Search

Diurnal preferences refers to one's preference of performing timely activities where one may prefer for late timings and the other for earlier, which account for their chronotype that is controlled partly by genetic factors and are also influenced by environmental factors. Individual's circadian preference can be drawn using questionnaire tools as well as can be externally validated by studying various physiological parameters that has a rhythmicity. Determination of chronotype is well studied worldwide but mostly in European and American countries. Asia being the largest continent, comprising so many countries still did not have widespread studies over chronotype assessment and its implications. This review aims at jotting down the available literature regarding the chronotype evaluation and the various contributing factors in Asian perspectives such that there can be huge cross-cultural studies emphasizing environmental, geographical differences, lifestyle habits, work schedule, and other contributing factors regarding the understanding of circadian preference of humans, which is really hard to define. The dearth in studies regarding diurnal preferences and physiological altercations, which is in turn influenced by the work schedule and the resultant sleep-wake pattern disorientation, needs further investigation worldwide and this available literature may put some light in the path of future research scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morningness-eveningness or circadian typology can be viewed as an interesting aspect of individual differences. Morningness-eveningness is a preference for a given time of day for physical or mental performance, but also reflects aspects of affect. Here, we used seven different measures to assess differences in morningness-eveningness between Germany, Slovakia and India. The hypothesis was that Indians should be earliest chronotypes, followed by Slovakia and then Germany, because of higher temperatures in India, and the fact that Slovakia is located farther east compared to Germany. We applied the Composite Scale of Morningness ( CSM), the Circadian Energy Scale ( CIRENS), the CAEN Chronotype Questionnaire ( CCQ), and habitual sleep-wake variables to calculate sleep duration, midpoint of sleep and social jetlag. Sample sizes were N = 300 (Germany), N = 482 (Slovakia) and N = 409 (India). Country had the strongest influence on morningness-eveningness. Germans were latest chronotypes and differed in all seven measures from Indians but differed from Slovakians only in the energy level at the evening and midpoint of sleep. Slovakians and Indians differed in all measures but the energy level ( CIRENS). Women scored higher on the CSM, lower on CIRENS, lower on the morningness-eveningness ( ME) scale, but higher on distinctness ( DI) scale. Women slept longer and had an earlier midpoint of sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduced version of the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ) is widely used to study morningness orientation. The fuzzy analysis helps mapping outputs of the questionnaire irrespective of linguistic and cross-cultural aspects in an efficient manner. In the present study, the rMEQ was administered to a convenience sample of university students (N?=?2660) in four different countries and responses have been quantified by using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system for the cross-cultural comparison and then the quantified values are used to construct the proposed model. The cross-country fuzzy morningness value showed that environmental temperature has definite influence on morningness orientation but other factors may also have a role. The developed model can be universally used to analyse the morning–evening orientation of people more precisely without cross-language and cross-cultural biases and it would become a potential tool for interpretation of morningness scores and counselling of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]