What are Chronotypes?They tell you which parts of the day/night you're more alert, and can help you plan your day according to your energy levels.

Create Ideal Schedule according to your Chronotype

Bear - sleep and wake cycle goes according to the sun<ul><li>wake easily and typically fall asleep with no problem</li><li>Productivity seems best before noon, and they’re prone to the “post-lunch” dip between 2 pm and 4 pm</li></ul>Wolf - trouble waking up in the morning<ul><li>more energetic when they wake up at noon, especially since their peak productivity starts at noon and ends about 4 hours later</li><li>another boost around 6 pm</li></ul>Lion - rise early in the morning<ul><li>may easily wake up before dawn and are at their best up until noon</li></ul>Dolphin<ul><li>have trouble following any sleep schedule</li><li>peak productivity window from 10 am to 2 pm</li></ul>

4 Chronotypes

Automated Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (AutoMEQ) - https://www.cet-surveys.com/index.php?sid=61524<h1>(Another Good resource) How to Find Your Chronotype to Boost Productivity: https://casper.com/blog/chronotype/&nbsp;</h1>

What's my Chronotype?

<figure><picture class="css-16pk1is"><source srcset="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity_header_1296x728-1296x728.jpg?w=1575 750w" media="(min-width: 1190px)"><source srcset="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity_header_1296x728-1296x728.jpg?w=1575 750w" media="(min-width: 990px)"><source srcset="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity_header_1296x728-1296x728.jpg?w=1845 879w" media="(min-width: 768px)"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity_header_1296x728-1296x728.jpg?w=1155&amp;h=1528" alt="4 chronotypes" width="690" height="388"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Design by Irene Goddard</figcaption></figure>Whether you stumble into bed before the sun goes up or rise with the roosters, most of us can identify with a specific sleep type or chronotype, even if we’ve never called it that. Broken down into four categories, your chronotype shows you <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleep-calculator" dir="ltr">when to sleep</a> based on your internal clock. It also gives you insight into all of your main daily activities, such as eating, working, exercising, and socializing.<div><a name="about">What are chronotypes?</a></div>A chronotype is a person’s circadian typology or the individual differences in activity and alertness in the morning and evening.“Knowing your chronotype may help you understand how your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/biological-rhythms" dir="ltr">internal clock</a> works and how you can synchronize it with your daily activities and duties to use your time most efficiently,” explains Eva Cohen, a certified sleep science coach from <a href="https://kansas-sleep.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Kansas-Sleep</a>.In particular, Cohen says your chronotype defines your peak productivity times, allowing you to plan your day wisely.<UL><LI>bear</LI><LI>wolf</LI><LI>lion</LI><LI>dolphin</LI></UL><div><a name="bear">The bear chronotype</a></div><figure><picture class="css-16pk1is"><source srcset="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity-body-bear-1296x728.png?w=1575 750w" media="(min-width: 1190px)"><source srcset="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity-body-bear-1296x728.png?w=1575 750w" media="(min-width: 990px)"><source srcset="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity-body-bear-1296x728.png?w=1845 879w" media="(min-width: 768px)"><img src="https://i0.wp.com/post.healthline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/256657_ChronotypesSleepProductivity-body-bear-1296x728.png?w=1155&amp;h=1528" alt="bear chronotype" width="690" height="388"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Design by Irene Goddard</figcaption></figure>Most people fall under the category of a bear chronotype. This means their sleep and wake cycle goes according to the sun.Cohen says bear chronotypes wake easily and typically fall asleep with no problem. Productivity seems best before noon, and they’re prone to the “post-lunch” dip between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. <div><a name="wolf">The wolf chronotype</a></div><figcaption>Design by Irene Goddard</figcaption>This chronotype often has <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cant-wake-up" dir="ltr">trouble waking up in the morning</a>. In fact, Cohen says wolf chronotypes feel more energetic when they wake up at noon, especially since their peak productivity starts at noon and ends about 4 hours later.Wolf types also get another boost around 6 p.m. and find they can get a lot done while everyone else is done for the day. <div>HEALTHLINE CHALLENGE</div><div>Sponsored by</div><div>Build a routine for better sleep</div>Most of what affects your sleep happens when it’s still light. Learn healthy habits for superior shut-eye in our 12-day Clean Up Your Sleep Challenge.<div><button type="submit">JOIN IN</button></div><div><a name="lion">The lion chronotype</a></div><figcaption>Design by Irene Goddard</figcaption>Unlike wolves, lion chronotypes like to rise early in the morning. “They may easily wake up before dawn and are at their best up until noon,” says Cohen.Typically, lion types wind down in the evening and end up falling asleep by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. <div><a name="dolphin">The dolphin chronotype</a></div><figcaption>Design by Irene Goddard</figcaption>If you have trouble following any sleep schedule, then you may be a dolphin.“They often don’t get enough sleep due to their sensitivity to different disturbing factors like noise and light,” says Cohen.The good news? They have a peak productivity window from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which is a great time to get things done. <div><a name="benefits">Benefits</a></div>Being able to identify your chronotype can give you insight into your sleep and wake cycles, as well as peak productivity times. Benefits include:<UL><LI>Helps you understand when you fall asleep. Evening chronotypes typically have sleep patterns timed 2 to 3 hours later than morning chronotypes, according to an <hl-trusted-source source="PubMed Central" rationale="Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health" dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23616692" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">older study</a></hl-trusted-source>. </LI><LI>Helps you track eating habits. Knowing your chronotype may also help you track eating habits. One <a href="https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/10/1/30/5209973" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">review</a> looked at the connection between chronotype, diet, and cardiometabolic health. They found that an evening chronotype, such as wolves, is associated with a lower intake of fruits and vegetables and higher intake of energy drinks, alcoholic, sugary, and caffeinated beverages, as well as higher energy intake from fat.</LI><LI>Helps you understand the connection between sleep-wake time and mental health. Another <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40675-018-0113-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">review</a> found a connection between a number of adverse mental health outcomes, such as depression, for people who have a preference for an evening chronotype, compared to those who identify with a morning chronotype. </LI></UL><div><a name="find-yours">What’s my chronotype?</a></div>You can find more about your chronotype by taking a quiz:<UL><LI>The Power of When Quiz. <a href="https://thepowerofwhenquiz.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">This one</a> is based on Dr. Breus’ book, “The Power of When.”</LI><LI>MEQ Self-Assessment. The <a href="https://cet.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Morningness-Eveningness-Self-assessment-from-cet.org_.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ)</a> is another inventory you can take to help determine your sleep type. </LI><LI>AutoMEQ. You can also use the <a href="https://www.cet-surveys.com/index.php?sid=61524" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">automated version</a>. </LI></UL>Your chronotype depends on several factors, including genetics, environment, age, and sex, according to <hl-trusted-source source="Nature" rationale="Highly respected journal,Expert written journal,Peer reviewed journal" dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43168-9" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">one study</a></hl-trusted-source>.Researchers also reported that older adults identify more with a morning chronotype, while teens and younger adults tend to fit the evening type.When it comes to gender differences, they found that males are more inclined to be associated with an evening chronotype, which may be due to endocrine factors. <div><a name="using-your-chronotype">How to apply this information&nbsp;</a></div>Identifying and understanding your chronotype and sleep cycles can help you maximize your wake time and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need" dir="ltr">sleep better</a> at night.Dr. Nate Watson, <a href="https://www.sleepscore.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">SleepScore</a> Advisor and co-director of the <a href="https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/nathaniel-watson#about-tab" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center,</a> says when it comes to sleep and chronotypes, the majority of people are neither morning or evening type.In other words, they fall into the “neither” category. This means their sleep shouldn’t be affected. However, he does point out that people who are evening types will desire a later bedtime and rise time than morning types.While chronotypes are mostly fixed, Watson does say that exposure to light in the morning may help an evening type fall asleep earlier, and exposure to light in the evening may help morning types go to sleep later.Additionally, Watson says evening type chronotypes may do best with careers that don’t require an early start time in the morning or careers with flexibility regarding when the work gets done. And morning type chronotypes would do best working traditional hours.“Sleep is best if it occurs predominantly at night, regardless of chronotype,” says Watson. “I recommend both chronotypes (morning and night) listen to their bodies and go to bed when they feel tired and arise when they feel rested.”<div><a name="takeaway">The takeaway</a></div>Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to both your physical and mental health.Being able to identify and understand how your chronotype affects your sleep and wake time can help you maximize productivity, gain insight into your health, and learn new ways to increase the quality of your sleep.

Being able to identify and understand your chronotype can help you maximize productivity, gain insight into your health, and learn new ways to increase the quality of your sleep. Here's why.

productivity

Productivity

food

Food

health

Health

habits

Habits

meditation

Meditation

Whether you stumble into bed before the sun goes up or rise with the roosters, most of us can identify with a specific sleep type or chronotype, even if we’ve never called it that.

Broken down into four categories, your chronotype shows you <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleep-calculator">when to sleep </a>based on your internal clock. It also gives you insight into all of your main daily activities, such as eating, working, exercising, and socializing.

A chronotype is a person’s circadian typology or the individual differences in activity and alertness in the morning and evening.

“Knowing your chronotype may help you understand how your <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/biological-rhythms">internal clock </a>works and how you can synchronize it with your daily activities and duties to use your time most efficiently,” explains Eva Cohen, a certified sleep science coach from <a dir="ltr" href="https://kansas-sleep.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kansas-Sleep </a>.

In particular, Cohen says your chronotype defines your peak productivity times, allowing you to plan your day wisely.

<ul><li>bear </li><li>wolf </li><li>lion </li><li>dolphin </li> </ul>

Most people fall under the category of a bear chronotype. This means their sleep and wake cycle goes according to the sun.

Cohen says bear chronotypes wake easily and typically fall asleep with no problem. Productivity seems best before noon, and they’re prone to the “post-lunch” dip between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

This chronotype often has <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cant-wake-up">trouble waking up in the morning </a>. In fact, Cohen says wolf chronotypes feel more energetic when they wake up at noon, especially since their peak productivity starts at noon and ends about 4 hours later.

Wolf types also get another boost around 6 p.m. and find they can get a lot done while everyone else is done for the day.

Most of what affects your sleep happens when it’s still light. Learn healthy habits for superior shut-eye in our 12-day Clean Up Your Sleep Challenge.

Unlike wolves, lion chronotypes like to rise early in the morning. “They may easily wake up before dawn and are at their best up until noon,” says Cohen.

Typically, lion types wind down in the evening and end up falling asleep by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.

If you have trouble following any sleep schedule, then you may be a dolphin.

“They often don’t get enough sleep due to their sensitivity to different disturbing factors like noise and light,” says Cohen.

The good news? They have a peak productivity window from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which is a great time to get things done.

Being able to identify your chronotype can give you insight into your sleep and wake cycles, as well as peak productivity times. Benefits include:

<ul><li>Helps you understand when you fall asleep. Evening chronotypes typically have sleep patterns timed 2 to 3 hours later than morning chronotypes, according to an <hl-trusted-source dir="ltr" rationale="Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health" source="PubMed Central"><a dir="ltr" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23616692" rel="noopener noreferrer">older study </a> </hl-trusted-source>. </li><li>Helps you track eating habits. Knowing your chronotype may also help you track eating habits. One <a dir="ltr" href="https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/10/1/30/5209973" rel="noopener noreferrer">review </a>looked at the connection between chronotype, diet, and cardiometabolic health. They found that an evening chronotype, such as wolves, is associated with a lower intake of fruits and vegetables and higher intake of energy drinks, alcoholic, sugary, and caffeinated beverages, as well as higher energy intake from fat. </li><li>Helps you understand the connection between sleep-wake time and mental health. Another <a dir="ltr" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40675-018-0113-8" rel="noopener noreferrer">review </a>found a connection between a number of adverse mental health outcomes, such as depression, for people who have a preference for an evening chronotype, compared to those who identify with a morning chronotype. </li> </ul>

You can find more about your chronotype by taking a quiz:

<ul><li>The Power of When Quiz. <a dir="ltr" href="https://thepowerofwhenquiz.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">This one </a>is based on Dr. Breus’ book, “The Power of When.” </li><li>MEQ Self-Assessment. The <a dir="ltr" href="https://cet.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Morningness-Eveningness-Self-assessment-from-cet.org_.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer">Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) </a>is another inventory you can take to help determine your sleep type. </li><li>AutoMEQ. You can also use the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.cet-surveys.com/index.php?sid=61524" rel="noopener noreferrer">automated version </a>. </li> </ul>

Your chronotype depends on several factors, including genetics, environment, age, and sex, according to <hl-trusted-source dir="ltr" rationale="Highly respected journal,Expert written journal,Peer reviewed journal" source="Nature"><a dir="ltr" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43168-9" rel="noopener noreferrer">one study </a> </hl-trusted-source>

Researchers also reported that older adults identify more with a morning chronotype, while teens and younger adults tend to fit the evening type.

When it comes to gender differences, they found that males are more inclined to be associated with an evening chronotype, which may be due to endocrine factors.

Identifying and understanding your chronotype and sleep cycles can help you maximize your wake time and <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-deep-sleep-do-you-need">sleep better </a>at night.

Dr. Nate Watson, <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.sleepscore.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">SleepScore </a>Advisor and co-director of the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.uwmedicine.org/bios/nathaniel-watson#about-tab" rel="noopener noreferrer">University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center, </a>says when it comes to sleep and chronotypes, the majority of people are neither morning or evening type.

In other words, they fall into the “neither” category. This means their sleep shouldn’t be affected.

However, he does point out that people who are evening types will desire a later bedtime and rise time than morning types.

While chronotypes are mostly fixed, Watson does say that exposure to light in the morning may help an evening type fall asleep earlier, and exposure to light in the evening may help morning types go to sleep later.

Additionally, Watson says evening type chronotypes may do best with careers that don’t require an early start time in the morning or careers with flexibility regarding when the work gets done. And morning type chronotypes would do best working traditional hours.

“Sleep is best if it occurs predominantly at night, regardless of chronotype,” says Watson. “I recommend both chronotypes (morning and night) listen to their bodies and go to bed when they feel tired and arise when they feel rested.”

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential to both your physical and mental health.

Being able to identify and understand how your chronotype affects your sleep and wake time can help you maximize productivity, gain insight into your health, and learn new ways to increase the quality of your sleep.

How Your Chronotype, Sleep, and Activity Connect

Create Ideal Schedule according to your Chronotype

4 Chronotypes

What's my Chronotype?

(Another Good resource) How to Find Your Chronotype to Boost Productivity: https://casper.com/blog/chronotype/

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