Circadian Rhythms, Sleep and Cognitive Skills: Evidence from an Unsleeping Giant

43 Pages Posted: 7 Mar 2016

See all articles by Osea Giuntella

Osea Giuntella

University of Oxford

Wei Han

University of Oxford - Blavatnik School of Government

Fabrizio Mazzonna

Insitute of Economics (IdEP), Università della Svizzera Italiana; Munich Center for the Economics of Ageing (MEA)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effects of sleep duration on cognitive skills and depression symptoms of older workers in China. Cognitive skills and mental health have been associated with sleep duration and are known to be strongly related to economic behavior and performance. However, causal evidence is lacking and little is known about sleep deprivation in developing countries. We exploit the relationship between circadian rhythms and bedtime to identify the effects of sleep using sunset time as an instrument. Using the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we show that a later sunset time reduces significantly sleep duration and that sleep duration increases cognitive skills and eases depression symptoms of workers aged over 45 years. The results are driven by employed individuals living in urban areas, who are more likely to be constrained by rigid working schedules. On the contrary, we find no evidence of significant effects on self-employed and farmers.

Keywords: sleep deprivation, cognitive skills, risky behaviors

JEL Classification: I12

Suggested Citation

Giuntella, Osea and Han, Wei and Mazzonna, Fabrizio, Circadian Rhythms, Sleep and Cognitive Skills: Evidence from an Unsleeping Giant. IZA Discussion Paper No. 9774, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2742562 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2742562

Osea Giuntella (Contact Author)

University of Oxford ( email )

No Address Available

Wei Han

University of Oxford - Blavatnik School of Government ( email )

10 Merton St
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4JJ
United Kingdom

Fabrizio Mazzonna

Insitute of Economics (IdEP), Università della Svizzera Italiana ( email )

Lugano

Munich Center for the Economics of Ageing (MEA) ( email )

Amalienstraße 33
München, 80799
Germany

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