227

Int. J. Biometeor. 1973, vol. 17, number 3, pp. 227-232

Human Circadian Rhythms under the Influence of Weak

Electric Fields and the Different Aspects of These Studies
by
R. Wever*

INTRODUCTION

Circadian rhythms of man have been proven to be of endogenous origin, just as

ihose of other organism from unicellular ones up to p r i m a t e s (Aschoff, 1963). In
a constant environment without time cues the rhythms continue autonomously
wilh periods which deviate sligktly from 24 hr. In the p r e s e n c e of environmental
time cues, such as the diurnal change between light and dark, circadian rhythms
become synchronized if 'the period of the time cues is within the range of en-
Lrainment around 24 hr.
Figure 1 shows 'the r e s u l t of a human experimen't performed under constant con-
ditions. As can c l e a r l y be seen, the activity and body t e m p e r a t u r e rhythms shift
gradually in relation to local time, resulting in a period of 25.3 hr. After 35
0bjeetive days, the subject had experienced st~bjectively only 33 days. The total
phase shift of more than 360o indicates the autonomous nature of these rhythms
(Wever, 1971b).
Time (hours)
0 12 24 12 24 12 2,;

2
4
6
8
I0
12
14
16
18
20

"~i~"1.
22
24 |, . ,
l, t ~
26
28
i" "
30
32

Fig. 1. F r e e - r u n n i n g circadian rhythm in a human st~bject, m e a s u r e d under

constant conditions. Abscissa: local 'time; ordinate: successive p e r i -
ods. The rhythm of aetivi'ty is r e p r e s e n t e d by b a r s (black: activity;
white: rest); the rhythm of rectal t e m p e r a t u r e is r e p r e s e n t e d by 'tri-
angles (A: temporal position of a t e m p e r a t u r e maximum; v: temporal
position of a t e m p e r a t u r e minimum). F r o m Wever (1971b).
*) Max-Planck-Institut fur Verhal tensphysiologie, D-8131 Erling-Andeehs,
Germany.
Presented at the Sixth International Biome'teorological Congress, Noordwijk,
The Netherlands, 3-9 September 1972.
228

In Fig. 1, out of a variety of m e a s u r e m e n t s only the rhythms of activity and

rectal t e m p e r a t u r e are shown; both rhythms have equal periods. In most subject~
not only these two rhythms but the rhythms of all measured variables, physiolog-
ical as well as psychological ones, run synchronously to each other. However,
in about 20% of the human subjects internal desynchroniz~tion occurs, i . e . the
rhythms of different variables show different periods in the steady state (Aschoff,
Gerecke and Wever, 1967). This desynehroniz~tion indicates a loss o£ coupling
between different endogenous oscillators (Wever, 1972).
Figure 2 shows the result of another human experiment, performed again under
constant conditions but with internal desynchronization; the activity period is
much longer than the period of the rectal t e m p e r a t u r e rhythm. During the 25 ob-
jective days of the experiment, the subject had experienced subjectively only 18
activity days whereas his physiological variables showed 24 periods. In other
subjects, internal desynchronizution occurred not from the beginning of the ex-
p e r i m e n t but spontaneously during the experimer[t, or with activity periods which
were much shorter than the t e m p e r a t u r e periods. However, in all experiments,
the periods of the rectal t e m p e r a t u r e rhythm were close to 25 hr. In 110 human
subjects examined so far under constant conditions, these periods had an average
value of 2 4 . 9 7 + 0 . 4 1 hr (x+SD) (Wever, 1971a).
lime (hours)
0 12 24 12 24 12 24 12 24 12 24 12 24 12 24
I , J i l J I I l t I I l L ] J

2 • o
4
6
8
10
" 2} v -.
T =33,2 h

12 v'

14 •,'A •, 2::24,8 h
i
E
16 ---4 v i~
18
20
22
24

Fig. 2. F r e e - r u n n i n g circadian rhythm in a human subject, m e a s u r e d

under constant conditions. Designations as in Fig. 1; white t r i -
a n g l e s : t e m p o r a l l y c o r r e c t repe'titions of corresponding black
t r i a n g l e s . Internal desynehronization during the total experiment.
F r o m Wever (1972).

In coi~trast to thut what has been Observed in most animals, changes in some
environmental conditions (e. g. light ir~tensity) have only small and i r r e g u l a r ef-
fects on the period of human circadian rhythms when m e a s u r e d under constant
conditions (Wever, 1969). Thus, the intra-individual as well as the i n t e r -
individual variability in the f r e e - r u n n i n g period of man is r e m a r k a b l y small.
 229

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The investigations w e r e p e r f o r m e d in special underground isolation units (We-

ver, 1967), constructed to eliminate all environmental noises. Each of the two
experimental units available consisted of a living room, a small kitchen, and a
b a t h - r o o m . T h e r e w e r e no obvious differences between the two units; however,
one of the units (room II) was shielded f r o m external e l e c t r i c and magnetic fields,
and f u r t h e r m o r e , it was equipped with facilities for introducing any kind of a r t i -
ficial DC or AC, e l e c t r i c or magnetic field. These f a c i l i t i e s w e r e invisible, and
'their existence was unknown by the subjec'ts. During the about 4 weeks of an ex-
periment, the subjects had no co~tact with the outside environment except by
l e t t e r s . With only a v e r y few exceptions, all subjects felt r e m a r k a b l y well during
the isolation, and most of the subjects asked, after finishing the experiment, for
another experiment.

RESULTS

Surprisingly, the r e s u l t s obtained in the two experimental r o o m s differed s i g -

nificantly in some r e s p e c t s (Wever, 1969). In r o o m I, the f r e e - r u n n i n g periods
w e r e s h o r t e r in the average (by 0.40 hr), and the inter-individual differences
w e r e s m a l l e r (by 50%) than in room II; m o r e o v e r , all c a s e s of internal desyn-
chronization (c.f. Fig. 2) occured exclusively in r o o m II. Because the e l e c t r o -
magnetic shielding of r o o m II is the only known difference between the two rooms,
the hypothesis was formulated that the differences in the r e s u l t s w e r e due to the
natural e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c fields which can penetrate only into r o o m I. This hypo-
t h e s i s is based on statistically highly significant r e s u l t s , but additional e x p e r i -
ments w e r e conducted to t e s t the hypothesis.
The hypothesis was tested by applying well defined artificial fields. All fields
applied w e r e weak in field-strength, and thus, could not be p e r c e i v e d c o n s c i o u s -
ly. The experiments were p e r f o r m e d by exposing the subjects to an artificial
field continuously for about two weeks, and then protecting t h e m f r o m all fields
for another period of approximately two weeks; the t e m p o r a l sequence of the
periods with and withot~t 'the field had been changed f r o m e x p e r i m e n t to e x p e r i -
ment. Thus, each st/bject s e r v e d as its own control (Wever, 1970).
Some p r e l i m i n a r y experiments showed 'that DC e l e c t r i c (600 V/m) and magnetic
(1.5 Oe) fields w e r e without any effect. These static fields w e r e neither able to
shorten the period or to influence any other p a r a m e t e r of the rhythm, nor to
prevent internal desynchronization (Wever, 1971a). Thus, DC fields which are
p r e s e n t in our natural environmer~t, cannot be responsible for the Observed
effects.
In contrast to DC fields, e l e c t r i c AC fields (10 cps, 2.5 V/m) are able to affect
human circadian rhythms in the same manner as the natural fields (Wever, 1967).
Figure 3 shows an example of a corresponding experiment; the st~bjeet lived
under the influence of a continuously operating 1 0 - e p s - f i e l d during the second
part of the experimer~t but under otherwise constant conditions during the e n t i r e
experiment. As can be seen, the period is s h o r t e r with the field in operation than
withot~t it. All other experiments of this type confirmed this result; in 10 e x p e r i -
ments, the period was s h o r t e r for 1.3 + 0 . 7 hr (~+SD) during 'the p a r t s with the
field in operation than without it (p < 0. 001) (Wever, 1970). Moreover, ~the s h o r t -
ening effect of the field was the g r e a t e r the longer the periods w e r e in the absence
of a field, resul'ting in l a r g e r inter-individual differences during the p a r t s without
field than during the parts when the field was in operation (p < 0. 001) (Wever,
1971a). Finally, Fig. 3 shows internal desynchronization during the third p a r t of
the experiment beginning i m m e d i a t e l y after switching off the field. This influence
of the field on the state of internal desynchronization was confirmed by many other
230

Time ( h o u r s )
O 12 Z,4 lZ 24 72 24 72 2/4 ~2 Z,/¢

F i g . 3. F r e e - r u n n i n g c i r c a d i a n r h y t h m in a human subject, m e a s u r e d
under c o n s t a n t conditions; without field d u r i n g the f i r s t and t h i r d
section, and u n d e r the influence of an a r t i f i c i a l e l e e t r i e 1 0 - c p s -
field d u r i n g the second s e c t i o n . Designations as in F i g s . 1 and 2.
Internal d e s y n c h r o n i z a t i o n during the 'third s e c t i o n . F r o m W e v e r
(1968).

.5-y,---.:=-=,:=: =-- : : ._-.- ................. :::-

1o- --'-.'- ;'g= ---- =_~.--. :- .4;::: . -:'- ......... .'<-:<:

20- :~::':-"~'~Q="] =" ~ " "--'-: =" -" . . . . "--': . . . . . .

30-: "'~=--=':-~--~+..¢~ w._:z'- '"'-- .............. ~

' " V:.-,-- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.....+'i'~7.~-£'::->75==::.,:
: , ~ ~-. :::=:.::rLC.,.=i÷:~" .'

I I I I ,2,i~ I I i I
0 6 12 18 6 12 18 24
T#'ne of de), (hours)

F i g . 4. A c t o g r a m of a g r e e n finch, showing a f r e e - r u n n i n g c i r c a d i a n r h y t h m
m e a s u r e d u n d e r e o n s t a g t conditions; under the influence of an a r t i f i -
e i a l e l e c t r i c 1 0 - e p s - f i e l d d u r i n g the f i r s t and t h i r d section, and
without field during the second and fourth s e c t i o n . A b s c i s s a : l o c a l
t i m e ; o r d i n a t e : t i m e of t h e e x p e r i m e n t . F o r e l a r i t y , the a c t i v i t y
r e c o r d s have b e e n duplicated.
 231

experiments (p < 0. 001). In 22 subjects, internal desynchronization has been Ob-

s e r v e d when they w e r e protected f r o m all fields, but this state has not yet been
o b s e r v e d in any subject as long as the 1 0 - e p s - f i e l d was in operation. Moreover,
if internal desynehronization oeeured spontaneously, it could be stopped by
switching on the 1 0 - e p s - f i e l d (Wever, 1971a).
These r e m a r k a b l e r e s u l t s suggest the question as to whether the proven effect
of 10-cps-fields on circadian rhythms is limited to man. Some p r e l i m i n a r y ani-
mal experiments indicate that this is not the case (except for the effect on i n t e r -
hal desynchronization which had never been o b s e r v e d in any animal). F i g u r e 4
shows, as an example, r e s u l t s Obtained with the green finch. The artificial
1 0 - c p s - f i e l d has been switched on and off s e v e r a l t i m e s and, as can be seen in
Fig. 4, each switching on is accompanied by a shortening of the f r e e - r u n n i n g
activity period, and each switching off is accompanied by a lengthening of the
activity period. This r e s u l t is the same, even quantitatively, as that Obtained in
experiments with man.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that an artificial e l e c t r i c 1 0 - c p s - f i e l d of low intensity has

the same effect on human circadian rhythms as the natural e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c
fields : it shortens the f r e e - r u n n i n g period, it diminishes the inter-individual
differences in the periods, and it strenghtens the coupling between different
rhythms preventing ir~ternal desynchronization. These r e s u l t s confirm the hypo-
t h e s i s mentioned above; that is, that fields of this kind are able to influence hu-
man circadian rhythms. Moreover, the s i m i l a r i t y in the effects of the natural
fields and the artificial 10-cps-field suggests that the low frequency fields which
are generated in the e a r t h ' s atmosphere (KSnig, 1959), are the component within
natural e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c fields which are responsible for the observed effects.
Several aspects of the studies of human circadian rhythms under the influence
of weak e l e c t r i c fields d e s e r v e further consideration:
(1) An artificial 1 0 - c p s - f i e l d of low intensity is the only physical stimulus which
has been shown to have a consistent effect on human circadian rhythms. Using
this field as a tool, the p r o p e r t i e s of human rhythms can be t e s t e d in the s a m e
manner as those of animal rhythms in which light is n o r m a l l y used as the con-
t r o l l i n g environmental stimulus. For instance, it can be shown with the field that
changes in many p a r a m e t e r s of human circadian rhythms are c o r r e l a t e d to the
period, just as in animal rhythms and as predicted f r o m a special model of c i r -
cadian rhythms (Wever, 1971b). F u r t h e r m o r e , artificial 1 0 - c p s - f i e l d s have also
been applied as a periodically changing stimulus and, as such, can act as an
entraining agent to circadian rhythms (Wever, 1967, 1970). This methodological
aspect which d i s r e g a r d s f r o m the special p e c u l i a r i t i e s of the stimulus, was the
p r i m a r y one in the present investigations.
(2) Circadian rhythms have been shown to be v e r y sensitive to low intensity
e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c fields. Using these rhythms as an indicator, the effectiveness
of natural electromagnetic fields as well as of low intensity a r t i f i c i a l 10-eps-
fields on human beings has significantly been shown for the f i r s t t i m e (We-
v e r , 1967). This secondary aspect of the p r e s e n t investigation which deals
with the special p r o p e r t i e s of the controlling stimulus, has been widely ignored
in the past, but it may get superiority in the fttture.
(3) The demonstration of the sensitivity of circadian rhythms to low frequency,
low intensity e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c fields may help in the s e a r c h for the basic m e c h a -
n i s m underlying the circadian clock, which has been shown to be r e m a r k a b l y in-
t e n s i t i v e against most other physical stimuli (e.g. t e m p e r a t u r e ) . Moreover, this
stimulus has been shown to influence not only the clocks of different o r g a n i s m s
232

in a s i m i l a r manner (see above) but also different independent clocks within one
o r g a n i s m in the same manner (Wever, in preparation). The consideration of these
r e s u l t s may lead to new conceptions in the a r e a of the clock m e c h a n i s m .
(4) The present investigations a r o u s e s speculations concerning the usefulness of
the natural electromagnetic fields for man. When these fields a r e absent, the
f r e e - r u n n i n g circadian period deviates m o r e f r o m 24 hr than under the influence
of these fields. Since the range of e~trainment in man is r e m a r k a b l y small
(Aschoff, P~ippet and Wever, 1969), at least for the physiological v a r i a b l e s (about
+ 2 hr; Wever, 1973), this deviation can lead to external desynchronization.
~Ioreover, the absence of natural fields weakens the coupling between different
rhythms, and thus, can lead to it~ternal desynchronization. It must be concluded
f r o m this that natural e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c fields a s s i s t in stabilizing circadian
rhythmicity; t h e i r p r e s e n c e may be advantageous for healthy men, at least with
r e s p e c t to t h e i r circadian rhythms. Where these fields a r e absent (e.g. under
e l e c t r o m a g n e t i c shielding, or in space), disadvantages can easily be avoided by
substituting the natural fields by a weak e l e c t r i c 10-cps-field (Wever, 1970).

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Physiol., 25: 581-600.
ASCHOFF, J. GERECKE, U, and WEVER, R. (1967): Desynchronization of
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ASCHOFF, J . , POPPEL, E. and WEVER, R. (1969) : Circadiane Periodik des
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K(~NIG, H. (1959) : A t m o s p h e r i c s g e r i n g s t e r Frequcnzen. Z.angew.
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Menaker (ed.), Nat.Acad. of Sciences, Washington
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