I’m nocturnal. It’s always been routine for me to stay up late into the night, and then recover by sleeping in until lunchtime. Being well into university now, I’m a night owl on a whole other level — which means rarely getting any sleep at all! Knowing this, I was curious to learn more about my sleep persona, and — determined to find out — I stayed up for many nights to investigate what being a night owl means.
Chronotypes are defined as the genetic behavioural framework based on your inner clock and circadian rhythms, and they are what determine your sleep lifestyle. Sleep medicine physician Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown says your sleep chronotype is basically “your sleep personality,” and it can be determined not just by characteristics, but by age, gender, and genetics too. We might call ourselves early birds or night owls, but really there are more than two chronotypes categorized by animal names: lions, wolves, dolphins, and bears.
40 per cent of the world are early birds, also known as lions, who wake up with carpe diem energy. They are doers, go-getters, ready to take on whatever kind of day is ahead of them. That’s not to say they’ll wake enthusiastically to exit sleep mode and leave the comfort of their beds –– I have yet to meet that kind of person, but I’m sure they exist somewhere. Some welcome the day at sunrise while others wake even before it, but might be more prone to feeling burnt out by the time the afternoon comes around. On the other hand, night owls, or wolves, make up at least 30 per cent of the population. These include those who go to bed late and get up late, needing multiple alarms to force themselves out of bed.
My research proved how much the two chronotypes battle head to head. An article by Sabrina Kroes from Peninsula Doctor claims that night owls are more mentally strong, as well as intelligent, rich, and successful with higher IQ’s compared to early risers. They are more creative and alert individuals and it puts them ahead of the game. When others are getting their beauty sleep, night owls are grinding away, and sleeping or staying in bed late is when their best ideas come. Famous people who are known night owls include Barack Obama, and Winston Churchill to name a few. However, they have to work harder to fight the natural sleep cycle and can pick up unhealthy habits in order to manage it. For example, eating the wrong foods at the wrong times and overeating can lead to developing a risk of chronic issues like diabetes and obesity.
On the other hand, early birds like Jeff Bezos and Matthew McConaughey score in the emotional and physical well-being category. Studies have shown that they experience more happiness and are less susceptible to mental health issues like depression. Plus, they’re more physically active, but have lower cognitive ability. They may experience some daytime fatigue and higher stress levels by the end of the day if they wake up early.
As for the remaining two animal chronotypes, if you’re not an insomniac or are a light sleeper, you’re not a dolphin. Those who don’t consider themselves a lion or a wolf are likely to classify as a bear, which is something in between the aforementioned chronotypes. They can manage an early morning well and can also stay up late into the evenings. They are typically the most productive in the mornings and are fairly sociable and well-tempered. Fun fact: famous bear chronotypes include Oprah Winfrey and Stephen King.
You may be wondering… can you change your chronotype? The answer is yes, but not easily. That’s if it’s purposeful, but for some it might change naturally over a lifetime, commonly from adolescence to adulthood. Really, it’s highly dependent on your lifestyle.
At the end of the day, it’s important to acknowledge our sleep patterns so we can better understand how we operate. We can align our daily activities, practices, and routines with our bodily rhythms so we can work, grow, and adapt in the way that best suits those sleep patterns.
Veronica is a Staff Writer at The Cascade. She loves to travel and explore new places, no matter how big or small. She is in her second year at UFV, pursuing the study of Creative
Writing.