A chronotype is a genetic classification of when your biology tells you to go to sleep. If you want to fall asleep at unconventional hours, you may need to adjust your life to your chronotype. You may find a shift in attitude and productivity if you stick with the sleep schedule your body wants.
What’s your chronotype? Visit www.thepowerofwhenquiz.com to find out for free. The quiz matches your hormone fluctuations with 50 different activities that take place throughout the day to discover if there are certain times of day that are better for you to do specific activities.
Four Chronotypes
- Bears. Bears are extroverted, fun-loving and affable. They are the glue that keeps society together. They’re full of funny stories. They have a good feel for work-life balance. They work hard and play hard. If you want to get things done, give them to a bear. They make up about 50 percent of society.
- Wolves. Wolves are introverted, creative, and loyal. They are night people. They won’t shut up when they’re comfortable around you. They may not require much sleep. They make up about 15 percent of the population.
- Dolphins. Dolphins have trouble sleeping. They’re type-A personalities with perfectionism that gets in the way of accomplishments. They are very intelligent.
- Lions. Lions are conscientious, stable, practical, optimistic. They are overachieving, prioritize health and fitness, seek positive interactions, and are always strategizing. They wake up bright-eyed at dawn or earlier. They start to tire in late afternoon and have no problem falling asleep at night. They’re most productive in the morning, most alert at noon and hardly ever nap. Lions make up 15 percent of the population.
If your partner is another chronotype, you may be wondering how this affects your sex life. Sex happens 73 percent of the time out of convenience because you’re in the right place at the right time. Your desire for sexual activity may fall at a different time of day than your partner's because of hormone fluctuation. Try having sex between 9 am and 10 am on the weekend. This might be the best time for overlap.
When should you eat? Your largest meal should be breakfast and dinner should be the smallest. Eat within one to two hours of waking. Don’t start the day with coffee; start with water first to hydrate yourself. Keep your eating window around eight hours to stay slim, trim and healthy.
Listen in as Dr. Michael Breus discusses chronotypes and how to figure out when you function best.
Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist and both a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a Fellow of The American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He was one of the youngest people to have passed the Board at age 31 and, with a specialty in Sleep Disorders, is one of only 163 psychologists in the world with his credentials and distinction. Dr. Breus is on the clinical advisory board of The Dr. Oz Show and is a regular contributor on the show (30+ times).