It determines when you want to go to bed, when you are most productive and where you have the fastest reaction time. Your entire well-being depends on your chronotype – your body’s natural preference for sleep and wakefulness. By adapting to your natural circadian rhythm, you can not only stay healthier, you can also perform better.

everyone – humans, plants and animals – has their own chronotype, a partially innate characteristic that reflects our
circadian rhythm. But it is also affected by environmental factors such as how much daylight we are exposed to. People with an early chronotype are most alert in the morning, while people with a late chronotype are most alert in the evening. Just over 15 percent of the population belongs to one of the two groups. Then there are some who are extreme morning or evening people.
– In addition to them, there is also a group that lies somewhere in between on the scale. Which chronotype you are usually changes over the years. As a teenager, you are more often an evening person who likes to sleep longer in the morning, while over the years you seem to become more and more of a morning person, explains Jonathan Cedernaes, researcher at the Department of Medical Sciences at Uppsala University. The fact that we have different chronotypes may have been an advantage when humans lived as hunters and gatherers. By taking turns sleeping, there was always someone who was awake and kept watch. Today, different chronotypes can cause problems
because social norms mean that we are all expected to be able to get up early in the morning to go to school or work. In addition, being a morning person has long been considered a virtue. At the same time, there are some studies that suggest that evening people are often more creative and intelligent.
– Young people who have difficulty getting up in the morning are wrongly called lazy and lethargic. But the fact is that they are biologically adapted to wake up later, says Jonathan Cedernaes, who advocates a later school start because it would give young people more of the important sleep. If you get the sleep you need, you also feel better mentally and avoid social jet lag, which occurs when you sleep at different times during the week and on the weekends, for example, trying to sleep in to catch up on the week's sleep deprivation on the weekends. And this also affects the proportion of adults in working life who are evening people. The later rising times on the weekend make it even more difficult to get up on time at the beginning of the week. Research has also
shown that evening people are more likely to suffer from diabetes, which is partly related to the fact that social jet lag can negatively affect hormones and metabolism. Another difference is that our sensitivity to sound and noise varies throughout the day. In several countries, including the USA, so-called ”chronoworking” is now advocated”
– working hours that take more account of employees’ circadian rhythms and introduce a kind of flextime de luxe where employees are allowed to work during the times when they are most productive and alert. And there are differences between the different chronotypes: Morning types often perform better in the morning, while evening types often perform
best late afternoon.
– I think there is a lot to be gained from taking the different circadian rhythms into account more. During the pandemic, when many people worked from home, social jet lag decreased, probably because people could work from home, says Jonathan Cedernaes. The time previously spent commuting could now be spent, for example,
exercise – which promotes sleep. He explains that in research, four different chronotypes are usually distinguished. They are determined by having people fill out a questionnaire.
– You get to answer questions like when you prefer to go to bed or get up if you don't have to work the next day and when during the day you are most active.

WHAT CHRONOTYPE ARE YOU?
Chronotypes are the body's natural preferences for wakefulness and sleep. Chronotypes can vary from person to person depending on genetics, age, and other factors. Some researchers believe that chronotypes can also differ depending on where in the world you live. To find out your chronotype, you should look at your sleep preferences, energy levels during the day, and when you are hungry. Based on this, you are divided into four different chronotypes, based on sleep-wake patterns like in animals.
Lion
Often wakes up early and has most energy in the morning. Prefers to do urgent work first thing in the morning but may find social activities in the evening stressful. Often sleeps well through the night and wants a consistent sleep routine. A typical Leo wakes up at six in the morning, is most productive between nine and two in the morning and prefers to go to bed at ten at night.
The Bear
I am a chronotype that is somewhere between the morning and evening types. I have no problem with regular office hours or social activities in the evening, but important meetings/activities
should preferably be scheduled for the morning. A typical bear wakes up at seven in the morning and is most productive between ten and two in the afternoon. May have a dip after lunch. Lays
preferably at eleven o'clock in the evening.
The wolf
The Wolf type is the classic night owl who likes to stay up late. They tend to be slow to get started in the morning and have difficulty with creative and challenging tasks.
A typical wolf likes to sleep until half past seven in the morning, is most productive in the late afternoon or early evening, and goes to bed at midnight.
The dolphin
This chronotype usually has a somewhat chaotic sleep pattern with irregular sleeping times. Can be active around the clock. Often sleeps lightly and may wake up during the night. A typical dolphin wakes up at six o'clock in the morning.
morning and is productive between three o'clock
afternoon and seven in the evening. Adds
preferably eleven in the evening

Source: Science Times