Overview of sleep and chronotypes

Are you more of an early riser or a night owl? Whether we're wide awake in the morning or only really active in the evening depends primarily on our chronotype. Our biorhythm influences not only our sleep patterns but also our well-being and daytime performance. Learn why and how chronobiology affects our sleep here.

Table of contents

1. Early riser or morning grouch?
2. The internal clock & the sleep-wake rhythm
3. How do different chronotypes arise?
   
4. The three chronotypesen
1. Morning type ("lark")
2. The evening type ("owl")
3. The mixed type
5. Differences: Chronotypes & Sleep Types
6. What type of sleeper am I?
7. Conclusion

1. Early riser or morning grouch?

Sleep is essential to our lives, and we all go to bed, sleep, and wake up again at some point. While some people are already wide awake and ready for the day early in the morning, others find it difficult to shake off their tiredness in the early hours. Whether we are early risers or night owls, however, is determined by our genes and controlled by our natural biorhythm.

2. The internal clock & the sleep-wake rhythm

Every person has an internal clock that not only regulates the sleep-wake cycle, but also coordinates important bodily functions such as our metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature, our heart rate, and organ activity. The internal clock essentially follows the natural 24-hour day-night rhythm (also called the circadian rhythm) and is oriented towards (day)light and darkness. The light conditions are registered by our optic nerves and then processed in the "control center" of the internal clock, the so-called suprachiasmatic nucleus. This nucleus subsequently regulates the production of the hormones responsible for controlling our sleep-wake cycle and determining our waking behavior.

The most important role in the sleep process is played by the “Stress hormone” cortisol and the “sleep hormone” MelatoninWhile melatonin makes us tired and sleepy in the evening as it gets darker, cortisol ensures that we wake up in the morning and are active during the day.

3. How do different chronotypes arise?

Chronobiology defines three so-called chronotypes based on our sleep behavior: the morning or early type, the evening or late type, and the mixed or normal type. When we feel tired in the evening and fully awake in the morning also depends on how quickly our body reacts to changes in light conditions. If melatonin levels rise early in the evening, we get tired more quickly and generally go to bed earlier, while early cortisol production in the morning makes it easier for us to wake up and start the day early.

4. The three chronotypes

#1 The morning type ("lark")

Typical early risers are usually awake early, rarely experience fatigue in the morning, and can start the day quite quickly. As a result, people of this chronotype are physically and mentally productive right from the morning. Studies show that larks are not only more productive but also happier than other sleep types. Due to the early start to the day, fatigue sets in comparatively early in the evening.

Morning type sleep period: Between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

#2 The evening or late type ("owl")

People who are still productive in the evening and only become really tired later in the evening are often referred to as night owls or evening owls. Owls usually only reach their peak performance late in the evening and only produce the melatonin needed for sleep at the beginning of the night. In the morning, they then take longer to wake up and get going. Because our social structures favor an early start to the day, evening owls in particular often have to forgo important hours of sleep. Getting up early then contradicts their natural rhythm and, in addition to a bad mood, often leads to pronounced tiredness and a slow start to the day.

Evening type sleep period: Between 1 a.m. and 1 p.m.

#3 The mixed or normal type

Most people are classified as mixed sleepyheads or show only slight traits of larks or owls. They wake up neither extremely early nor very late and can usually start the day between 7 and 8 a.m. without any major problems.

Mixed type sleep period: Between midnight and 8 a.m.

5. Differences: Chronotypes & Sleep Types

In addition to chronotypes, there are also different sleep types: short and long sleepers! Night owls, in particular, are often mistakenly labeled as late sleepers. However, our chronotype only determines the best time for us to fall asleep and wake up. Our sleep type, on the other hand, depends on how many hours of sleep we ultimately need per night to start the new day refreshed. While so-called short sleepers can get by with just 5-6 hours of sleep, classic long sleepers often need up to 9 or 10 hours of sleep. For most adults, 7-8 hours of sleep is considered optimal, although individual sleep needs can change over the course of our lives. Read more here.

6. What type of sleeper am I?

You can easily determine whether you're a short or long sleeper by observing your sleep habits. You can roughly determine your chronotype using special questionnaires, for example. Knowing your own sleep needs can be quite helpful. Ultimately, adjusting your sleep-wake times to your biorhythm and taking your natural performance curve into account in everyday life or at work not only affects your sleep, but also your performance and well-being.

7. Conclusion

• The internal clock controls our sleeping and waking behavior, our performance and important physical processes

• Our chronotype describes and influences our sleep-wake behavior, i.e. at what times of day we are active/productive or tired/sleepy.

• Our sleep type, on the other hand, describes how much sleep we need per night and whether we are short or long sleepers.

• The early bird/lark is awake and productive early in the morning, but tired earlier in the evening and often sleeps between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.

• The evening type/owl is only active around midday and evening, goes to bed later and sleeps longer in the morning, usually between 1 a.m. and 1 p.m.

• The mixed type usually sleeps between midnight and 8 a.m. This corresponds to the sleeping pattern of most people.

Best wishes and see you soon!