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Your Sleep Type - Identify your Chronotype with Dr. Michael Breus, The Sleep Doctor
Do you know what chronotypes are?
No, neither did we until we did some research and it turns out that chronotypes are another way of identifying your unique wiring or your natural circadian rhythm, especially when it comes to sleep patters, ie: are you a morning person or night owl.
We learned all about this from incredibly useful information via The Sleep Doctor, Dr. Michael Breus, in his book, The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype
According to Dr. Breus, there are 4 Sleep specific chronotypes:
- The Lion
- The Bear
- The Wolf
- The Dolphin
It turns out that knowing what your individual chronotype is can be an incredibly useful tool in understanding your individual preferences for sleep. Additionally, some of us may even be hybrid chronotypes, where you’ll find aspects of more than one type in your profile. However, regardless of where you land on the continuum, we tend to simply live a more productive life when we do so in alignment with our bodies natural, biological preferences. So the more you know, the more optimal your health and wellness can be.
“Once you understand the way your body’s biological clock is ticking then you have the key to working with your body instead of against it,” explains Dr. Breus.
If you’re curious about your specific chronotype, you can take this quick and easy quiz www.chronoquiz.com for a much clearer understanding of what kind of “animal” you are and how to best optimize your lifestyle and get your best nights sleep.
Here’s an overview of the 4 specific chronotypes according to Dr. Breus.
- The Lion
- The Bear
- The Wolf
- The Dolphin
What role do our parents play in our chronotype?
Simply put, your chronotype is part of your genetic identity and since we inherit our genes from our parents it’s no wonder that we share at least one chronotype from our parents. By observing your parents sleep patterns and energy levels throughout the day, you may gain some insight into your own attributes.
The only constant is change.
In addition to the role our parents have on our tendency towards a specific chronotype, it’s also important to note that yours will most likely change over the course of your life. As children, we are mostly Lions, and in adolescence, we are nearly all Wolves. By the age of 21, we will begin to settle into our core chronotype, which is likely to remain with us until about the age of 65. At that point, one may transition into the needs of the Lion or Dolphin. Like life itself, it’s always evolving.
Regardless of your individual chronotype, your sleep and performance will ultimately be influenced by biological and genetic factors as well as circumstantial and environmental ones.
To learn more visit The Sleep Doctor www.thesleepdoctor.com
And don't forget, it's all connected. Your mattress, your bed, your room, the temperature . . . everything. As far as bedding is concerned, some people prefer the unencumbered freedom of percale weave. At Alterra Pure, we craft heirloom percale for that cool, crisp feel you find only in finer hotels. We don't make Sateen. We understand some prefer the soft, cocoon of a sateen, but we focus on percale. Learn more about our organic cotton percale sheets at www.alterrapure.com
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