The chronotype category you fall into is largely out of your control. \u201cChronotypes are genetically predetermined,” Breus says. “So if you do 23andMe<\/a> or Ancestry.com, you can actually figure out genetically speaking what your likely chronotype is.” But it’s not completely up to your DNA. Just because you have the genetics for something doesn’t mean it will be expressed. Environment and other external factors can also play a role in your chronotype.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea of chronotypes is not a new one. As early as 1939, American physiologist and sleep researcher Nathaniel Kleitman published Sleep and Wakefulness,<\/em> promoting the idea that the body had both active and rest periods. In the 1970s, this concept was shaped by the morningness\u2013eveningness questionnaire, which led to the idea that people were either \u201cearly birds” or \u201cnight owls.” Additional research in the field has expanded the idea that there are more than just two chronotypes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Breus’ research has led him to suggest that there are four main chronotypes, which he categorizes as Lion, Bear, Wolf, and Dolphin. \u201cI chose these animals because they exhibit the characteristics of each particular circadian rhythm,” he explains. While each chronotype has its own sleep\/wake cycle, the chronotype also impacts a wide variety of other daily activities. See if you can spot yourself in any of the chronotype characteristics\u2014and take Breus’ chronotype quiz<\/a> to find out which category you fall into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is your traditional \u201cearly bird,” says Breus. While they only make up about 15% of the population, Lions naturally wake up early, rarely need an alarm, and don’t even know how to use the snooze button. \u201cLions are my Type-A personalities,” says Breus. \u201cIn business, they are great operators and really good at managing people. They often aren’t the ones to start companies, but they can sure run them.” Lions tend to be very regimented about their day, which also makes them good at eating well, fitting in exercise<\/a>, and taking care of their health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common chronotype, the Bear accounts for about 55% of the total population. \u201cBears tend to keep a fairly standard sleep\/wake cycle, getting up around 7 a.m. and heading to bed by 10 or 11 p.m.” Breus describes Bears as the most outgoing and extroverted of the chronotypes. \u201cBears are ones who invite you to their home for dinner, take you out for lunch, buy you a drink at the bar. They are fun to be around.” At work, they are also the ones who get the job done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you work best at night, you’re likely a Wolf, like Breus himself. \u201cWolves rarely go to bed before midnight\u2014ever,” he says. “And they certainly hate mornings.” However, they do put those nighttime hours to good use. Wolves are usually the creatives, the visionaries, the artists, and musicians. In contrast to Bears, Wolves are more often introverted. \u201cMy Wolves also tend to be the biggest risk-takers and have the poorest health because they don’t have the tendency to take care of themselves as well.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you suffer from regular insomnia<\/a>, you may be part of 10% to 15% of the population that Breus categorizes as a Dolphin. \u201cI chose the dolphins because they sleep unihemispherically<\/a>, which means that half of their brain is asleep while the other half is awake looking for predators.” A familiar feeling if you’ve ever laid wide-eyed in bed at 2 a.m. desperate for sleep while your brain races through a laundry list of tomorrow’s to-dos, past regrets, or future plans. \u201cIn some ways, my Dolphins are similar to my Lions\u2014they are both list-makers and box checkers,” says Breus, but at the end of the day, no project for a Dolphin is ever complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe four chronotypes: Which one are you?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/MWY2N2Q1ODAtYzZmMy00M2Q2LWIyOTItODEzOGM5OTQzMzdh_chronotype-lion.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,635,423&w=635&h=423\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/ODhmOTM4ZDMtMDMwYS00ZGQ3LTkwNTktZDMyYzdlZjA0Zjgw_chronotype-bear.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,635,423&w=635&h=423\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWolf<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/Y2EyNDcyODYtMTRiMi00ZTA1LTk4YWYtYTQ1ZWI3NmY2NjUy_chronotype-wolf.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,635,423&w=635&h=423\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDolphin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/images.prismic.io\/saatva-blog\/NTUyNTc0NTAtZDUxNS00MDZjLWI4NmYtMTZlYzk5YTc2OTg5_chronotype-dolphin.jpg?auto=compress,format&rect=0,0,635,423&w=635&h=423\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n