Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-04
Why People
Ca1tHe|p Being
Night Owls


- working later in the day because If they start early
they will only spend their first few hours warming up
and doing nothing Night owls" don't like to go to bed
early don't like to get up early and prefer working the
night shift
Nor is this division between night owls" and early
risers matter Of temperament illusion 1t has scien
tc basis and that basis is Of body temperature Late
risers don't up until late in the day
These are the conclusions Of Or. Nathan Keitman.
Professor of Physiology at the University Of Chicago and
his assistant and coworter DR. a Ramsaroop DR. Kleit
has been studying what he calls the cycles sleep
and wakeness for nearly 20 TO find out how long
people stay up and what sleep requirements and
less sleep requirements mean 10 people.
This business working better night in the day
time particular interest today according DR. Keit
because of increased production Many workers who
used 10 be on day shifts VIII be changed 70 night shifts
wherever schedules require IT, But DR.. Kletman
eves that these changes should not be made hurredy
a who has become accustomed working days
can not easily shift 70 nights and vice
Human beings adapt themselves to a routine Of ex-
istence that involves definite schedule of hours
which devoted respectively to work meals amusement
and sleep explains DR. Kletman. Different human be
ings adopt altogether different routnes and easy
that the Broadway night clubber would find
easy 10 get up and milk the any than the
farmer would find ii easy 70 watch strp-tease act
a cafe until the small hours Of the morning
individual gets accustomed to a definite routine
of his daily life that correspondence with his
working hours certain efficiency curve is established and
maintained This Of performance is parallel TO the
body temperature curve.
THE relation between the ability 10 work and the
temperature Of the body something like this
ting the morning both the body temperature
rate Of performance low and this that untl
the body literally warns up there is not much VIII 70
work AS the body temperature Increases the ability for
doing something also the upgrade and this goes
until both characteristics reach what call peak
plateau in the early late afternoon After that the
goes downward again get a low point
fore the individual puts up for the day and to bed for
the night"
DR. Kleitman has found possible to follow persons
adaptation his daily routine determining the type and
degree stability his daily temperature
If up until two o'clock in the afternoon.
he has been accustomed 10 late hour schedule and IT
good 20 take him off thisvwith0ut hOtice
Workers who have spent many years Of their lives
daytime working hours liable to show great neffi-
cheney If they made work night particularly
by the system Of rotating shifts they not
opportunity to adapt themselves to change in their
tine by gradual methods
Since it takes in some cases weeks judging
by the daily bodytemperature to adapt
ones self schedule and maintain ones efficiency
the time the idea of changing the working hours
every week means that all such workers
stany kept in the transition stage from one routine TO
another with the edge held by the usual daytime working
hour routine. That is why workers dislike the night shift
and accidents then.
The remedy is simply less frequent rotation" went
Dr. Kletman once in several months is enough 10
change instead several days All workers
Will sl equal share of work at unusual hours
the time they will be given chance TO adap,
themselves given work meals recreationsleep routine
further suggestion 10 organize the daily lives Of
the workers areas that they and their families
and friends their social activities adjusted the
particular schedule OF hourSfor instance nave
lectures in the morning and afternoon and not only
night Saturday matnees.
THE only way develop sound routine fC. workers
where physiology is taken is to do with
the understanding and cooperation Of the themselves
not1ust by changing shifts every few days II is
portant remember that people just cannot warm
up later and that all people require periods IN which
they can gradually adjust their bodies from day time
to a night time schedule and versa
And in a series of tests Or Kleitman found that in
general there was the mental agility early in
morning and night and the most in the middle
the day although night owls made the best marks late
at night body temperature always corresponded with
the performance curve.