You’re an early bird! A night owl! Or perhaps you’ve assigned yourself another animal after completing a quiz on the internet. Research is shedding light on the link between circadian predisposition and wellbeing, but there’s no need to rewire yourself. Lean into your biology with our guide
Whether you’re listening to a podcast that’s debating school start times or consuming Instagram content from an expert urging the end of daylight saving time, the term ‘circadian rhythm’ is unlikely to be new to you. These examples show how some doctors are united in legislating for change that allows people to live in harmony with their natural sleep predispositions, or ‘sleep chronotype’.
The concept is centred around how your body, influenced by your internal clock, has an innate preference for mornings or evenings. Now, research is revealing just how much honouring your natural rhythm matters for your overall wellbeing. So, pour a cup of camomile and pull up a pillow while we explain why leaning into your sleep habits is the health hack you’ve been missing.
UNDERSTANDING CHRONOTYPES
Just like your height, your chronotype is both genetically determined and fixed. ‘People are beginning to understand that their chronotype is biological and it’s not something to do with your attitude, willpower or whether you’re a productive person,’ says Jennifer Martin, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a professor of medicine at UCLA.
But while genetics play a major role, environmental factors matter, too. ‘Poor sleep hygiene – such as using your phone late at night – can also impact chronotypes,’ adds Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist specialising in behavioural sleep medicine. Inconsistent eating patterns and the fact that many people don’t get substantial natural light during the day might also explain why there’s a variance in chronotypes.
So while you may not be able to entirely fight your hardwiring, you have the power to control some of the lifestyle issues around you. Let’s say you’re an evening type prone to procrastination. Fail to go to sleep until 1am, then struggle to get out of bed in the morning, and you may go from being a natural night owl to a troubled sleeper chronotype. Age and gender also play a role, says Wendy Troxel, author of Sharing The Covers: Every Couple’s Guide To Better Sleep. ‘Teenagers naturally stay awake and sleep in later,’ she says. ‘And it’s not just a preference, their biology shows it as well.’ For example, teens release melatonin – the hormone that signals sleepiness – later in the day than adults or young children. And as people age, they tend to shift in the other direction, with older people being more like
