Greetings
all!
Are you a hummingbird or a bear? Intrigued by the question? Read on! It’s all about how and when you sleep.
All of us know how important sleep is. How and when you sleep is determined by your chronotype, and it affects everything in your life – your appetite, creativity, productivity, and even your personality!
If you work with – not against - your body rhythms, you are happier, healthier, and more productive. Knowing your chronotype might also change your self-perception. Instead of labeling yourself “unproductive,” you might just need to tweak your schedule!
Interesting
facts:
- Dolphins can stay constantly alert for more than two weeks by sleeping with only half of their brains. We humans are not that evolved!
- Unlike circadian rhythm, which is influenced by light exposure, chronotype is genetic and is driven by the length of PER3 gene.
- Hunters-gatherers might have developed different chronotypes to survive so there was always someone awake to watch out for danger.
- You can be in-between chronotypes or be part of a hybrid.
- Your chronotype will probably change with age.
- Social jetlag is chronic sleep loss when a person’s chronotype conflicts with their work, school or other social activities. We are all familiar with that!
OK, let’s dive deeper into the chronotypes:
- The Lark / The Early Bird - Most alert around noon, feel most productive at work a few hours before eating lunch.
- The Night Owl - Most alert around 6 pm; feel most productive at night
- The Hummingbird - Around 80% of people are in-between!
Majority of us are actually hummingbirds, and not night owls or larks! These ornithological categories were expanded to 4 mammal types by Dr. Michael Brues, Clinical Psychologist & Sleep Medicine Expert, who also created a chronotype QUIZ (requires an email address):
Bear: Intermediate chronotype (~55% of the population). Their productivity power hours are 10 am - 2 pm. They follow the sun, do well with traditional office hours and a social life in the evenings but might experience social jetlag. They are go-with-the-flow types, social, and fun-loving, known for being extroverted, open-minded, and great team players. Most modern societies adopted bear time as the norm.
Lion: Their productivity power hours are 7 am - 12 pm, equivalent to the early bird. They wake up early, are most productive in the morning, and might have more trouble following a social schedule in the evenings. They are natural leaders, goal-oriented, disciplined, optimistic, and practical.
Wolf: Their productivity power hours are 4 pm - 6 pm, equivalent to the classic night owl. They are creative thinkers and risk-takers, who seek out new experiences and can be impulsive and emotionally intense.
Dolphin: Their productivity power hours are 3 pm - 9 pm. These insomniacs (the least common chronotype) are tired during the day and restless during the night. They are highly intelligent, cautious, detail-oriented, and can be perfectionists.
How to Work with Your Chronotype:
- Adjust your sleep times (if you can)
- Follow a consistent sleep schedule
- Prepare for better sleep
- Eat at the right times (for you)
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon
- Get professional help if needed
Which chronotype are you? Drop me a line!
Sources (include additional details and tips):
I like this topic a lot - I am a Lion 🦁
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