Lion, Dolphin, Bear, or Wolf, Oh My!

Pulling an all-nighter is not for everyone, and few people live for a 4 am spin class. Our natural sleep cycle is part of our biology, so it’s important to know what it is so we can use our energy levels throughout the day to our advantage.

 A chronotype is a person’s circadian typology. It describes the differences in an individual’s activity and alertness in the morning and evening. You may have heard people referred to as an early bird or a night owl, but there are four chronotype categories to consider!

Bears are the most common. A little over half the population falls into this category, and their sleep most closely follows the sun. Bears wake easily (around 7 am) and fall asleep with no problem (typically around 11 pm). They are most productive in the morning and hit that 3 pm slump.

The Wolf type likes to sleep in late. They have trouble waking up in the morning, and their productivity peaks 12 – 4 pm, and then they get a second wave around 6 pm. So, you’ll see a wolf waking up at 7:30 am using two or three alarms, and they’ll go to bed on the later side at midnight.

The Lions are the early risers of the chronotypes and are at their best before noon. The afternoon slump hits the Lion hard and may need a nap or quiet time to recharge. They will wind down early and fall asleep by 9 pm or 10 pm, needing eight hours to sustain their energy levels.

Dolphins struggle to follow any sleep schedule. This chronotype is named as such because dolphins sleep with half their brain on at a time to stay alert. Translating this behavior to a person, dolphins are often sensitive sleepers and can be easily disturbed by noise and light. They may wake up at 6:30 am and head to bed at 11:30 pm, with their productivity peaking between 3:00 pm and 9 pm. Fortunately, this fitful group is only around 10% of the population.

You can determine your chronotype through a fun quiz like this one or this one.

Your chronotype is part of your biological makeup, making it hard to switch chronotypes entirely. But you can take steps to shift your chronotype and minimize the drawbacks. For example, monitoring your diet, including the times you eat, staying away from caffeine in the afternoon, and sticking to a schedule can help you adjust as needed. Everyone benefits from maintaining consistency in their schedule and routines.

I use this information with my clients to help them craft a schedule that works best for them. Therefore, your chronotype and energy management are the first topics we talk about during our session. It allows us to find opportunities to make small changes that can increase productivity while still working in the confines of a schedule (i.e., if you have a full-time, children, work multiple jobs, etc.)

For example, if you’re a wolf, you may not want to schedule important presentations before 8 am, but you can schedule more casual work meetings to have uninterrupted work time in the afternoon. Likewise, bears should exercise after work, but dolphins should exercise as soon as they wake up, and Lions should hold important meetings before lunch.

For the next few days, pay attention to your natural tendencies. When do you feel focused or “on” during the day? When do you hit a wall and grab a cup of coffee? When do you start to feel sleepy? And my favorite question, if you were on vacation with no plans – when would you naturally wake up?

Structuring your day to ensure you’re maximizing your energy levels can significantly increase your productivity, so start to observe your natural rhythms and consider them as you schedule your day!