It is not just convention it seams also to be a somewhat natural unit for humans. Each time some try to change it, people get sick.
I've known multiple people in my life whose working shifts do not correspond to the seven-day week.
I know of no illness from which they suffer.
No other primate cares a whit. No other animal cares a whit.
Citations would be very useful here, otherwise it sounds like another random thing from minds unknown.