A uniform approach to sleep just doesn’t work. We each have our own chronotype and this means that whilst some people may suit the 9-5 world that has become so popular in the UK and much of the Western World, for school and work, many also do not.
In this blog, Dr Lindsay Browning explains the role of your chronotype and sleep patterns.
What affects our sleep patterns?
Understanding your chronotype
A 2018 study of 433,268 people by Knutson & Schantz found that 27% of people were definite morning types (larks) and 9% of people were definite evening types (owls). Whilst traditionally there are two very distinct chronotypes. The remaining 64% of people were somewhere in the middle (not a lark or an owl) and this has lead to there being reference to four different ‘sleep animals’.
This shows that sleep patterns are very unique to each individual.
Exploring the traditional ‘lark’ vs ‘owls’ sleep types
Someone with an owl chronotype will tend to feel more energised and alert later on in the day and may struggle with difficult complex tasks first thing in the morning. They may not want to eat breakfast first thing as their circadian rhythm will not be geared up to eat that early. Owls will also be the last people dancing in the pub at closing time!
Larks on the other hand tend to feel awake first thing and ready for breakfast early. They are able to tackle complex situations first thing in the morning. They may struggle to continue to work at full capacity towards the end of the working day, and may fall asleep on the sofa in front of the TV in the evenings.
Our chronotype also does not ‘settle’ until we are adults. Teenagers get a bad rap for being lazy but in fact, for most of us, our circadian rhythm naturally is more ‘owl-like’ in the teenage years. American schools have even trialled starting school later for teenagers, so that they can get enough sleep, if they are not going to bed until the early hours of the morning.
Why is getting up early seen as a positive and rising late as a negative?
The 9 to 5 working world is geared up for people who are “larks”. Getting up early is seen to be a positive thing – like the phrase “the early bird catches the worm”. Society has been geared up for “larks”. Before electricity and artificial lighting, it was important to do work in daylight hours. People who go to bed later and wake up later, unfortunately, are often ‘sleep shamed’ for being lazy.
If you do not go to bed until 1 or 2 in the morning, then having to get up for work at 7am will not give you enough sleep. Evolutionarily, “owls” played an important role in protecting the tribe from dangers overnight – i.e. keeping watch overnight was vital. However, even today those who work nights and shift patterns, are still expected to switch back to normal ‘day time hours’ on their days off.
There is even a trend on social media at the moment, and in books, that encourage individuals get up early and do journaling, meditation, and exercise first thing in the morning before work. However, for an owl who may go to bed later, this expectation will simply result in them getting significantly less sleep than they need overnight.
You really do need to consider what it best for you to ensure you get the sleep you need.
What is the effect of being an owl in a world geared to larks?
The 2018 study by Knutson & Schantz showed that being a definite evening type (owl) was associated with a 10% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to definite morning types (larks). This is because, when owls try to fit into a lark society they will be eating, sleeping, and working at times that do not fit their biological circadian rhythm and are likely to not get enough sleep at night. By fitting into a ‘lark world’, owls often don’t get enough sleep. They drink too much caffeine and the act of trying to work, eat and sleep at times that do not suit their natural chronotype can impact their health.
Can you change your sleep pattern preferences?
Although it is not possible to change your chronotype from a lark to an owl, or vice versa, it is possible to tweak it.
In the same way that you can manage and adjust to jetlag, you can adjust your sleep schedule to fit in with society.
If you are an owl and have been going to bed too late and struggling to get up in the morning then you may want to set a bedtime reminder to remind you to go to bed at a reasonable time, thus allowing you to get between seven and nine hours sleep each night.
Also, it’s important for owls to set a morning alarm and get up, so that you don’t get in the habit of oversleeping.
Planning your day around your chronotype
If you are an owl, your peak alertness will be later in the day, so it is a good idea to book difficult meetings later in the day, rather than first thing in the morning, and to do mundane tasks such as checking emails first thing in the morning when they will not be feeling their most alert.
Conversely, if you are a lark and find yourself falling asleep too early and waking up too early, you may want to actively resist going to bed too early in the evening, so that you can push your bedtime and your wake time later.
Incidentally, the move to working from home during the Coronavirus pandemic has been excellent news for owls who can make use of their natural peak in alertness to get up for work later, and continue to work later in the day, then, going to bed later.
The more we understand individuals’ peak alertness times and ideal bed times the better it will be.
Advice for trying to navigate your sleep pattern
For more information about getting a good night’s sleep and understanding your sleep pattern and chronotype, check out my self-help book, Navigating Sleeplessness.
It’s full of useful advice about sleeping deeper and better for longer.