WHAT’S YOUR CHRONOTYPE? THE ART OF BIO-TIMING
According to the science of chronobiology (the study of circadian rhythm) everyone has a biological clock ticking away in our brain and dozen smaller ones throughout our entire body. But here’s the thing, not all of our biological clocks keep the same time. There are different chronotypes. According to sleep specialist and psychologist Michael Breus, PhD and author of the book < The Power of When >, there are 4 such chronotypes, the Dolphin, the Bear, the Lion and the Wolfe. Your unique wiring -sleep chronotype- determines your most energetic times of day. While you likely already know whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, these four sleep chronotypes can help you figure out the best time of day to make an important decision, work out, and do anything better.
I know what you’re already thinking; can you shift your sleep-wake times for your own convenience? Yes, but you might not perform as well as you would if you worked with your body’s natural tendency. Dr. Breus explains that your chronotype is genetic and genetically pre-determined. Each chronotype had its purpose in human evolution and was determined our genetic structure (PER3 gene). This isn’t something that you just have a preference for. How about using our unique chronotype to work for us instead of against us? Doesn’t that sound a whole lot more empowering!
Knowing your "chronotype" will help you figure out the best time of day to do just about everything—from when to have your first cup of coffee to the ideal time to exercise and more. Below, I have pulled a few tips from his book on how to be more productive throughout the day, whether you're a "dolphin," "lion," "bear," or "wolf."? Read on to discover your sleep chronotype and how small schedule tweaks will let you reclaim your day to stay energized longer and empower you to capitalize on your own unique chronotype. To find out more about your personal chronotype, you can also check out Breus' online quiz.
Your chronotype can, and will, change depending on your age and stages of life. For example, Toddlers tend to be Lions, while teenagers tend to be Wolves and seniors tend to be Lions or Dolphins.
If you’re a light sleeper and wake early, but not fully refreshed…
You’re likely a DOLPHIN- 10% of the population. Named after the ocean-dwelling mammal because real dolphins only sleep with half their brain at a time. The name is a good fit for folks who are prone to restless sleep and insomnia. Dolphins may or may not have a regular sleep routine. As light sleepers, they frequently wake throughout the night and often do not sleep enough. Dolphins struggle to fall asleep, ruminating over the day’s failures. Dolphins’ extreme intelligence and tendency toward perfectionism probably explain why they spend so much time chewing over the day. They do their best work from mid-morning through early afternoon.
While “dolphins” tend to feel groggy in the a.m., they should exercise first thing, says Dr. Breus. Even the sleepiest heads can go from exhausted to pumped after a bout of intense physical activity.
If you rise bright-eyed at dawn, and feel sleepy by mid-afternoon…
You’re likely a LION- 15-20% of the population. Like real lions, people with this chronotype are at their best in the morning; as the day goes on, their energy level takes a dive. Lions wake up early. These are the go-getters, the leaders, the type-A movers and shakers. They might not reach for a cup of coffee until a little before lunch, and their most productive hours have already passed by that time. Because of their action-packed mornings, they tend to fizzle out in the evening and turn in early.
Dr. Breus suggest scheduling your most important tasks between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Mid-morning is “when you are best equipped, hormonally speaking, to make clear, strategic decisions,” he writes. This is also when you'll get hungry, since you've been firing on all cylinders for hours. But a smarter strategy is to snack earlier, around 9 a.m., and wait to eat lunch until after 12. Lions tend to crash an hour or two post-lunch, so it's best to eat later rather than earlier. If you can, eat outside or take a walk on your break, the exposure to sunlight will help you feel more alert.
If you make good use of the snooze button and get tired by late evening…
You’re likely a BEAR- 50% of the population. About half of people fall into this category, named after those diurnal (active in the day, restful at night) creatures known for their long, deep sleeps. Most people fall into the bear chronotype category. Bears’ sleep-wake patterns follow the sun, and they have no difficulty sleeping. They require a solid eight hours (at least) of quality z's, and often need a few hours to fully wake up. Bears are most ready for intense tasks in the middle of the morning, and they feel a dip in the mid-afternoon. Overall, bears have steady energy and get things done. They can maintain productivity all day as long as they don’t try to push past the mid-afternoon recharge period. Bears tend to be friendly people-people.
To put a pep in your step in the first part of the day, Dr. Breus suggests prioritizing a hearty and high protein around 7:30 a.m. “Bears usually reach for high-carb choices like cereal or a bagel,” but “eating carbs in the morning raises calm-bringer serotonin and lowers cortisol levels, which you need to get up and moving.”
If you don’t get to sleep until midnight or later (and struggle in the mornings)…
You’re likely a WOLF- 15 to 20% of the population. Named for the nocturnal hunters, “wolves”. Wolves are on the nocturnal end of the spectrum. They get a later start to their day and ride the productivity wave while the rest of the world winds down. Interestingly, wolves have two peak periods: from noon to 2:00 pm and again just as most of the working world is clocking out. Wolves tend to be makers — writers, artists, and coders. The creative areas of the wolf’s brain light up when the sun goes down. More often than not, wolf types tend toward introversion and crave their alone time.
The wolf chronotype schedules later meetings and invites you to dinner later in the evening. They are most alert after the sun has set—typically around 7 p.m. They don’t feel tired until very late at night, and have trouble getting up before 9 a.m. Wolves tend to down several cups of coffee in the morning. But since this is when your “wake-up” hormones are flowing, you should wait until “your morning cortisol release has run its course,” says Dr. Breus. Around 11 a.m. is when a cup of coffee will do you the most good. And take it black. Sugar and cream could cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin that may slow you down more. Showering or bathing in the evening rather than the morning could help you nod off at a more reasonable hour. When you get out of a hot shower or warm bath, your core body temperature drops, he writes, “signaling to the brain to release melatonin, the key that starts the engine of sleep.”
When working with your own specific unique needs, your chronotype is something that we take into account to unlock your health potential!
Much Love and Health,
Caroline
xo