Seasonal changes of human circadian rhythms in Antarctica

The human circadian rhythms in sleep, activity, plasma melatonin, and rectal temperature were explored under two conflicting time cues in Antarctica: an extreme photoperiod and a strict work schedule. The nine healthy male subjects stayed at the Antarctic zone (latitude 66.5-90 degrees south) for 15 mo including a 13-mo wintering at the Dome station (latitude 77 degrees south). Neither the phases nor the amounts of sleep and daily activity underwent a seasonal change. On the other hand, the peak phase of melatonin rhythm was phase delayed by 4.1 h in winter compared with summer. When the analysis is limited to the Dome data, the seasonal difference was reduced to 1.3 h. Similarly the trough phase of rectal temperature rhythm in two of three subjects was phase delayed by approximately 2 h in winter. From these findings, the sleep or activity rhythm is concluded to be reset predominantly by the work schedule, whereas the circadian rhythm in plasma melatonin and rectal temperature is substantially influenced by the photoperiod.