Circadian rhythms are cyclical changes that recur regularly over an approximately 24-hour cycle. They are a type of biological rhythm affecting many aspects of human life and should not be confused with ‘biorhythms’, a theory which has little scientific support.
Circadian rhythms ranging from cellular and tissue processes to whole-body functions, have been demonstrated in volunteers kept in experimentally controlled conditions (e.g. constant temperature and light). One of the best known circadian rhythms is the daily change in body core temperature. We tend to be at our coolest in the early morning and at our warmest in the late afternoon and early evening. Other circadian rhythms include arm and leg strength, heart rate, metabolic rate, wakefulness, and flexibility. It is not surprising, therefore, that the ability to perform many physical activities also follows a circadian rhythm. Several studies show that runners, cyclists, and swimmers perform best in the afternoon and early evening. In most cases (but by no means all) they performed better in the late afternoon (4.30 p.m.-5.30 p.m) than in the morning for both aerobic and anaerobic exercises of short to moderate duration. The peak probably corresponds to the time when body temperature is highest since muscles work better when warm. Although the variations in performance were usually small (3 per cent either side of the average), they can make a difference between the success and failure of athletes attempting to break records. Not all sports share the same circadian rhythm. Fencers, for example, seem to perform better in the middle of the day, perhaps because their sport demands mental skills which peak around noon. The results on endurance exercises have been less clear. Some studies have reported that peak performances occur later in the day, but others have shown no clear association between time of day and performance.
Circadian rhythms may be affected by personality and altered by environmental factors such as sleeplessness and travel. Introverts tend to perform better in the morning than extroverts. In addition, the circadian rhythms may be modified by the way people phase their normal habitual activities. Those who prefer to work in the morning (so-called ‘larks’ or morning types) may perform better early in the day than those who normally prefer to work in the evenings (‘owls’ or evening types). Long-distance travel to different time zones can alter circadian rhythms and impair sporting performance. Pistol shooters travelling from Britain to New Zealand took eight days to regain form.
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Funny thing is that I'm an introvert that hates mornings... but according to the above article the statements are correct... because I hate mornings, and am introverted, I am more likely to wander off and work by myself, absorbing myself in my work to try and get through the hateful mornings... thus I could be considered to 'preform better' in the mornings due to the fact I hate mornings and am introverted. Later in the day when I start feeling a little better, I will become slightly less introverted, thus my performance diminishes somewhat as I become a little more social and spend less time absorbed totally in my work.
Interesting... think I'll start a new thread...
I'd give hugs, but I already got three people sick in less than a week that I work with just by being in close proximity to them while working... this cold is very nasty and highly infectious. My head feels like a balloon :S
