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impossibly_curious t1_isy81q6 wrote

There are other sources but there was this study done on circadian rhythm. It was conducted in a cave and the findings pointed to humans (or at least the one in this experiment) having closer to a 48 hour day when devoid of clocks ot sunlight. source

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redmonkees t1_isyjcf7 wrote

Kind of sort of. It was a misleading study and didn’t fully understand the mechanisms behind sleep. They were devoid of sunlight, but not light altogether. They still used artificial light, which disrupted the degradation of proteins in the circadian clock which normally would signal you to sleep during periods of darkness. They essentially deprived their bodies of sleep by extending the period where the signal to stay up (light) was present. While a 48 hour period can be entrained, biological assays have shown that there is still a biologically maintained free running period of around 25 hours throughout the body. This is present in almost all diurnal organisms (organisms that are active during the day). Nocturnal organisms tend to have a free running period closer to 23 hours. Both of these have been observed in environments completely devoid of all light, and also in blind humans with complete enucleation (lack of eyeballs), who are unable to have any photo reception. The 48 hour period works because it is a natural multiple of 24, and allows some synchronicity with biological functions throughout the body that were determined by the 25 hour free running circadian clock. While we can function under those conditions, and will entrain to that period, by no means is our biological determined sleep cycle specifically 48 hours.

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impossibly_curious t1_isylo1g wrote

For sure, this isn't my favorite study mostly due to the sample size. I do think however, this may be one of the most relevant studies to answer or at least offer some understanding to OP's question. Personally I find anything having to do with societal conditioning vs. what our bodies actually need super fascinating.

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FatSpidy t1_iszeq6l wrote

Is there more information on this? I've always had issues with sleep and have determined my rhythm is between 27 and 36 with the solstice and equinox having the largest sway of insomniac and especially heavy sleeping.

I'm tempted to relate it to my severe MDD but with no income it's impossible to see a doctor of any variety it seems, so all self-research and testing. I'm leaning this way as for instance I can end up having more than 36hrs a cycle but never less than 24 due to being awake especially long with either especially long sleep along with not being able to return to sleep ever unless I'm especially exhausted.

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