Hut, Prof. Roelof
Roelof Hut is Professor of Chronobiology at the Faculty of Science and Engineering. His research is primarily focused on chronobiology, a field of biology that centres on studying the body's biorhythms, such as nutrient intake, physical and mental activity, the quality and duration of sleep, and weight regulation. Hut primarily concentrates on the evolutionary, ecological, and neurobiological aspects of these biorhythms. Initially, he mainly studied mammals, but in recent years he has expanded his work to include projects with birds, insects, and humans. Due to his broad interest in all aspects of chronobiology, his work provides a solid foundation for the breadth and diversity of the field.
Among other things, Hut is concerned with the influence of the changing of clocks in spring on our sleep rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is determined by our biological clock, which in turn is influenced by the solar time. The sun is our main source of light and to a large extent determines when we want to go to sleep. According to Hut, daylight saving time causes our biological clock to be two hours off, which prompts us to set our alarm clock regularly. He points out that setting an alarm clock by definition causes sleep deprivation, which is why he and a number of other researchers are calling for the abolition of daylight saving time.
Video
Previously in the news
- Video lecture by Roelof Hut: Having trouble waking up? This is how you can become a morning person
- Here's how best to cope with the clocks changing back (Dutch)
- Want to wake up feeling refreshed? Why it's better to no longer set your alarm (Dutch)
- Each organ its own internal clock
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| Last modified: | 09 June 2023 8.36 p.m. |