Researchers at the University of Edinburgh will use digital technology to try to mimic the workings of chemicals in the brain which influence internal timings.

It will see them place the key genes and proteins - likened to the "cogs and wheels" of the human body clock - into yeast to see if they trigger the same rhythmic signals that humans experience.

They are carrying out the tests in a laboratory setting rather than using humans, as their artificial device does not have its own body clock, giving the scientists complete control.

It is hoped the findings will shed light on why humans sleep when they do, how quickly patterns can be changed, and what causes sleeplessness.

The study is part of a pan-European investigation into sleep disturbance, which is a growing problem in the EU where one in five employees now works shifts.

Professor Andrew Millar, of the university’s school of biological sciences, said the aim was to start with basic clocks and make them progressively more complicated.

He added: "We will use the genetic information which we have at our disposal - and leading edge technologies - to introduce our synthetic ‘clockwork’ on to the yeast. This will test how much we currently understand about the biological clock."