Chronotype refers to an individual's natural inclination toward specific sleep-wake patterns over a 24-hour period, influencing when they feel most alert and sleepy. It's essentially your internal biological clock that determines whether you're a "morning lark" or a "night owl". This preference isn't just about personal choice but is largely influenced by genetics, age, and hormonal patterns affecting your circadian rhythm. While your circadian rhythm can be somewhat adjusted, your underlying chronotype is more permanent.
Understanding your chronotype can be valuable for optimizing your daily schedule, boosting productivity, and enhancing overall well-being. Aligning activities with your peak alertness periods can lead to better performance and fewer sleep-related problems. While there's a spectrum, people generally fall into categories like "lions" (early risers), "bears" (intermediate), "wolves" (night owls), and "dolphins" (irregular sleepers). However, recent research indicates that these categories are not so simple, with findings pointing to five distinct subtypes of sleepers, each linked to different health and lifestyle patterns.
