Your sleep type and the perfect bedtime for you – The 4 chronotypes

A common challenge for insomniacs is finding the optimal bedtime. Clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, Michael Breus believes that there are 4 types of person and which type you are suggests the optimal bedtime.

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/your-sleep-type-and-the-perfect-bedtime-for-you

In a flair for the dramatic Dr Breus calls them:- Lions, Dolphins, Wolves, and Bears.

Which type do you think you are? I’d like to think I’m a wolf, but realistically, probably a dolphin. 🙂

Sleeping wolf enjoying bedtime
A wolf trying to stick to its regular bedtime

The Lion (medium sleep drive): “The CEOs of the world.” Fifteen to 20% of the population are the practical optimists that fall beneath the Lion moniker. Lions are driven and focused early risers that rarely nap and are most alert at noon.

Up at 6:00am – 470 min = 10:10 pm

The Dolphin (low sleep drive): Ten percent of the population is the neurotic, intelligent dolphin chronotype. Dr. Breus defines these as problem sleepers, with no specific time of day associated with optimal function. The majority of dolphins are insomniacs, as they more often than not wake up feeling unrested.

Up at 6:30am – 400 min = 11:50 pm

The Bear (high sleep drive): Members of this classification account for 50% of the population. They are typically extroverts that optimally perform around mid-morning to early afternoon.

Up 7:00am – 470 min = 11:10 pm

The Wolf (medium sleep drive): Wolves account for the remaining 15-20% of the population. They’re impulsive, creative, moody night owls, that don’t require a lot of sleep to function. 

Up at 7:00am – 400 min = 12:00 am”

Whichever chronotype you are, developing a routine to attempt to manage and regulate your bedtime is very important, and of course I’m going to suggest my podcast as an aid in this.

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/your-sleep-type-and-the-perfect-bedtime-for-you

Image by pylon2552 from Pixabay

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