According to sleep doctor Michael Breus, if you find out your sleeping type, you’ll become more energetic and less tired during the day. He studied a group of patients and divided them into 4 chronotypes: “bears,” “lions,” “wolves,” and “dolphins,”
He claims that if you experience fatigue and find it difficult to wake up in the morning, you probably don’t follow the daily schedule of your chronotype.
We will tell you how to organize your day according to your chronotype.
“Bears”
50-55% of all people in the world are “bears.” They have a stable sleep schedule but they usually don’t feel that they get enough sleep. On Sunday nights, they stay up late and can’t get into the rhythm during the week.
The main rule: “bears” shouldn’t sleep more than 8 hours — even during the weekends!
Daily schedule for “bears”
Morning: from 7 AM to 11 AM
- Wake up and exercise for 8-10 minutes.
- Eat a hearty breakfast and drink coffee: it’ll help to not overeat in the evening and the excess calories will give you the necessary energy for the whole day.
- Plan your day.
Maximum productivity: from 11 AM to 6 PM
- Do things that demand a lot of energy and concentration first. You’ll complete them faster.
- You get tired as lunchtime approaches. That’s why it’s better to go out for a walk. Bright colors and the sun will wake your organism up and will help fight drowsiness.
- Have lunch at 12 PM: it’ll give you energy for the rest of the day.
- By 2 PM, you may start feeling tired again. So you can arrange meetings and coffee breaks to help you get through the afternoon.
After work: from 6 PM to 10 PM
- It’s the best time for a workout. It’s hard to start but only at the beginning.
- Have a light dinner after exercising: more protein and fewer carbs.
The end of the day: from 10 PM to 11 PM
- Bears can stay up late but they always feel tired in the morning.
- That’s why you’d better turn off your gadgets at 10 PM and go to bed at 11 PM.
“Lions”
15% of people are “lions.” They can wake up even before the sunrise and do 80% of all of their tasks and chores before most people wake up.
But “lions” usually can’t stay energetic through the afternoon and the evening. They feel tired and can appear bored while hanging out with friends at night.
Daily schedule for “lions”
Morning: from 5:30 AM to 10 AM
- Your breakfast should consist of more protein and fewer carbohydrates.
- After breakfast and before everyone wakes up, you can meditate or work out.
- You may drink coffee around 10 AM.
Maximum productivity: from 10 AM to 5 PM
- As you had breakfast 3-4 hours ago, you may have a light break and eat some cottage cheese, a protein bar, or some yogurt.
- It’s your energy peak: get as much out of it as you can.
- Don’t schedule meetings in the evening as you’ll be tired. Plan all of your meetings in the afternoon.
- You still have power and energy after lunch. Try to complete as many tasks as you can before 2 PM. After 3 PM, deal with simpler tasks.
After work: from 5 PM to 9 PM
- By 5 PM, you start feeling tired so try to avoid working after this time.
- It’s a good time to work out to give you more energy.
- Eat a healthy dinner.
The end of the day: from 9 PM to 10:30 PM
- Thanks to healthy food and exercising, you have some energy to spend time with friends.
- You should go to bed at 10 PM.
“Wolves”
15-20% of people belong to the “wolves” group. They hate mornings, go to bed too late, and snooze their alarm in the morning. They are usually late to work and need to drink 3 cups of strong coffee in order to wake up.
Daily schedule for “wolves”
Morning: from 7:30 AM to 12 PM
- Set 2 alarms 20 minutes apart. The first alarm will wake you up and the second one will make you get out of bed.
- Сome out to the balcony or another lit area and drink some water. It’ll help you stop hating everything.
- It’s better to go to work on foot. You need a 20-40 minute walk. It’ll help you get your head straight.
- At 11 AM, you may have breakfast and drink some coffee.
Maximum productivity: from 12 PM to 8 PM
- Postpone all main tasks until 1 PM and get involved with the working process slowly.
- At 2 PM, you’re at your productivity peak. Deal with challenging tasks and make plans.
- At 5 PM, you’re still energetic. Take a break and continue working. It’s the perfect time for creative tasks.
After work: from 8 PM to 11 PM
- After work (around 7 PM) you may go to the gym.
- Have dinner at 8 PM.
The end of the day: from 10 PM to 12 AM
- It’s easy for you to stay up late. That’s why you may turn off your gadgets at 11 PM and go to bed at 12 AM.
“Dolphins”
10% of all people are “dolphins.” These are neurotic individuals who sleep very restlessly. They usually suffer from insomnia and spend their nights scrolling their newsfeeds and chatting on the internet.
Daily schedule for “dolphins”
Morning: from 6 AM to 10 AM
- It’s better to start your day with a morning run and some exercises.
- Take a cold or contrast shower to wake up completely.
- Have a balanced breakfast at 8 AM: carbs and protein should be in equal amounts.
Maximum productivity: from 10 AM to 6 PM
- Drink coffee with less caffeine and in small amounts.
- The time of your energy peak is between 10 AM and 12 PM. It’s the best time to complete the most difficult tasks.
- You start feeling tired after lunch. That’s why you should go out and walk for 20 minutes.
- You’ll have enough energy to deal with all of your tasks until 6 PM.
After work: from 6 PM to 10 PM
- Have a light snack (a banana, a protein bar, or salad) and go to the gym. But don’t do strength exercises as they won’t contribute to proper sleep.
- Have dinner at 9 PM. It’s also a good time to talk to your friends or family members. You can also solve problems and conflicts during this period of time.
The end of the day: from 10 PM to 12 AM
- Take a warm bath, put all gadgets aside, and read a book at 10 PM.
- Go to bed by 12 AM. You might not fall asleep immediately. Try to change positions until you find the most comfortable one.
