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What are the chronotypes?
We all have our own innate circadian rhythm. Our sleep patterns allocate us to one of 4 chronotypes – the lion, bear, wolf, and the chronotype dolphin.
What is your chronotype? Let’s learn more about them and how they may affect you.
Lion chronotype
The lion is the so-called “early bird”. They get up ready to go, often at very early hours. They can do half a day’s work before breakfast. If they make a to-do list – and they do, they keep to it and in order. Things get done. They tend to be dynamic, leader types of people, but the downside is that by 9 pm they are ready for bed, so they can miss out on movies and dinner parties.
How many hours do lions sleep? Like everyone else they average around 7 hours, although many would claim they sleep less. If you wake up eager to get up, then you are probably having enough sleep.
Bear chronotype
More than half of us are bears. We get up with the sun and go to bed when the sun goes down. Daily schedules are built around the timing which suits bears – office hours, school days, entertainment. Social creatures and fun to be with, sleeping is less commonly a problem for bears.
Wolf chronotype
These are the night owls. They get up late – and carry on till the early hours. Having to get up at what for most of us is the usual time can be very difficult for wolves, who come into their own much later in the day. Early morning office meetings are a waste of time for them, but social interactions can go on far into the night. Wolves are often creative, artistic, and musical.
Dolphin chronotype
These are the erratic sleepers. They tend not to have a regular schedule and quite often feel they need more sleep. They tend to sleep lightly and are easily aroused. They can be perfectionists but may find it hard to finish a project. Of all the chronotypes this can be the hardest to settle into a regular sleep schedule.
Productivity
As you can see, the time when we are most productive varies according to our chronotype. If you can schedule important tasks at the time when your body clock is ready – your results will be far better than trying to work hard when your mind is not fully on.
How to use your chronotype schedule for sleep
For the lion – most lions like being lions. But when their sleep schedule has been broken, and they are late to bed, they may find difficulty in dropping off; they are overtired. It is here that the weighted blanket can help them calm down and relax.
For those of us who are bears, a weighted blanket can only bring added comfort and serenity. It will help us to get to sleep quickly and to sleep soundly.
You can’t change a wolf into a lion – or even a bear. When they are finally ready to go to bed then the welcoming weighted blanket will help them to switch off and go quickly to sleep. But if they do have to get up at 7 am then going to bed around midnight is recommended. This is too early for their natural rhythm so a weighted blanket will be beneficial. It helps to set a routine.
But how to sleep better as a dolphin chronotype? The general suggestion is that if they need to be up at 6:30 then they should get to bed at 11:50 pm. Many dolphins complain that they cannot sleep – keeping a journal just before bedtime might allow those racing thoughts to be left until the morning. For the dolphin, the relaxation a weighted blanket gives, and the comforting hug you feel makes going to sleep much easier.
Interested in improving your sleep quality even further – read on the 10 Tips To Sleep Better Tonight.
How Aricove weighted blankets work for your chronotype
Whatever your chronotype is, going to bed at the “wrong time” for you means that your body isn’t ready for bed yet. You will still be in a state of arousal. Cortisol levels will be too high for sleep easily. Cortisol is the hormone we produce to make us fit to face the challenges of life. It’s important to reduce this at bedtime, and the deep pressure of the weighted blanket will help you do this.
There are times when our sleep schedule is interrupted – shift work and jet lag are two examples. In both cases, a good weighted blanket may ease you back into sleep. Aricove weighted blankets were the first to introduce an innovative double-diamond stitching pattern limiting the glass beads movement between the blanket compartments and ensuring silent and even weight distribution on the body – predisposing your body and mind for a good rest at any time of the day.
Especially for the restless dolphin sleepers, who might also find it useful to discover your Best Sleep Position Under A Weighted Blanket.
Which Chronotype Are You
When you know which of the 4 chronotypes you are, you can adjust your life to take advantage of your internal clock and utilize better times for eating, working, and even for intimacy. Choosing the very best times to sleep will give you extra energy and vitality during the day.
Whatever chronotypes you have, a weighted blanket can help you sleep. And if your daily schedule is unforgiving, and you cannot alter it, then your weighted blanket will be a great aid in getting you off to sleep. Even the dolphin chronotype schedule will guide them to sleeping in a more regular and undisturbed way.
You may also find it interesting to watch Dr. Michael Breus's TEDTalk describing the 4 primary chronotypes and benefits of living according to them.