Morningness/eveningness and the need for sleep

The purpose of this study was to determine, in a large sample of adults of all ages (17-80 years), the effect of morningness/eveningness on sleep/wake schedules, sleep needs, sleep hygiene and subjective daytime somnolence. A total of 617 subjects (219 subjects per chronotype group) matched for age, sex and employment status, completed an abridged morningness/eveningness q uestionnaire, a questionnaire on sleep habits and the quality of sleep, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Eveningness was associated with a greater ne ed for sleep, less time in bed during the week compared to ideal sleep need s, more time in bed at the weekend, a later bedtime and waking-up time espe cially at the weekend, more irregular sleep/wake habits and greater caffein e consumption. These subjects built up a sleep debt during the week and ext ended their duration of sleep at the weekend. They did not, however, rate t hemselves more sleepy than other types, despite the fact that our results s howed a clear link between subjectively evaluated daytime somnolence and sl eep debt. Why they were less affected by sleep deprivation is not clear. Th is raises the question of individual susceptibility to the modification of sleep parameters.