Author ORCID Identifier
Samuel Christensen: 0000-0002-3751-4895
Yitong Huang: 0000-0002-5200-8077
Olivia J. Walch: 0000-0002-7881-6910
Daniel B. Forger: 0000-0001-7581-4031
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-28-2020
Publication Title
Plos Computational Biology
Abstract
Which suggestions for behavioral modifications, based on mathematical models, are most likely to be followed in the real world? We address this question in the context of human circadian rhythms. Jet lag is a consequence of the misalignment of the body’s internal circadian (~24-hour) clock during an adjustment to a new schedule. Light is the clock’s primary synchronizer. Previous research has used mathematical models to compute light schedules that shift the circadian clock to a new time zone as quickly as possible. How users adjust their behavior when provided with these optimal schedules remains an open question. Here, we report data collected by wearables from more than 100 travelers as they cross time zones using a smartphone app, Entrain. We find that people rarely follow the optimal schedules generated through mathematical modeling entirely, but travelers who better followed the optimal schedules reported more positive moods after their trips. Using the data collected, we improve the optimal schedule predictions to accommodate real-world constraints. We also develop a scheduling algorithm that allows for the computation of approximately optimal schedules "on-the-fly" in response to disruptions. User burnout may not be critically important as long as the first parts of a schedule are followed. These results represent a crucial improvement in making the theoretical results of past work viable for practical use and show how theoretical predictions based on known human physiology can be efficiently used in real-world settings.
Volume
16
Issue
12 December
DOI
10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008445
ISSN
1553734X
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Rights
© 2020 Christensen et al.
Recommended Citation
Christensen, Samuel; Huang, Yitong; Walch, Olivia J.; and Forger, Daniel B., "Optimal Adjustment of the Human Circadian Clock in the Real World" (2020). Mathematics Sciences: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/mth_facpubs/193
Comments
Archived as published.