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The long term impact of Daylight Saving Time regulations in daily life at several circles of latitude

Abstract

We analyze large scale (N~10000) time use surveys in United States, Spain, Italy, France and Great Britain to ascertain seasonal variations in the sleep/wake cycle and the labor cycle after daylight saving time regulations have stood up for at least forty years. That is, not the usual search for the impact of the biannual transitions, but a search for how industrialized societies have answered to DST regulations at different circles of latitude. Results show that the labor cycle is equally distributed through seasons if measured in local time. It is an everyday experience which is a major outcome of DST. The sleep/wake cycle displays disturbances punctuated by solar events: sunrise, sunset and noon. In week-ends, under free preferences, sleep onset delays in summer, opposing to the regulation and following the delay in sunset time, while sleep offset advances, despite clock time already advanced in the spring transition. This advance still follows the advance in sunrise times. The best explanation for these findings is that human cycles are not misaligned by the size and direction of DST regulations, which explains the success of that practice. The sleep/wake cycle in Great Britain and France exhibit fewer statistically significant excursions than the sleep/wake cycle in Spain, Italy and United States, despite light and dark seasonal deviations are larger. That could be indicating that the preference for a seasonal regulation of time decreases with increasing latitude above 47 degrees. The preferences for a seasonal regulation of clocks and for the choice of permanent summer time or permanent winter time are sketched from a previous report on human activity.

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The long term impact of Daylight Saving Time regulations in daily life at several circles of latitude

Author: Martín Olalla, José María
Publisher: Springer Nature
Year: 2019
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54990-6
Source: https://idus.us.es/bitstreams/b32bb688-c06a-4a10-a342-eeac5f68dfd8/download
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he long e m impac o Dayligh
Sa ing ime egula ions in daily li e
a se e al ci cles o la i ude
José Ma ía Ma ín-olalla
We analyze la ge scale (N ~ 10000)  ime use su eys in Uni ed S a es, Spain, I aly, F ance and G ea
B i ain o asce ain seasonal a ia ions in he sleep/wake cycle and he labo cycle a e dayligh sa ing
ime  egula ions ha e s ood up  o  a  leas   o y yea s. Tha  is, no   he usual sea ch  o   he impac  o   he
biannual  ansi ions, bu  a sea ch  o  how indus ialized socie ies ha e answe ed  o DST  egula ions a
di e en  ci cles o  la i ude. Resul s show  ha   he labo  cycle is equally dis ibu ed  h ough seasons i
measu ed in local ime. i is an e e yday expe ience which is a majo ou come o DS . he sleep/wake
cycle displays dis u bances punc ua ed by sola  e en s: sun ise, sunse  and noon. In week-ends, unde
ee p e e ences, sleep onse  delays in summe , opposing  o  he  egula ion and  ollowing  he delay in
sunse   ime, while sleep o se  ad ances, despi e clock  ime al eady ad anced in  he sp ing  ansi ion.
This ad ance s ill  ollows  he ad ance in sun ise  imes. The bes  explana ion  o   hese  indings is  ha
human cycles a e no  misaligned by  he size and di ec ion o  DST  egula ions, which explains  he
success o   ha  p ac ice. The sleep/wake cycle in G ea  B i ain and F ance exhibi   ewe  s a is ically
signi ican  excu sions  han  he sleep/wake cycle in Spain, I aly and Uni ed S a es, despi e ligh  and da k
seasonal de ia ions a e la ge . ha could be indica ing ha he p e e ence o a seasonal egula ion o
ime dec eases wi h inc easing la i ude abo e 47°. The p e e ences  o  a seasonal  egula ion o  clocks
and o he choice o pe manen summe ime o pe manen win e ime a e ske ched om a p e ious
epo on human ac i i y.
Legisla i e bodies in Ame ica and Eu ope a e cu en ly ponde ing he con inui y o Dayligh Sa ing Time egula-
ions —DST—, also known as Summe Time A angemen s. They consis o a o wa d change o clocks in sp ing,
which is e e sed in au umn. They ha e become a pa o e e yday li e in some indus ial, u ban socie ies since i s
incep ion one hund ed yea s ago, amids Wo ld Wa One, o since he 1970s, amids he ene gy c isis.
DST egula ions a e con enien ly desc ibed as a ime zone shi — o ins ance om UTC + 1 o UTC + 2 in
Cen al Eu ope a he sp ing ansi ion— howe e , i no hing else change, hey a e simply a seasonal egula ion in
he phase o human cycles, all equal o a seasonal egula ion o opening imes. As an example in 1810, well be o e
he s anda diza ion o ime, he Spanish Na ional Assembly s a ed sessions a 10 am om Oc obe o Ap il bu
a 9 am om May o Sep embe 1.
Ei he way, he seasonal egula ion o human ac i i y in indus ialized, u ban socie ies synced o clocks mee s
he biannual ansi ions ha cha ac e izes DST. Physiologis s and medical doc o s hink o hese ansi ions as
a dis up ion o ou ci cadian sys em2,3. A se ies o s udies has ied o un eil hei impac in he s ocks ma ke s4,
in suicide a es5, in he a es o myoca dial in a c ion6, in acciden a es7, in acciden and eme gency isi s and
e u n isi s8 o in he a e o au opsies9. Gene ally speaking haza ds happen o inc ease immedia ely a e he
sp ing ansi ion. Physiologis s hen ad oca e o discon inuing DST10–12 and se ing win e ime pe manen ly o ,
in p ac ical e ms, delaying summe ac i i y by one hou . Howe e , and almos inad e en ly, hey also acknowl-
edge he con enience o he p ac ice, a leas o some people13.
The “bene i s” o DST ha e been usually summa ized in ex ended ou doo leisu e ac i i ies and ma ginal
sa ings in ene gy consump ion. Some economis s, decision-make s push o ex end hese bene i s o win e , by
discon inuing DST in he “pe manen summe ime” mode14–16. I no hing else changes his choice would ad ance
human ac i i y by one hou in win e pushing o s a imes ahead o sun ise in win e . The na u al abho ence
o ge ing ac i a ed in he da k plays agains his choice. When physiologis s ad oca e o pe manen win e ime
hey a e p e en ing agains his kind o s ess on he ci cadian sys em11,12. To be socially accep ed an ea ly s a
Uni e sidad de Se illa, Facul ad de Física, Depa amen o de Física de la Ma e ia Condensada, ES41012, Se ille,
Spain. email: [email p o ec ed]
open
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o human ac i i y equi e angible ou comes which usually come in he o m o inc easing sco es o end imes
ahead o win e sunse .
The seasonal egula ion o human ac i i y —and also DST egula ions— ques ions when human ac i i y
should s a in iew o he seasonal sp ead o sun ise imes, sunse imes, day ime and noon insola ion. Tha is,
upon which condi ions indi iduals and socie ies synced o clock ime would p e e seasonally a ying opening
imes ins ead o yea ound opening imes, e en hough annoying biannual ansi ions would be needed in he
o me . The answe o his ques ion may depend on a numbe o issues ha includes ch ono ype —p e e ence
o mo ningness e sus e eningness— o economic sec o —ou doo e sus indoo ac i i ies—. F om he poin
o iew o he physical science he answe is domina ed by la i ude, a ole ha is i ually omi ed in DST discus-
sions17. Fo ins ance DST egula ions ha e ne e been a choice in he T opics, because he e seasonal a ia ions
a e small. Likewise, he p e e ence o ad ancing human ac i i y ela i e o win e sun ise is mo e equen a high
la i ude jus because he e sun ise delays he mos and sunse ad ances he mos in win e . Gene ally speaking
e e y ci cle o la i ude exhibi s a dis inc pa e n o seasonal ligh and da k cycle and human ac i i y adap s o
ha acco dingly18–20.
The ole o la i ude is o he u mos impo ance in he Eu opean Union, whe e popula ion and decision-make s
sp ead om 35° la i ude —Mal a, C e e and Cyp us— o 70° la i ude —Finnish Lapland— exhibi ing i idly di -
e en na u al condi ions21. Howe e , and based on in e nal ma ke e iciency, he Eu opean Commission has
been pushing o synch onous DST a angemen s, p e en ing membe s a es om op ing-ou . The Commission
conside ed he impac o six possible scena ios in which a ew membe s ha e asynch onous a angemen s22.
Howe e no scena io simula ed ha he p e e ence o DST egula ions could s a i y wi h la i ude. In sha p
con as his p e e ence does s a i y wi h la i ude in Aus alia, B azil and Chile.
Time zone and ime zone egula ion only se a bi a y e e ences o ime. They ha e s ood up unchanged o
almos one hund ed yea s in G ea B i ain, I eland, Po ugal, signi ican ci ies o Uni ed S a es; and o some i y/
o y yea s elsewhe e in Eu ope and Ame ica. These se ings allow people o make decisions based on clock ime
which a e a ionally linked o he cycle o ligh and da k19.
This manusc ip is aimed o inspec how hese egula ions impac ed in human li e h ough sensi i e decisions.
Time use su eys —la ge scale s udies (N ~ 104) which y o asce ain how people sha e a s anda d day23— a e
he app op ia e ool o ha . This pape will analyze he case o i e indus ialized coun ies (Uni ed S a es, Spain,
I aly, F ance and Uni ed Kingdom), whe e seasonal ime a angemen s ha e occu ed in he o y yea s p io
o he da e o he su ey. The wo mos basic daily cycles will be s udied: he sleep/wake cycle — egula ed by
ou physiology— and he labo cycle —s ongly ela ed o ou social li e—. The basic goal is o assess seasonal
de ia ions in hese cycles including hei s a is ical signi icance and a ske ch o he impac o la i ude. I mus be
emphasized ha his manusc ip will ocus on he long e m —seasonal— e ec s o he egula ion o ime, no on
e ec s a ound he ansi ions.
No coun e ac ual will be conside ed he e. The ob ious choice is a simila analysis o he ime use su eys in
independen coun ies whe e DST has no been applied egula ly. The Republic o Ko ea and Japan a e he bes
candida es.
Me hods
he da a se s. Mic oda a om ime use su eys in Spain24 and Uni ed S a es25 a e eely a ailable a he
in e ne . Mic oda a om su eys in I aly26, F ance27, G ea B i ain28 could be ob ained a e pe i ion o public
au ho i ies in 2014.
E e y esponden o a ime use su ey illed a dia y which consis ed o N0 = 144 ime slo s —each one ep-
esen ing en minu es— o indexes. I is possible o disc imina e he da e o he dia y a leas o he le el o a
imes e and he day o he week. In his wo k he yea will be pa i ioned in o wo semes e s o seasons: summe
(Ap il o Sep embe , imes e s wo and h ee) and win e (Oc obe o Ma ch, imes e s one and ou ). No ice
ha Oc obe is coun ed in he win e season al hough egula ions a he ime o he su eys ex end summe ime
un il end o Oc obe (Eu ope) o un il s a o No embe (Uni ed S a es). I is also assumed ha seasonal pa i ion
does no in oduce a bias in he dis ibu ion o ch ono ypes and economic sec o s.
Dia ies will be g ouped in ou i ems: (1) week day (Monday o F iday) dia ies ha epo some wo king ac i -
i y; (2) week day dia ies ha do no epo any wo king ac i i y; (3) week-end (Sa u day and Sunday) dia ies ha
epo some wo king ac i i y; and (4) week-end dia ies ha do no epo any wo king ac i i y.
Responden s in g oups 1 and 3 will be labeled as “employees” he ea e . G oups 2 and 4 will only conside
dia ies illed by esponden s aged a leas wen y yea s; hey will be labeled as “non-employees”.
G oup 1 encloses wo king esponden s in a week day. They a e leas p one o ee p e e ences and mos p one
o igh social iming, including he use o ala m clocks o ge ing ac i a ed. G oup 4 is he mos popula ed in
e e y su ey. I encloses non-wo king esponden s in a week-end. I does no dis inguish be ween hose who
wo ked du ing week days and hose who no . Ei he case, esponden s in his g oup a e mos p one o ee p e e -
ences — o ins ance ising up a hei will—. Con as ingly G oup 3 is he leas popula ed since he labo ac i i y
in week-ends is compa a i ely small. Table1 lis s sample sizes o e e y su ey and g oup analyzed.
In he cases o Spain, F ance and Uni ed S a es only con iguous egions will be analyzed. Also A izona
esponden s will no en e in he s udy since his s a e does no obse e DST egula ions.
E en ually he seasonal index will be pe mu ed, e-sampled o e-shu led and wo pa i ions o he pe mu ed
samples will be compa ed o he unshu led, seasonal, o iginal pa i ion o se he s a is ical signi icance o sea-
sonal de ia ions.
he ma hema ical amewo k. The sleep/wake cycle —being awake o sleeping— and he labo cycle
—being wo king o no wo king— will be s udied. Fo ei he cycle wo kind o magni udes will be cha ac e ized:
(1) he daily hy hm R(i) — he sha es o esponden s doing a p esc ibed ac i i y on a gi en index— and (2) he
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expe imen al (sample) cumula i e dis ibu ion unc ion P(i) and sample a e age alue E o a se o i e s ochas ic
a iables which cha ac e izes each cycle o e e y indi idual. Figu eS.1 in Supplemen a y Ma e ial ske ches his
se which is composed o :
• The daily du a ion o he ac i i y d1: he daily wo king ime and he daily sleep o wake ime.
• The cen e o g a i y 2: he momen when hal he daily du a ion has been consumed and hal emains.
• The i s occu ence o he ac i i y 1 o onse ime.
• The las occu ence o he ac i i y 3 o o se ime.
• The dis ance om onse o o se d2.
Fo hese quan i ies he cycle begins a 4 am, a ound he poin o daily minimum human ac i i y. I he cycle
is unimodal —jus one pe iod o ac i i y, wi h no b eaks— he cen e o g a i y ma ches o he midpoin om
onse o o se .
The domain o any o hese s ochas ic a iables consis s o he N0 indexes ha ill one cycle (day). The e o e
hey all a e disc e e a iables.
Seasonal di e ences will be ob ained by sub ac ing esul s om win e esponden s o esul s o m summe
esponden s. The s a is ical signi icance o he seasonal de ia ions Rs(i) − Rw(i) will be de e mined by he Welch’s
- es o unequal a iances29. The s a is ical signi icance o Ps − Pw and Es − Ew will be de e mined by analyzing
andom pe mu a ions o he seasonal index. The size o he pe mu a ion es will be M =107 , much smalle han
Time Use Su ey
Time La i ude Rise/se Inso e iciency Sample size Ra io
o se φsp ead cosθw/cosθsN NwNsNs/Nw
Nh
G ea B i ain25 6 min 52.3° 04 h39 m 25/88
1. Mon-F i (employees) 4081 1745 2336 1.34 44.7
2. Mon-F i (non-
employees) age ≥20 3768 1481 2287 1.54 42.4
3. Sa -Sun (employees) 1378 599 779 1.30 26.0
4. Sa -Sun (non-
employees), age ≥20 6473 2611 3862 1.48 55.8
F ance24 50 min 47.8° 03 h37 m 32/91
1. Mon-F i (employees) 6243 2872 3371 1.17 55.7
2. Mon-F i (non-
employees) age ≥20 6095 2622 3473 1.32 54.7
3. Sa -Sun (employees) 1890 877 1013 1.16 30.7
4. Sa -Sun (non-
employees), age ≥20 8544 3729 4815 1.29 64.8
I aly26 11 min 43.6° 03 h11 m 39/94
1. Mon-F i (employees) 5576 2784 2792 1.00 52.8
2. Mon-F i (non-
employees) age ≥20 5390 2719 2671 0.98 51.9
3. Sa -Sun (employees) 3596 1805 1791 0.99 42.4
4. Sa -Sun (non-
employees), age ≥20 15707 7698 8009 1.04 88.6
Spain27 72 min 40.4° 02 h49 m 44/96
1. Mon-F i (employees) 4271 2053 2218 1.08 46.2
2. Mon-F i (non-
employees) age ≥20 4889 2364 2525 1.07 49.4
3. Sa -Sun (employees) 971 505 466 0.92 22.0
4. Sa -Sun (non-
employees), age ≥20 4965 2431 2534 1.04 49.8
Uni ed S a es28 8 min 38.5° 02 h36 m 47/97
1. Mon-F i (employees) 36498 18629 17869 0.96 135.1
2. Mon-F i (non-
employees) age ≥20 25589 13014 12575 0.97 113.1
3. Sa -Sun (employees) 14775 7631 7144 0.94 85.9
4. Sa -Sun (non-
employees), age ≥20 47877 24408 23469 0.96 154.7
Table 1. Lis o pa icipan coun ies wi h geophysical in o ma ion: ime o se , la i ude φ, he sp ead o
sun ise/sunse imes and he e iciency o insola ion a noon in win e cosθw and summe cosθs. No ice ha DST
egula ionsappa en ly inc ease he sp ead o sunse imes by one hou , dec ease he sp ead o sun ise imes by
one hou . Also ime o se inc eases by one hou a e DST onse . The able also lis s he sample size o e e y
g oup o esponden s. N is he whole numbe o esponden s in g oup, Ns s ands o he numbe o summe
esponden s, Nw is he numbe o win e esponden s, Ns/Nw is he a io and
Nh
is he squa e oo o he
ha monic mean o Ns and Nw.
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he whole numbe o pe mu a ions (≈10N) and la ge enough o he pu pose. The p- alue will be he ac ion o
andom pe mu a ions which yields la ge de ia ions han he es ed seasonal alue, hus ques ioning whe he he
obse ed di e ence is seasonal o andom. Signi icance will be se a he s anda d le el α = 5%. This es will be
one- ailed o assess i s -o de s ochas ic o de ing.
I should be no iced ha o R, 1, 2 and 3 he seasonal de ia ion will compa e o − 1h i is gi en as a uni-
e sal ime and DST egula ions apply.
Fo he pu pose o compa ing samples wi h di e en sizes Rs − Rw will be scaled by a iance and sample size o
ge he Welch’s s a is ics o he de ia ions and Ps − Pw will be scaled by sample size o ge he Kolmogo o -Smi no
s a is ics o he de ia ions. In Supplemen a y ma e ial he ma hema ical amewo k is ho oughly desc ibed (see
Sec ion S.1).
he geophysical amewo k. Summe ime a angemen s a e ela ed o seasons, which a ises om he
obliqui y ε = 23.5° o Ea h’s o a ion axis ela i e o he e olu ion axis. Wi hou obliqui y he e would be no
seasons. The Sun would climb up o he same zeni h angle day a e day. Sun ises and sunse s will happen wi h a
ecu ence o T = 24h (Ea h’s o a ion pe iod) due Eas (dawn) and due Wes (dusk) yea ound.
Wi h non-ze o obliqui y e e y o hese magni udes change om da e o da e in a quan i y p esc ibed solely
by la i ude. Table1 lis s ime o se , la i ude φ, he sp ead o sun ise/sunse imes om summe o win e , and
he cosine o he sola zeni h angle a noon in win e θw and summe θs. Ins ead o he ba e angle θ, i s cosine is
a mo e sensi i e magni ude o unde s anding human beha io since insola ion is p opo ional o i . Figu e1
summa izes he sp ead o sun ise and sunse imes a ou ep esen a i e ci cles o la i ude helped by clocks wi h
24-H analog dial.
In Supplemen a y ma e ial (Sec ion S.2) he seasonal a ia ions a e ho oughly desc ibed.
No ice ha as pe DST egula ions, ime o se inc eases by one whole hou in sp ing, and se s back o he
alue lis ed in Table1 in au umn; he sp ead o sun ise appa en ly dec eases by one whole hou as measu ed local
ime, while he sp ead o sunse appa en ly inc eases by one whole hou .
Resul s
No malized seasonal di e ences o daily hy hms a e shown in Fig.2. As Supplemen a y Ma e ial seasonal daily
hy hms om which seasonal di e ences we e compu ed a e shown in Fig.S.3. The e, seasonal di e ences a e
usually ha d o isualize. Sleep/wake daily hy hm looks like a window unc ion showing he o e whelming
p e e ence o monophasic sleep —one con inued pe iod o sleep, ollowed by one con inued pe iod o wake pe
day— and a g ea deal o coo dina ion in he ansi ions, wi h he wake ied o sun ise and sleep de e mined by
homeos asis20. The only de ia ion om his beha io occu s in I aly and Spain; i is due o sies a, an a e noon,
sho ake o sleep. Labo daily hy hms a e no ably mo e complex.
Seasonal de ia ions in hi y daily hy hms a e shown in Fig.2. They a e a anged in 5 × 4 panels. On e e y
ow a ime use su ey is p esen ed; on e e y column a daily hy hm: sleep/wake in a week-day (g oups 1 and 2),
labo in a week-day (g oup 1) and hen he same o a week-end. Da ke lines e e o employees, ligh e lines
o non-employees. Sola epheme ides —sun ise, noon and sunse — a e no ed by do ed e ical lines and ange
om summe o win e alues.
Da ke ho izon al g ay bands highligh he egion whe e Welch’s - es would sus ain he null hypo hesis H0:
Rs(i) − Rw(i) = 0 a he s anda d le el o signi icance. Ligh e bands highligh he egion whe e 10−7 < p < α. As
Supplemen a y Ma e ial Fig.S.4 shows he co esponding alues p(i) o hese seasonal de ia ions, and Table2
epo s he occu ence o signi ican de ia ions p(i) < α in mo ning and a e noon hou s.
Likewise, Fig.3 (sleep/wake) and Fig.4 (labo ) show he no malized seasonal de ia ions o he s ochas ic a -
iables ob ained om each cycle. As Supplemen a y ma e ial Fig.S.5 (sleep/wake cycle) and Fig.S.6 (labo cycle)
Figu e 1. The seasonal cycle o ligh and da k depic ed in ou clocks wi h 24-H analog dial. Clocks a e
loca ed a ci cles o la i ude φ = 15°, 40°, 52°, 60°. E e y clock loca es mo ning hou s on he igh hal , om
0 (midnigh ) o 12 (noon); a e noon hou s (12–24), on he le hal . The equinoc ial nigh is loca ed on he
op hal , om 18 (sunse ) o 6 (sun ise) and he equinoc ial day ime, on he bo om hal . The ed ink displays
pe manen nigh , he yellow ink displays pe manen day ime, and he pink ink displays he egion whe e ligh
and da k al e na e seasonally. Poin z deno es summe sunse ; x, summe sun ise;Y, win e sunse ; w, win e
sun ise; and he numbe in wn anno a es hou s be o e win e sun ise. No ice ha w and z a e sepa a ed by
some 12h i espec i e o la i ude. Clock aces display mean sola ime and local ime a ime me idians. Time
o se —see Table1— mus be added o ind local ime alues o , al e na i ely, clock aces mus be u ned
coun e clockwise one deg ee pe e e y ou minu es o ime o se .
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show he seasonal sample cumula i e dis ibu ion unc ions om which seasonal di e ences we e compu ed; in
mos o he ci cums ances seasonal di e ences a e ha d o isualize.
Figu e3 displays one-hund ed seasonal de ia ions and Fig.4, i y. They a e a anged in 5 × 5 panels each
showing esul s om ou g oups (sleep/wake) and wo g oups (labo ). Ve ically, panels display he esul s o one
Figu e 2. No malized seasonal de ia ions
Δ= ⋅−KNRRs()/2
wsw ms
. Blueish inks display week-day
s a is ics (g oups 1 and 2). G eenish inks display week-end s a is ics (g oups 3 and 4). Da ke lines apply o
employees (g oups 1 and 3); ligh e lines o non-employees (g oups 2 and 4). The da ke ho izon al g ay band
highligh he egion whe e he Welch’s - es sus ains he null hypo hesis H0: Rs − Rw = 0 a he s anda d le el o
signi icance α = 5%. The ligh e ho izon al g ay bands highligh he egion 10−7 ≤ p < α. Fo ΔKw = 6 he p-
alue equals o 10−8.69. Ve ical lines show sola epheme ides (sun ise, noon and sunse ) in win e and summe
as measu ed in local ime. Da ke sun applies o summe .

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s ochas ic a iable: i s h ee columns display ime ma ks, las wo columns du a ions; along a ow panels display
he esul s o one ime use su ey. On e e y panel he ho izon al axis displays he a iable —ei he a local ime o
an elapsed ime— and he e ical axis displays he Kolmogo o -Smi no dis ance, see Eq. (S8).
As in Fig.2 blueish lines e e o week-day g oups; g eenish lines o week-end g oups; da ke lines e e o
employees; ligh e lines o non-employees. Finally, boxes loca e he i s , median and hi d qua ile o he dis ibu-
ions; and o ime-ma ks — h ee igh mos columns— he panel also displays sola epheme ides: sun ise, sunse
and noon in win e and summe ( e ical do ed lines).
Unlike in Fig.2, he di ec ion o de ia ions in Figs.3 and 4 is easy o add ess: posi i e excu sions (Ps > Pw)
indica e ha he summe dis ibu ion ad ances ela i e o he win e dis ibu ion: ea lie imes o ime-ma ks,
sho e du a ions o elapsed imes. Nega i e excu sions (Ps <Pw) indica e he opposi e. One single peak usually
indica es a shi in he mean o he dis ibu ions.
The da ke g ay band highligh s he egion whe e he null hypo hesis H0: Ps − Pw = 0 would sus ain a he
s anda d le el o signi icance i he dis ibu ion we e con inuous, which was ne e he case he e. The ligh e g ay
s ip highligh he egion whe e 10−7 < p < α s ill in he con inuous case.
Table3 lis s he occu ences o he ou possible ou comes o he one- ailed pe mu a ion es : Ps = Pw,
Ps ≠ Pw, Ps > Pw, and Ps < Pw. A sco e is ob ained a e assigning +1 o Ps > Pw, −1 o Ps < Pw and 0 o he wise. As
Supplemen a y ma e ial TableS.1 (sleep/wake) and TableS.2 (labo ) lis he esul s o he pe mu a ion es o
e e y o he 100 (sleep/wake) and 50 (labo ) analyses.
The occu ence o ou comes o he es on he a e age alues Es − Ew is no di e en om esul s in Table3
sa e o he ac ha inequali ies a e shi ed: Ps > Pw leads o Es < Ew and con e sely. As Supplemen a y ma e ial
TableS.3 (sleep/wake cycle) and TableS.4 (labo cycle) lis s he esul s o e e y o he analyses. P obabili y di e -
ences Ps(i) − Pw(i) — e ical di e ences in Fig.S.5— can be ansposed in o quan ile o “ho izon al” di e ences.
As Supplemen a y ma e ial and o he sake o comple eness TableS.5 (sleep/wake) and TableS.6 (labo ) lis
qua ile di e ences.
Discussion
Figu e2 highligh s he s abili y o he labo cycle in week-days —column 2— and week-ends —column 4—.
Seasonal de ia ions seldom climb up o 2 and he null hypo hesis H0: Rs(i) − Rw(i) = 0 is seldom ejec ed a he
s anda d le el o signi icance, see Table2. Labo cycle in a week-end (g oup 3) is sligh ly mo e p one o seasonal
al e a ions, al hough i mus be aken in o accoun ha week-end labo cycle di e s signi ican ly om week-day
labo cycle, see Fig.S.3 and ha sample sizes a e smalle in g oup 3 by a ac o anging om 2 o 8, see Table1.
In he same way Fig.4 displays modes seasonal de ia ions in a iables ela ed o he labo cycle, which do
no b eak he null hypo hesis H0: Ps − Pw = 0 (see Table3) a he s anda d le el o signi icance as deduced om a
pe mu a ion es o size M = 107. Also i is seldom he case ha he null hypo hesis H0: Es − Ew = 0 (see TableS.4)
is ejec ed. The e o e labo cycle is equally dis ibu ed h ough seasons in en i onmen s unde DST egula ions.
The s abili y o he labo cycle is p obably he main silen goal and he main ou come o summe ime egu-
la ions. Indeed ime egula ions ha e always been aimed owa ds social li e, o which wo king hou s is one o i s
mos signi ican examples.
I is a ques ion o unde s and he seasonal de ia ions in he labo cycle o coun ies wi h he same deg ee
o social de elopmen , la i ude and no exposed o seasonal clock changing. The ob ious choices would be
ΔKw b eakdown
G oup 1 G oup 2 G oup 3 G oup 4
All g oups
Mon-F i Mon-F i Sa -Sun Sa -Sun
employees non-employees employees non-employees
p < αam/pm am/pm am/pm am/pm o al
Sleep/wake
G ea B i ain 17/20 16/16 4/4 31/3 111
F ance 14/21 13/11 31/24 7/21 142
I aly 16/17 7/26 11/19 43/32 171
Spain 6/44 13/48 0/26 18/39 194
Uni ed S a es 21/44 12/34 7/15 45/24 202
Labo
G ea B i ain 13/0 22/2 37
F ance 0/3 48/16 67
I aly 31/4 6/1 42
Spain 10/9 2/13 34
Uni ed S a es 4/7 1/4 16
Table 2. B eakdown o s a is ically signi ican de ia ions in ΔKw a e a Welch’s - es o unequal a iance was
pe o med. Signi icance is aken a he s anda d le el α = 5%. E e y g oup o esponden s spli s occu ences
in mo ning/a e noon (am/pm) indexes. The emaining indexes up o a o al o 72/72 sus ained he null
hypo hesis H0: Rs(i) − Rw(i) = 0. The igh -mos column lis he whole numbe o excu sions p < α, om a o al
o 4N0 = 576 (sleep/wake) and 2N0 = 288 (labo ) analysis. In Spain am/pm di ide was se a 1 pm local ime, see
ime o se in Table1.
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he Republic o Ko ea and Japan. I espec i e o ha he so es conclusion o he p eceding esul s is ha he
labo cycle ole a es a seasonal shi o i s phase equal o one hou in he di ec ion p esc ibed by he egula ions
(ad ance in sp ing, delay in au umn). I is ou o he scope o his manusc ip o co ela e his p ac ice wi h eco-
nomic ou comes like he G oss Domes ic P oduc .
On i s way he sleep/wake cycle is mo e signi ican ly al e ed and i does so in di e en ways. Figu e2 —col-
umns 1 and 3— su ices o unde s and his idea: ΔKw climbs up o 4 o 6, some ime owa ds he posi i e side,
some ime owa ds he nega i e side, and excu sions p(i) < α a e mo e equen , see Table2. I is also wo hy o
men ion ha excu sions weigh on he a e noon, which makes sense aking in o accoun he di ec ion o DST
egula ions, which pushes o s abilizing mo ning imes only. Finally Table3 lis s occu ences o s ochas ic dom-
inance in he sleep/wake cycle and in he labo cycle, and p o ides a sco e: di e ences among bo h cycles a e sel
e iden , wi h he sleep/wake cycle hea ily exhibi ing s ochas ic dominance and labo cycle eluc an o ha .
Figu e 3. No malized seasonal de ia ions
Δ= ⋅−KNPP()
ks hsw
o he s ochas ic a iables ela ed o he
sleep/wake cycle. Along a ow a ime use su ey is shown, along a column one a iable is shown. Blueish lines
show week-day esponden s. G eenish lines show week-end esponden s. Da ke lines show employees; ligh e
lines, non-employees. Boxes loca e i s , second and hi d qua iles o he dis ibu ions. Fo sided es s on
con inuous samples, which is ne e he case he e, he da ke ho izon al g ay band highligh s he egion whe e
p < α; he ligh e band, he egion 10−7 < p < α; and o ΔKks = 6 he p- alue equals 10−15.7. In he le mos h ee
columns e ical do ed lines loca e sola epheme ides —sun ise, noon, sunse — in win e and summe .
Da kes sun applies o summe .
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Vi ually e e y sleep/wake cycle in Fig.2 is signaling a la ge excu sion by he ime o summe sunse , when he
pe manen nigh begins. Since, by hen, he daily hy hm is dec easing as mo e people is coming o bed, and he
excu sion goes owa ds he posi i e side, a delay in Rs is obse ed o Rs ades ou la e as a esul o la e sunse s.
In he mo ning, smalle bu s ill posi i e excu sions a e obse ed in some g oups, no ably in he week-end.
They occu in he ange when ligh and da k seasonally al e na e. Since, by hen, he daily hy hm is up ising, as
mo e people is ge ing up, he posi i e excu sion is now signaling an ad ance in Rs, which soa s ea lie .
Figu e3 shows hese esul s in he o m o p obabili y dis ibu ions. He e sleep onse has gene ally a nega-
i e excu sion, which leads o s ochas ic dominance Ps < Pw o Ps delays, while sleep o se display he opposi e
dominance Ps > Pw, o Ps ad ances. Table3 p o ides a summa y o his obse a ion: sleep o se ge s a posi i e
(ad anced) sco e; sleep onse , a nega i e nega i e (delayed) sco e.
As o du a ions a e conce ned, sleep ime and noc u nal sleep (onse o o se ime) mo e han o en dec eases
as a esul o ela i ely delayed sleep onse and sligh ly ad anced sleep o se . Bo h elapsed imes ge posi i e
(dec ease) sco es in Table3. Likewise he cen e o g a i y ends o delay only in a ew cases.
No ma e how s a is ically signi ican any o hese de ia ions can be, hey ha e li le signi icance in a e age
alues as seen in TableS.3: Es − Ew lie in he ange o ew minu es, much smalle han he size o clock changing
and he sp ead o sun ise ime and sunse ime. In he same way, qua ile di e ences a e mos equen ly equal o
less han one ime slo o en minu es, see TableS.5.
Figu e 4. Same as Fig.3 bu o he s ochas ic a iables ela ed o he labo cycle.
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No wi hs anding all his he ac ha sleep o se and sleep onse seasonal de ia ions a e opposi e mus be u -
he discussed in ela ion o he impac o DST. I sleep onse and sleep o se had go he same ype o s ochas ic
dominance —be ha an ad ance o a delay— hen i could be a gued ha he size o he seasonal change is oo
small —i bo h ended o ad anced, ampli ying he ad ance o clock ime— o oo la ge —i bo h ended o delay,
igh ing agains he ad ance o clock ime. Ei he way socie ies would be exp essing a global p e e ence o push-
ing o pulling he sleep/wake cycle. Wi h s ochas ic dominance leaning in opposi e di ec ions such a p e e ence
can no be iden i ied and DST can no be easily challenged. Indeed hey a e showing ha sun ise and sunse s ill
impac human beha iou , e en a e ha ing al e ed clocks, and ha he sleep/wake cycle is no misaligned by he
egula ions.
Since DST ad ances clocks only in sp ing, delays hem only in au umn, hus pushing o s abilizing sun ise
imes as measu ed local ime, mo ning esul s mus be u he discussed. As o he labo cycle is conce ned he
poin o no e is ha DST does no p e en employe s and employees om delaying hei iming a e he sp ing
ansi ion o om ad ancing hei iming a e he au umn ansi ion. Howe e esul s show ha his is seldom
he case. Also i is seldom he case ha hey need a u he ad ance in sp ing, o a u he delay in win e . In iew
o ha all, da a show seasonal egula ions o ime ope a e imely, easing he p e e ence o ea lie imes in summe
and he p e e ence o la e imes in win e . I also does so wi h a high deg ee o coo dina ion.
As o he sleep/wake cycle is conce ned he g oup mos p one o ee p e e ences —non-employees in a
week-end, g oup 4— exhibi s he la ges shi o sleep o se in summe wi h Ps > Pw in he i e su eys (see
Tables3 and S.1 in Supplemen a y Ma e ial). His o ically win e ime and win e ac i i y is aken as he no mal,
since ansi ions we e i s se on sp ing. Upon his iew, esul s sugges ha i ually no esponden in he su -
eys wan s o delay summe mo ning du ies, whe eas a numbe o people pushes o an ad ance in summe , e en
hough local ime was al eady ad anced by ime egula ions. This is compa ible wi h he spon aneous p e e ence
o pe manen summe ime in polls30, since he p ima y ou come o win e pe manen ime would be a delay in
summe human ac i i y i no hing else changes.
Wi h only i e su eys, he impac o la i ude in seasonal beha io can only be ske ched wi h some cau ion.
The mos appa en esul is epo ed in Table2: he occu ence o signi ican de ia ions (p(i) < α) in he sleep/
wake cycle inc eases wi h dec easing la i ude. In Figs.2 and 3 his is no ed by he s abili y o sleep/wake cycles in
G ea B i ain o F ance compa ed o hose elsewhe e, e en hough he sp ead o sun ise and sunse imes is la ge
he highe he la i ude. These esul s a e in acco dance wi h he impac o la i ude in pe iods o low calling ac i i y
in mobile phone da a o a la ge numbe (N ~ 106) o indi iduals o sho ange o la i udes18 (φ = {37°, 40°, 42.5°},
see Fig.2 in he Re e ence). The e he lowes la i ude showed he s onges seasonal a ia ions in he pe iods.
Coun s
G oup 1 G oup 2 G oup 3 G oup 4
All G oupsMon-F i employees Mon-F i non-employees Sa -Sun non-employees Sa -Sun employees
Ps↔PwSco e Ps↔PwSco e Ps↔PwSco e Ps↔PwSco e Ps↔PwSco e
< = ≠ > < = ≠ > < = ≠ > < = ≠ > < = ≠ >
Sleep o se 2 2 0 1 −0.2 1 2 1 1 0.0 0 3 0 2 +0.4 0 0 0 5 +1.0 3 7 1 9 +0.3
Cen e o
g a i y 3 2 0 0 −0.6 3 2 0 0 −0.60401+0.2 0 4 0 1 +0.2 6 12 0 2 −0.2
Sleep onse 4 1 0 0 −0.8 4 1 0 0 −0.82300−0.4 4 1 0 0 −0.5 14 6 0 0 −0.7
Onse o
o se 0 1 0 4 +0.8 1 0 1 3 +0.40104+0.8 0 0 0 5 +1.0 1 2 1 16 +0.8
Sleep ime 0 2 0 3 +0.6 1 2 0 2 +0.20302+0.4 0 0 0 5 +1.0 1 7 0 12 +0.6
All combined 9 8 0 8 0.0 10 7 2 6 −0.2 2 14 0 9 +0.3 4 5 0 16 +0.5 25 34 2 39 +0.1
Labo onse 0 4 0 1 +0.2 0302+0.4 0 7 0 3 +0.3
Cen e o
g a i y 0 5 0 0 0.0 0 5 0 0 0.0 0 10 0 0 0.0
Labo o se 0 5 0 0 0.0 0 5 0 0 0.0 0 10 0 0 0.0
Onse o
o se 0 50 00.0 2300−0.4 2 8 0 0 −0.2
Labo ime 0 50 00.0 2300−0.4 2 8 0 0 −0.2
All combined 0 24 0 1 0.0 4 19 0 2 −0.1 4 43 0 3 0.0
Su ey Sleep/Wake Labo
< = ≠ > Sco e < = ≠ > Sco e
G ea B i ain 3 12 0 5 +0.1 2701−0.1
F ance 5 5 2 8 +0.1 2701−0.1
I aly 5 7 0 8 +0.1 0 901+0.1
Spain 5 6 0 9 +0.2 0 10 0 0 0.0
Uni ed S a es 7 4 0 9 +0.1 0 10 0 0 0.0
All combined 25 34 2 39 +0.1 4 43 0 3 0.0
Table 3. Occu ences o hypo heses Ps > Pw, Ps ≠ Pw, Ps = Pw and Ps < Pw a e a pe mu a ion es o size M = 107
in he seasonal indexes was pe o med. De ailed esul s a e shown as Supplemen a y ma e ial in TablesS.1 and
S.2. The sco e is ob ained a e assigning +1, 0, 0, −1 o each ou come and scaling by he whole numbe o es s.