This is easy to do, though I agree there may well be better ways of solving the real problem:

#! perl -slw
use strict;
use threads;
use threads::shared;

my $quit :shared = 0;

$SIG{INT} = sub {
    print 'SIGINT';
    $quit = 1;
};

async {
    while( not $quit ) {
        my $wakeup = time() + 60 * 60;
        print( $quit ), sleep 1 while not $quit and time() < $wakeup;
        ## Do the hourly task;
    }
}->detach;

sleep 1 while not $quit;

__END__
c:\test>junk60
0
0
SIGINT
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The cpu cost of waking once per second is nominal.

Wouldn't it be simpler to use cron to run your program every hour?

Signals will interrupt sleep if you have a signal handler for them.

my $exit;
local $SIG{INT} =
local $SIG{TERM} = sub { $exit = 1; };

my $wakeup_time = time + 60*60;
for (;;) {
   if ($exit) {
      ...
      exit(0);
   }

   my $sleep_dur = $wakeup_time - time;
   last if $sleep_dur <= 0;
   sleep($sleep_dur);
}
[download]

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;
use threads;
use Thread::Suspend;

$|=1;

my $TERM = 0;

$SIG{'INT'} = $SIG{'TERM'} = sub { $TERM = 1; };
print "To terminate program, hit ctrl-^C\n";

sub start_thread {
    my @args = @_;
    print(join(' ', @args,));
}

my $thr = threads->create(\&start_thread);
$thr->join();
$thr->suspend();
$thr->yield();
sleep (1) until ($TERM);
print ("\e[2K\e[?25h\n"); #to restore proper cursor behavior
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What do you think is the point of this code?:

$thr->suspend();
$thr->yield();
[download]

Given that it is proceed by: $thr->join(); which means that the thread no longer exists by the time the above two lines are executed. In addition, the ->yield() method of the threads module isn't exported by default, and you do not import it.

Your code is exactly equivalent to:

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;

$|=1;

my $TERM = 0;

$SIG{'INT'} = $SIG{'TERM'} = sub { $TERM = 1; };
print "To terminate program, hit ctrl-^C\n";

print( join(' ', ()) );
sleep (1) until ($TERM);
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In other words it does exactly nothing useful and is in no way an answer to the OPs question.

---

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.