Intrinsic Circadian Period and the Melatonin Rhythm in Men and Women: Predictors of Sleep during the Weekend and in the Laboratory

Sleep complaints and irregular sleep patterns, such as curtailed sleep during workdays and longer and later sleep during weekends are common. It is often implied that differences in circadian period and in entrained phase contribute to these patterns but few data are available. We assessed parameters of the circadian rhythm of melatonin at baseline and in a forced desynchrony protocol in 35 participants (18 women) with no sleep disorders. Intrinsic circadian period varied between 23h50min and 24h31min and correlated positively (n=31, rs=0.43, P=0.017) with the timing of the melatonin rhythm relative to habitual bedtime. This phase of the melatonin rhythm correlated with the insomnia severity score (n=35, rs=0.47, P=0.004). Self-reported time in bed (TIB) during free days also correlated with the timing of the melatonin rhythm (n=35, rs=0.43, P=0.01) as well as with circadian period (n=31, rs=0.47, P=0.007) such that individuals with a more delayed melatonin rhythm or a longer circadian period reported longer sleep during the weekend. The increase in TIB during the free days correlated positively with circadian period (n=31, rs=0.54, P=0.002). Polysomnographically-assessed latency to persistent sleep (n=34, rs=0.48, P=0.004) correlated with the timing of the melatonin rhythm when participants were sleeping at their habitual bedtimes in the laboratory. This correlation was significantly stronger in women than in men (Z=2.38, P=0.017). The findings show that individual differences in period and phase of the circadian melatonin rhythm associate with differences in sleep and imply that individuals with a long circadian period are at risk of developing sleep problems.