We all have a unique relationship with sleep, but there are some unifiers, like sleep chronotypes. Here’s how to identify yours
Traditionally, people have been divided into two broad sleep categories: larks (morning types) and owls (evening types). However, the science is getting more specific – with good reason. ‘[Identifying our sleep chronotype] helps us understand our natural preferences,’ says Olivia Arezzolo, sleep psychologist. ‘This means we can tailor our daily habits to when we will be most productive, and at night, for when we should be sleeping.’ Here’s how Arezzolo describes each chronotype:
LION
‘Early to rise and early to sleep; typically positive, proactive and a natural leader. They generally like routine, are health conscious, and at their most productive before midday.’
BEAR
‘A tad hazy in the morning, but after a coffee and some breakfast, good to go. Typically, a team player, industrious and hard-working. Can be prone to fatigue and stress.’
WOLF
‘The later the day gets, the more they come alive – peaking in productivity and creativity in the evening. Often experiencing poor health, they are the most likely to suffer anxiety, depression, insomnia and cardiovascular conditions.’
As well as sleep, your chronotype impacts eating habits, productivity, and social life. When your chronotype comes into conflict with the demands of life (nursery drop-off, work meetings, what time friends meet) it can cause a condition known as social jetlag. A third of Europeans suffer from this, and it’s correlated with a higher risk of depression, type 2 diabetes and a tendency to develop unhealthy habits.
‘Social jetlag is the difference between when biologically you’d like to get out of bed versus when you’re driven out of bed. The greater that difference, the likelier you are to smoke, drink coffee and drink alcohol,’ says Foster. ‘You drive the day with stimulants then try to reverse that with sedatives.’
A 2019 study concluded that evening chronotypes – or wolves – tend to eat less fruit and veg, drink more energy drinks, alcoholic, sugary and caffeinated beverages, and get a higher energy intake from fat, thanks to irregular eating, which could impact long-term cardiometabolic health. Meanwhile, a 2018 study linked ‘eveningness’ with greater risk of depression and poor lifestyle habits.
That may sound a bit grim if you identify as a wolf, but you can make lifestyle adjustments to compensate. ‘Chronotype is driven by three things; your genetics, your life stage and when you see daylight,’ says Foster.
