Biomaterial Database

Circadian rhythms in human performance. 1979

J Rutenfranz, and W P Colquhoun

Institute of Work Physiology at the University of Dortmund, Federal Republic of Germany.

Circadian rhythms in performance exist for a wide range of tasks studied under laboratory conditions; they also occur in measures of efficiency obtained in real-life situations. The rhythms appear to be related to the daily cycle of sleep "need", and the largest negative variations in performance are normally observed when this need is greatest. The detailed forms of the circadian functions are influenced to some extent by individual differences in age and personality. However, task factors are of equal, if not greater, importance in determining the nature of a performance rhythm, since its basic phase is markedly different in cases involving memory. This latter finding raises the practical problem of job design in relation to time of day, and a taxonomic approach is suggested as the most fruitful way of arriving at the optimal solution for particular work situations requiring different abilities.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011597	Psychomotor Performance	The coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity.	Perceptual Motor Performance,Sensory Motor Performance,Visual Motor Coordination,Coordination, Visual Motor,Coordinations, Visual Motor,Motor Coordination, Visual,Motor Coordinations, Visual,Motor Performance, Perceptual,Motor Performance, Sensory,Motor Performances, Perceptual,Motor Performances, Sensory,Perceptual Motor Performances,Performance, Perceptual Motor,Performance, Psychomotor,Performance, Sensory Motor,Performances, Perceptual Motor,Performances, Psychomotor,Performances, Sensory Motor,Psychomotor Performances,Sensory Motor Performances,Visual Motor Coordinations
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012890	Sleep	A readily reversible suspension of sensorimotor interaction with the environment, usually associated with recumbency and immobility.	Sleep Habits,Sleeping Habit,Sleeping Habits,Habit, Sleep,Habit, Sleeping,Habits, Sleep,Habits, Sleeping,Sleep Habit
D014937	Work	Productive or purposeful activities.