Capitalize on your biology with this manual
Whether you’re listening to a news podcast debating the merits of changing school start times or consuming IG content from an expert urging the government to end daylight savings time, you’re likely to hear the term circadian rhythm referenced often. Those are two real-life topics of debate that show how many sleep doctors are united in legislating for change that allows people to live in harmony with their natural sleep predispositions, or
“sleep chronotype.”
The concept centers on how your body, influenced by your internal clock, has an innate preference for mornings or evenings. You’re probably familiar! Now, research is revealing just how much honoring your natural rhythm matters for your overall well-being. It’s finally time to quit fighting your sleep tendencies and instead lean all the way in to maximize life around yours.
Understanding Chronotypes
Think of it like your height: genetically determined and somewhat unchangeable.
“People are beginning to understand that their chronotype is biological, and it’s not something to do with attitude or willpower or whether you’re a productive person.
While genetics plays a major role here, environmental factors matter too.
“Sleeping environments or poor sleep hygiene—like using your phone late at night—can also influence patterns and impact chronotypes".
Consistent eating patterns and the fact that many people don’t get substantial natural light during the day are also part of why there’s a broad variance in chronotypes today. You may not be able to totally fight your hardwiring, but you can control some of the lifestyle issues around you, and they’re a bigger piece of the puzzle than you might think. For instance, if you’re already an evening type but get caught up in
“revenge bedtime procrastination”
and don’t fall asleep until 1 a.m.—and then can’t get out of bed in the morning—you may go from a natural night owl to a troubled sleeper chronotype. Age and gender also factor in.
“Teenagers naturally stay awake and sleep in later. “And it’s not just a preference; their biology shows it as well.”
For example, teens release melatonin—the hormone that signals sleepiness—later in the day than adults or younger children. And as people age, they tend to shift in the other direction, with older people becoming more likely to be early risers. Women in general are also likelier to be morning types, whereas men lean toward evening tendencies.
The Reality Of Going Off Schedule
Circadian misalignment (i.e., when your lifestyle isn’t in sync with your internal clock) can increase the risk for various health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infertility, mood disorders, and impaired cognitive function, research has shown. In fact, a recent review found that the circadian system modulates practically all aspects of your physiology, with the authors going so far as to assert that
“one could argue that circadian health is equal to general health.”
In addition to protecting you from disease, understanding your chronotype allows you to align your daily schedule with your natural sleep-wake patterns, which can help increase productivity and well-being. This helps you feel more energized and perform better mentally and physically. For example, while morning workouts are great for those of us who are early birds,
“if you’re an evening type, you’d be wise to work out in the afternoon or early evening hours when you’re just naturally more alert and motivated."
Being aware of when you’re biologically more primed for a task can help you plan—and crush it.
Keeping all of this in mind when you’re scheduling important meetings or an interview, for example, can mean you show up feeling your best. And if your work schedule is flexible, you can even set up your day based on your patterns. For instance, maybe a 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. work schedule better suits you, or a noon to 8 p.m. operation is more your jam. This could also be helpful on a more global scale:
“We might actually maximize productivity in the workforce by identifying employees’ circadian preferences and allowing more flexible work schedules."
Discovering Your Chronotype
Now, let’s bring it back to you. Exactly how many chronotypes exist and what defines each of them is a somewhat nebulous space that depends on who you ask. You may have heard the terms wolf, dolphin, lion, and bear (as well as a slew of other seemingly random animals) thrown around over the years; these are, obviously, not based on any animal-persona science. (Just “pop culture terms.") Forget all that and begin by simply identifying as having either
“morningness” or “eveningness”
tendencies. Go with your gut:
“Thinking about what time of day you function and feel your best can give you a good sense."
If you relish being up at 5 a.m., then you’re probably a morning type, whereas if you reach your peak at 11 p.m., you’re probably a strong evening person. It can be helpful to think about Vacation You.
“If you’re the kind of person who can’t wait to get up at 6 a.m. and get out on the golf course, you’re probably a morning person. If you like to stay up late and go out and sleep in, you’re probably more of an evening type.”
Morningness and eveningness are segmented into two distinct chronotypes for even more personalization: early riser, moderate morning, night owl, and troubled sleeper. Two more tech-driven routes for discovery: Take an online quiz (chronotype-self-test.info) or invest in a sleep tracker that provides detailed insight into your sleep-wake patterns, like an Apple Watch or Oura Ring, the latter of which recently launched a chronotype feature.
“Over 90 days, Oura Ring app analyzes how different physiological signals, like your heart rate, respiratory system, and temperature tend to behave."
It then leverages that information to determine your natural circadian rhythm—when your body naturally winds down and wakes—and assigns you to one of six chronotypes. (You’ll also get advice on how to adjust your sleep to align with your clock.)
How To Optimize Your Life Around Your Chronotype
Here, experts give a general outline for each chronotype so you can conquer your day based on your biology.
These are guides, you need to find what works best for you and your life.
Early Riser
Who you are: The one who’s up at 5:30 a.m. and feels great about it, pounding the pavement or unfurling a yoga mat before 7.
Hack the day: If you’re most productive between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., consider scheduling your toughest tasks during that window. Make sure you head to bed by 9 or 10 p.m. so you can get eight hours of shut-eye—that earlier timing is a must in order to function at your peak. Need an afternoon boost when you’re no longer at your max? Splash your face with cold water or do a quick burst of physical activity (think: 10 jumping jacks, a 30-second plank hold, or a short walk).
Moderate Morning
Night Owl
Troubled Sleeper
The Science Of Sleep Shifting
Okay, let’s say you don’t *want* to go to 7:15 a.m. yoga—but it’s the only chance you have to exercise, due to work and family commitments. Hear this: It’s possible to adjust sleep-wake patterns to some extent and shift toward becoming more of a morning person, even if you’re naturally a night person. The idea is to do it steadily and gradually so as not to suddenly derail your body. Adjusting to a new or slightly different chronotype should be a two-step process, First, get on a regular sleep-wake schedule in general, which could mean you’re not making it to your workout class yet but consistently hitting the sack at midnight and waking up at 8 a.m. Then start to make little adjustments to get your bum out of bed by 6 a.m., like going to bed and waking up 30 minutes earlier every few days. You’ll also want to get outside to expose yourself to sunlight first thing (maybe that’s a walk around the block at 6:15 a.m. and an energizing protein smoothie at 6:30). And since our clocks adore consistency, that means waking up within an hour or so of your ideal alarm time every day, even when you don’t plan to work out.
Another key takeaway on this subject is that consistently eating and exercising at the ideal times (notice that consistency is a theme here?) for your chronotype is arguably as important as maintaining a rock-solid sleep schedule. It’s the behavioral anchors of exercise and diet that can help you capitalize on having a really strong circadian rhythm. Plus, regularity benefits everyone. Whether you’re a morning type or an evening type, we all do better as human beings following relatively predictable routines. The importance of routine is true across morning types, evening types, and those who fall in between.
Adapted from: WHM
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