Chronotype and Lifestyle Schedule in Healthy Rural Population in South-Eastern Region of Chhattisgarh

Abstract

Chronotype is morningness and eveningness preference of humans. The human biological clock is primarily entrained by sunlight but can show the highly flexible phase-shifting capacity of the biological clock allows a person to adjust to new time zones, shift work, temperature changes, seasonal changes, job schedules, social obligations, and other urgent activities. The aim of the current study was to identify the chronotype of interior rural residents who have limited access to electricity. 2117 healthy subjects (aged between 6 to 75 years) willingly participated in the study. All the subjects were provided with biographical information sheets. Chronotype was subjectively assessed using Horne and Östberg questionnaire [1].Result revealed predominant morningness in the studied population. Evening-types more exposed to nighttime artificial light as well as screen time. In addition, body surface area (BSA) of evening-types was also significantly higher than that in other chronotypes. Further the sleeping and waking hours significantly delayed in evening-type as compared to morning-type and intermediate-type, irrespective of work days and free days. Present study provides insights to the chronotype of rural populations living under semi-modernized conditions. Absence of light at nights, limited screen time, and less facility of electricity could be a reason for predominant morningness among the population. Further eveningtypes with higher BSA are seems to be more susceptible to disturbed sleep-wake pattern.