Wrist activity in a woman: daily, weekly, menstrual, lunar, annual cycles?
Wrist activity was monitored continuously for one year in a woman who went about her normal life. The year of data were analyzed for changes and rhythms--daily, weekly, menstrual, lunar, annual. For each day, average motions/5 minutes, activity onset, activity offset, alpha (duration of activity), and acrophase were measured. Periodograms and average daily wave forms were calculated. Well-defined, entrained, daily rest-activity cycles were observed throughout the year with periods close to 24 hours. There was weekend delay (0.7 hours) in onset, weekend decrease in alpha (1.0 hours), and weekend advance of acrophase (0.4 hours). Motions/5 minutes decreased 9%, onsets were 0.3 hours later, and alphas were 0.4 hours shorter on menstrual cycle days 8 through 18 which should have encompassed the time of ovulation. Lunar phase had no effect. Annual changes in onset (1.1 hours), offset (1.2 hours), and acrophase (1.1 hours) were attributed to the 1-hour change between standard and daylight savings time.
Binkley
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Biology Department, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122.
D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016081:Moon; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010507:Periodicity; D014953:Wrist / Q000502:physiology*