Early chronotype with advanced activity rhythms and dim light melatonin onset in a rural population

Jun 30, 2020Journal of pineal research

Early daily activity patterns and earlier melatonin release in a rural population

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Abstract

The average dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) in 73 participants was 20:03, with men exhibiting an earlier onset than women.

Men had an earlier average DLMO at 19:38 compared to 20:24 for women, with a significant difference (P ≤ .01).
Men also showed a larger phase angle between DLMO and sleep onset time (4.11 hours) compared to women (3.16 hours; P ≤ .01).
Higher light exposure and activity levels were associated with earlier DLMO values.
The morningness-eveningness questionnaire was identified as the strongest predictor of DLMO (beta=-0.35, P ≤ .05).
Age also acted as a significant predictor of DLMO (beta = -0.47, P ≤ .01), while sex and light exposure were not significant predictors.

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Studying communities at different stages of urbanisation and industrialisation can teach us how timing and intensity of light affect the circadian clock under real-life conditions. We have previously described a strong tendency towards morningness in the Baependi Heart Study, located in a small rural town in Brazil. Here, we tested the hypothesis that this morningness tendency is associated with early circadian phase based on objective measurements (as determined by dim light melatonin onset, DLMO, and activity) and light exposure. We also analysed how well the previously collected chronotype questionnaire data were able to predict these DLMO values. The average DLMO observed in 73 participants (40 female) was 20:03 ± 01:21, SD, with an earlier average onset in men (19:38 ± 01:16) than in women (20:24 ± 01:21; P ≤ .01). However, men presented larger phase angle between DLMO and sleep onset time as measured by actigraphy (4.11 hours vs 3.16 hours; P ≤ .01). Correlational analysis indicated associations between light exposure, activity rhythms and DLMO, such that early DLMO was observed in participants with higher exposure to light, higher activity and earlier light exposure. The strongest significant predictor of DLMO was morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ) (beta=-0.35, P ≤ .05), followed by age (beta = -0.47, P ≤ .01). Sex, light exposure and variables derived from the Munich chronotype questionnaire were not significant predictors. Our observations demonstrate that both early sleep patterns and earlier circadian phase have been retained in this small rural town in spite of availability of electrification, in contrast to metropolitan postindustrial areas.

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Early chronotype with advanced activity rhythms and dim light melatonin onset in a rural population

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