Does chronotype explain daily timing of music behaviors?

Area of Science:

• Chronobiology
• Music Psychology
• Sleep Science

Background:

• Circadian rhythms influence daily activities.
• Musicians often perform late at night.
• Chronotype differences between performing and non-performing musicians are underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate chronotype in musicians and non-musicians.
• Examine the relationship between chronotype and music-making timing.
• Assess pandemic-related disruptions to musical and sleep habits.

Main Methods:

• Online daily activity and sleep diaries (7-day duration).
• Participants: performing musicians, active musicians, inactive musicians, non-musicians.
• Data collected in Summer 2020, including COVID-19 impact.

Main Results:

• Active/performing musicians tended to be earlier chronotypes.
• Chronotype predicted music-making time: earlier chronotypes made music earlier.
• Music activity timing remained stable despite COVID-19, though amounts decreased.

Conclusions:

• Performing musicians may be earlier chronotypes than non-performers.
• Individual circadian rhythms (chronotype) dictate music-making times.
• Pandemic altered sleep and social habits but not the timing of music activities.