Disrupted sleep patterns can lead to ‘deviant behaviour’, research suggests

Science journalist Linda Geddes calls for more flexi-working to fit in with early risers and night owls

Finally, workers have a new excuse for stealing pens from the office or using someone else’s milk: early risers and night owls are more likely to display “unethical and deviant” behaviour if forced to work outside their natural rhythms, and should be able to set their own hours accordingly.

Speaking at the Hay festival on Monday about light and circadian rhythms, science journalist and author Linda Geddes called for more workplaces to introduce “flexi-working” to accommodate different chronotypes, which are most often split into two groups: larks, who peak in energy and mood in the mornings, and owls, who perform best later in the day.

Related: Why the sleep industry is keeping us awake at night

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