Understanding chronotypes can be very helpful for optimising your sleep and productivity. 

What is a chronotype?

This refers to your body's natural inclination to sleep and wake at certain times. It's influenced by your internal biological clock or circadian rhythm.  

It affects not just your sleep, but also your energy levels and productivity throughout the day.  

Once you identify your chronotype you can use this to gauge your circadian rhythm.

You’ll likely know of "morning larks" and "night owls" but Dr. Michael Breus came up with the following 4 classifications using animal archetypes:  

The 4 chronotypes

Lion/Early Bird

These are the "early birds." They wake up early, feel most energetic in the morning, and tend to wind down in the early evening.  

They are very productive in the morning.  

Bear

This is the most common chronotype. Bears follow the sun's cycle, generally waking up and sleeping without extreme preferences.

They typically have a dip in energy in the afternoon.

Wolf/Night Owl

These are the "night owls." They prefer to stay up late and wake up later.

They feel most productive in the afternoon and evening.  

Dolphin

This chronotype is characterised by light and restless sleep. Dolphins often struggle with insomnia and may have irregular sleep patterns.

They tend to have a productivity window in the mid-morning to early afternoon.  

The difference between circadian rhythm and chronotype

Your circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle that regulates various bodily functions, while your chronotype is your individual preference within that cycle.

Important considerations with chronotypes

Chronotypes can shift throughout your life.
Adolescents, for example, tend to have later chronotypes.
Chronotypes exist on a spectrum, and people may exhibit characteristics of more than one type.

Takeaways

1. Recognise what time your body naturally wants to sleep and wake up.
2. Do your best to stick to the same bedtime each night.  As a rule of thumb don’t go to bed more than an hour later than planned.
3. When you wake, do so at the same time each day. Working late and compromising on sleep can lead to more than just tiredness. It can affect other hormones as well.
4. Within 1 hour of waking, expose yourself to sunlight.

If there is no sunlight, either because the sun isn’t out or you are working night shifts, use the Upp Light to regulate your circadian rhythm for optimal energy and wellbeing.

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