Now a British sleep researcher at Oxford University has proposed a radical-sounding idea to treat the student populations he’s been studying, which may carry over into the 9-5 world: staggering starting times for schools to sync better with students’ natural biological rhythms.
The researcher, Dr. Paul Kelley, has published findings indicating that waking up at 6:30 a.m. is normal if you’re a 10-year-old (or a 50-something adult, for that matter), but older adolescents have an internal clock that would be better served by a later start to the school day. Kelley says the average sleep loss for 14-24-year-olds is more than two hours per night. This tapers as individuals age, up to about age 55, where so-called circadian rhythms are once again in balance.
Thus a 10-year-old student and a 55-year-old working professional are on similar body times. That’s why, according to Kelley, the traditional 9-5 workday is so ingrained for older workers.
His solution? Companies could stagger working hours for employees according to their ages, much like he recommends for schools. Older workers 50+ could report at 8:00 a.m., he says, while 30-somethings could start their day at 10:00, with younger interns coming in around 11:00. Staffers’ performance, mood and health could show a marked improvement; to say nothing of potentially lower health insurance premiums for employers.