Sleep Tips for Different Chronotypes:

Bear, Lion, Dolphin or Wolf

The Daily Doze

Are you a bear, lion, dolphin, or wolf when you sleep?

 

Your answer determines what kind of sleep patterns and sleep tips will work best for you. That’s why there is no hard and fast rule on “how to sleep” that applies to everyone – because sleep patterns and needs vary significantly from person to person.

The differences depend on a number of factors – age, activity, sleep environment, and health conditions among them. Identifying 4 key Sleep Chronotypes is an effective way to classify these different characteristics based on the circadian rhythms specific to each.

 

Knowing your Chronotype can help you significantly improve your sleep quality – and in turn, boost your alertness and productivity during the day.

 

What is a Sleep Chronotype?

Majestic Beds’ own Sean Martens was interviewed on The List TV and discussed the different sleep styles or types which define our sleep characteristics and the timing of our circadian rhythms.

 

A Sleep Chronotype serves as a set internal clock with natural inclinations on when the body sleeps or wakes. It’s possible to adjust our circadian rhythms by changing our sleep habits and external factors, but our Sleep Chronotypes are more rigid and thus harder to manipulate.
 
There are four types of chronotypes, based on an animal model: Bear, Lion, Wolf, and Dolphin. Bears are the most common, while dolphins are the rarest.
 
Even if little can be done to change it, knowing your Chronotype can help modify your sleep habits accordingly and optimize your productivity.
 

Bear

 
The Bear wakes up after sunrise and sleeps after sunset. Their most productive time is before noon, and they may experience decreased energy levels in the early afternoon.
 
More than half of the world population are Bear Types. Hence, modern society has built much of its schedule suitable for them, from eating times to work schedules.
 

Lion

 
Lions are the “early birds” – they get up before sunrise and go to sleep earlier than bears. They are most productive during the first half of the day, from morning until noon.

Woman Waking Happy And Stretching

Wolf

In contrast, Wolves are the “night owls” among the classifications – these people wake up closer to noon and head to bed in the wee hours of the morning. If you tend to drag your feet in the early mornings, you could be a Wolf, whose most productive window is during the afternoons.
 

Dolphin

 
Dolphins are the outliers and the rarest of the four Chronotypes. In stark contrast to Bears who have a set routine, Dolphins’ sleep schedules tend to be very unpredictable.

 
They are light sleepers who get easily disrupted by environmental factors such as light, noise, or vibration. If you find yourself being asleep and awake at different times or odd hours, you're probably a Dolphin.

Attractive Young Woman Sleeping In Her Bed In The Morning At Home

Knowing your Sleep Chronotype is the first step to aligning your sleep schedule with your genetic inclinations. By identifying your baseline patterns and needs, it’s possible to build your schedule to meet your sleep and activity requirements around it.
 
Working against your natural wiring will not be productive and can even be destructive to your mood, your productivity and even your health.
 
Listening to and understanding how your internal clock operates will help you get restorative rest at night – leading to a healthier and happier life.
 

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Knowledge is power. It’s important to educate yourself and to prioritize sleep. Check out our recent blog posts to know more about sleep and productivity:
 

 

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