Evolving Sleep Patterns

New York Times reporter Alex Williams discusses his new article, “Maybe Your Sleep Problem Isn’t A Problem.” Williams discusses how society favors early risers, conditioning us to believe that night owls are lazy or less focused than morning people. But new research suggests that humans have naturally different chronotypes, or ideal sleep patterns, and people who stay up late are equally as productive, creative, or intelligent as those who wake up early. Williams talks about being diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome, how some businesses are embracing staggered schedules for different employees (an idea called “chronotype diversity”), and how our naturally divergent sleep patterns might actually be an evolutionary adaptation.

This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.