Sleep isn’t created equal for all – in fact one board certified sleep specialist and self-acclaimed sleep doctor has identified four sleep chronotypes. Buzz60’s Sam Berman has the full story.
A few years ago, my life changed for the better when I read “The Power of When” by Dr. Michael Breus.
Breus, who calls himself the “sleep doctor” and has a practice in Los Angeles, guides readers in understanding their chronotype: their biological predisposition to be a morning person, an evening person, or somewhere in between. He assigns each chronotype an animal — bear, lion, wolf, or dolphin — and explains the ideal daily routine for each. (You can take the quiz on Breus’ website.)
Learning your chronotype, and the schedule that goes along with it, can help you improve your health, happiness, and productivity — not just your sleep. You can make changes like waiting until mid-morning to drink coffee and putting away screens in the hour before bed.
Organizations around the world are starting to recognize the importance of chronobiology and let employees craft their schedules around when they work best, according to The New sleepYork Times’ Emily Laber-Warren.
To be sure, if you don’t work in one of these organizations, it may not be realistic for you to make all the changes below. If your boss needs a report on their desk by noon, “but I’m a wolf” probably isn’t a valid excuse. That said, if you can make even one or two tweaks over a few weeks, you’re likely to reap the benefits.
So which one are you: bear, lion, wolf, or dolphin?
Video by Buzz60/Sam Berman[/vc_message]
