Associations between chronotype and physical activity and well-being in adults

Circadian rhythms influence a preference for people's time of activity and sleep time during the day and the hours of best performance. The aim of the study was to assess the associations between chronotype, physical activity, and well-being in adults aged 20-50. The chronotype, physical activity and well-being scores were determined based on the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Well-Being Index (WHO-5) questionnaire, respectively. Study data consisted of the answers of 213 respondents (including 64 men) who took part in an online survey. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the matrix scatter plots were used to check the correlations between the CSM score and quality of life parameters' values. General linear models (GLMs) were performed to find differences in quality-of-life parameters between different combinations of sex and chronotype. Morning types showed the highest value of well-being score (mean = 13.48) while evening types the lowest one (mean = 8.35). Evening types spent the most time sitting compared to other chronotypes. Results of this study revealed the significant effect of chronotype on well-being and physical activity among adults. These findings suggest that chronotype is an important factor that psychologists and personal trainers should take into account.