Just like their nocturnal namesake, wolf chronotypes are most productive at night and struggle to wake up in the morning.

Wolves have two peak productivity periods. The first occurs from noon to early afternoon, and the second from 6pm all the way until midnight – and sometimes beyond.

Experts recommend wolf chronotypes wake at 7.30am (with a 30-minute snooze), and go to bed around midnight. Use this second wind to your advantage and get ahead on work at home in the evenings.

Over half of the population falls into this category. Bears follow the solar cycle, with their sleep-wake cycle dictated by the sun. Generally, bears have little trouble sleeping at night and waking in the morning.

This chronotype is most productive in the morning between 10am and 2pm, and generally suffers a mid-afternoon slump.

If this sounds like you, wake around 7am and go to bed by 11pm. Schedule meetings for the morning and focus on lighter tasks after lunch.

Move over early birds, it’s the early lion who gets the worm. Lion chronotypes have no trouble waking early in the morning, often before the sun, but start to fizzle from around lunchtime.

Their peak focus period is between 8am and noon. Lions often need an afternoon power nap to recharge, and feel drained by the evening. This chronotype also benefits from an evening wind-down routine to help decompress.

If this is you, aim to wake between 5.30 and 6am, and go to bed around 10pm.

In nature, dolphins only sleep with half of their brain at a time. And like their counterparts, dolphin chronotypes also struggle to achieve a restful slumber.

Often dolphin chronotypes wake tired, but achieve a period of productivity by mid-morning.

Dolphins should aim for bed in the evening by midnight, and wake at 6.30am. They should take little breaks throughout the day to reset.

1. Consistency: Have a regular bedtime and wake-up time where possible (including weekends). This avoids shifting your body clock from day to day. “Social jet lag” can occur after staying up late on weekends then trying to readjust our body clock to get up early Monday morning for work or school.
2. Here Comes The Sun: Morning exposure to a few minutes of sunlight will entrain your body clock to the external environment, making you feel more awake and alert during the day. Consider a short walk outside on the way to work or school.
3. Screen Time: Avoid light exposure prior to bedtime (such as screen time) as this will shift your body clock later, making it harder to fall asleep and get up in the morning.

Text: Bauer Syndication

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