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Do Different People Function Better At Different Times Of The Day?

Sleep — it’s the topic of many health discussions in today’s medical world. By now, we’re all aware that getting adequate sleep each night is crucial to our well-being. Being rested gives you more energy and helps you tackle the day, while sleep deprivation causes fatigue and cravings and can lead to more serious problems.

When it comes to achieving the optimal amount of sleep, people differ in their preferences regarding how to do this. Some prefer to stay up into the late hours of the night and wake late, while others thrive on early bedtimes and rising with the sun. It turns out these preferences have a name: chronotypes.

What Are Chronotypes?

Simply put, chronotypes refer to the way people function regarding their sleep schedules. For example, if you tend to do your best work in the evening hours, you likely fit into the owl chronotype. If, however, you feel the most productive in the mornings, you’re probably what’s considered a lark.

How Do The Different Chronotypes Compare?

Some will argue that sleep patterns are self-developed; that is, you create your own ideal sleep schedule based on the habits you keep. But a study conducted by scientists at the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences suggests evidence to dispute that stand.

Based on the study’s findings, there’s a biological factor that determines how well people function at different times of the day, and not everyone is the same. Here’s a breakdown of the four basic chronotypes as outlined in the study:

 

The Owl Group: These people are the most productive in the evenings and tend to stay awake later and sleep in longer.

The Lark Group: The individuals in this group reported more energy in the mornings and had a habit of going to bed two hours earlier, on average, than owls.

The Energetic Group: These lucky people seem to have energy and experience productivity both in the mornings and the evenings. Their bedtimes and wake times were somewhere between the owl and lark groups.

The Lethargic Group: The participants in this group reported feeling quite the opposite of their energetic friends, even though their sleep patterns were similar. They were fatigued in the mornings and evenings.

 

No matter which chronotype you identify with, understanding and managing your individual sleep pattern is important. Give the experts at Matrix Age Management a call; we’ll help you develop healthy sleep habits so that you can be your best self at all hours.

Tags: Sleep

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