Sleep onset and morning awakening time tended to occur later in participants with irregular sleep compared to participants with regular sleep. Participants with irregular sleep also tended to engage in more daytime sleeping than participants with regular sleep.

Irregular Sleep and Sleep Timing

Irregular sleepers had less exposure to light during the day compared to regular sleepers. Irregular sleepers also had a smaller difference between the amount of light they were exposed to during the day and during the night. This suggests that the circadian rhythms of irregular sleepers is delayed.

Irregular Sleep and Light/Dark Cycle

Someone with irregular sleep would sleep and wake at random times.

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Sleep regularity refers to whether a person sleeps and wakes at a consistent time. 

Sleep Regularity

Phillips, A. J. K., Clerx, W. M., O’Brien, C. S. et al. Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing. Sci Rep 7, 3216 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-03171-4

Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing

Regular sleep means going to bed and waking up at about the same times every day, including weekends, so the biological clock stays in sync and the body develops a nightly sleep habit.

Regular Sleep

Irregular Sleep

Researchers have found no correlation between how long a person sleeps and the regularity of their sleep. Regular and irregular sleepers were found to have similar sleep durations.

Sleep Regularity and Sleep Duration

Sleep regularity is positively correlated with academic performance. Participants with regular sleep tended to have higher GPAs than participants with irregular sleep. 

Learn Before

Related

Learn After