according to an expert in physiology and biochemistry at the University of Surrey. The body’s response to the circadian rhythm — the natural cycle of light and dark — remains to be fully understood. Greater research may have to be conducted on humans to properly understand the impact of such disruptions and to assess the true nature and extent of the risks. Amid such uncertainties, one cannot but wonder whether night and day may, after all, have their specific purposes.
Of course, this work was carried out on mice, who are nocturnal animals, while humans are diurnal. Still, let’s sleep on it.