Mankind Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 4 (Summer 2010)
pp. 361-375
Sleep Patterns and Sexual Selection: An Evolutionary Approach
Davide Piffer
Durham University, England
Human sleep patterns differ across age groups and between males and females, and their association with age and gender suggest that they might have been the target of sexual selection during human evolutionary history. In this study, I test the hypothesis that a phase-delayed circadian phase is a sexually selected trait in humans. A short version of the Horne and Ostberg questionnaire and a questionnaire on sexual behaviour were administered to 134 males. A significant negative relationship was found between the MEQ score and the number of sexual partners among males, with evening types reporting more sexual partners than morning types. Findings support the hypothesis that evening preference in males is a sexually selected trait.
