Our Body Clock May Determine Who Wins The Game

Our hopes and aspirations could be influenced by luck. Similarly, they could also be influenced by how much sleep we get the night before, which is particularly true for athletes.

New findings published in the journal Current Biology examine just how important adequate rest is when it comes to physical feats and winning.

Researchers found that the performance of competition-level athletes varied over the course of the day by as much as 26 percent. Those who naturally preferred to sleep in typically performed better later in the day than the early birds.

"If a one percent difference in performance can make the difference between 1st place and 4th place in a 100 meter race and actually win you the gold medal at the Olympics, then imagine what a 26 percent difference in your performance could give you," said Roland Brandstaetter from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, in a news release. "Our research takes us away from the idea of 'time of day of the race' and directs us more to internal biological time."

In other words, if your circadian rhythm is off--more commonly referred to as the body clock--it could make a huge difference.

For the study, researchers examined the circadian phenotypes on more than 120 athletes. They then selected 20 athletes who represented early, intermediate and late types--testing their cardiovascular endurance in a standard fitness test six times a day.

The results were greatly varied based on the time of the day and the individual. The best predictor of how an individual would do greatly depended on the time elapsed between performance and when they naturally woke up without an alarm clock.

The findings "leave no doubt that the correct determination of an athlete's personal best performance requires consideration of circadian phenotype, performance evaluation at different times of day, and analysis of performance as a function of time since entrained awakening," the researchers concluded.

"Obtaining a personal best performance is on everyone's agenda, but how to do it, now that is a different question," Facer-Childs added

Previous studies have shown that an off-balance of our body clocks can increase the risk of certain health problems and even cancer, in more severe cases. For individuals working night shifts, these health issues may be of concern as well as an increased risk of an overall sedentary lifestyle and obesity.

Analyzing circadian expression is, indeed, a bit of a science in itself. If you're struggling with bouts of insomnia or night shifts at your job, talk with your doctor about how diet, exercise and relaxation techniques can help change your life.

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