How Knowing Your Sleep Chronotype Can Prove to Be a Gamechanger For Maximizing Daytime Productivity and Improving Sleep Quality At Night

A Historical Overview of Humankind and the Concept of Chrono-Misalignment

For most of our history on this planet, our ancestors organized their daily schedules around their inner clocks. They did all activities on perfect biological time. As a species we thrived by rising with the sun. This allowed us to spend most of the day outdoors and sleeping in total darkness at night.

However, in the last 130 years we managed to undo 50,000 years of perfect bio-timekeeping. This is because of technological advancements such as electricity and the incandescent lightbulb. Consequently, we no longer rise at dawn. Nowadays, we spend more time indoors exposed to artificial light and we go to sleep much later. As a result, most of us are out of sync with our bio-time. This is a phenomenon called chrono-misalignment. The consequences are devastating for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being as the main symptoms are insomnia and sleep deprivation.

What Are Sleep Chronotypes?

Many people in the modern world are working against their own biology because they are out of synch with their individual internal clock. It is important to take in mind that not everybody’s biological clock or circadian rhythm is the same. Instead, different people fall under different classifications based on general morningness and eveningness preferences. These are called sleep chronotypes. A person’s chronotype depends on several factors such as genetics, environment, age and gender.

The Historical Benefits of Chronotype Variety

The reason why this range of different chronotypes exists is because this was necessary for the survival of our species. Every chronotype had its purpose and contributed to the security of the tribe. In ancient times, nights were the most dangerous because of numerous active predators. Therefore, it was beneficial for bio-time to be diverse in larger groups. This was necessary in order to stay safe over the long night. Chronotype variety meant that at all times there were people awake and standing guard, alerting the rest of the tribe in case of danger. It is important to know which chronotype you adhere to in order to organize and optimize your life effectively.

Description of the Different Sleep Chronotypes According to Dr. Breus

An amazing book that delves deep into the different sleep chronotypes is called The Power of When by Michael Breus.

In his book, Michael Breus distinguishes a total of 4 different chronotypes based on well-known and appropriately fitting animals. These are Lion, Bear, Wolf and Dolphin, all with different characteristics, personalities and sleep drive. A person’s sleep drive determines how much sleep he or she needs and the depth of his or hers sleep.

• The most common of the different chronotypes are Bears. Their bio time is the closest to established social norms as their cycles closely match the rise and fall of the sun. They are the largest group accounting for around 50% of the population. This explains how social norms were created in the first place. Bears are good sleepers with a high sleep drive.
• Lions account for around 20% of the population, they are the early morning risers with a medium sleep drive.
• Wolves on the other hand are evening types who prefer waking up later. They have a medium sleep drive and account for around 20% of the population.
• Lastly, there are the Dolphins who account for around 10% of the population. These are neurotic, light sleeping insomniacs with a low sleep drive.

The Importance of Identifying Your Sleep Chronotype

It is important to identify and understand your chronotype and corresponding circadian rhythm. This is crucial in order to maximize your wake time productivity and improve your sleep quality at night. If you have severe problems with sleep such as insomnia, chances are that the reason is because your lifestyle is not in accordance with your personal sleep chronotype.

It is highly recommended to read The Power of When as knowing which chronotype you fall under is an effective start in understanding and solving your sleep problems. This book will help you identify your chronotype and will provides you with an in-depth guideline on how to organize your life for maximum effectiveness based on your personal circadian rhythm.

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