I Quit The 5am Club- Should You?

Sunsets are kind of my thing, but I rarely see a sunrise.

Society might suggest that I’m lazy because I don't wake up at 5am… but that’s just not true. I’m using the same amount of hours in the day as someone who gets up early and goes to bed early!  I’m optimizing my time awake to feel my best and sleep better.

• I wake up around 7:30 and schedule important meetings between 11am and 3pm

• I work into the night, study, workout, and function great in the evening

• I consume little to no caffeine, I rarely nap, and I get to bed well after 11pm

Of course, everyone cannot plan and control every day as they wish.

While career & family obligations may prevent people from being able to do this, understanding chronobiology and chronotypes can us help make small changes to work towards your goals.

So what does this all mean? What the heck is Chronobiology?

Chronobiology is the study of biologic rhythms and cycles- of time and internal "clocks." Most people know that we naturally wake and sleep on a (roughly) 24 hour cycle. However, you might consider yourself to be a "night owl" or a "morning bird." The timing of your sleep/wake/productivity is not just determined by personal preference-  it's determined by your chronotype.Your chronotype can help give you information about the best time to eat, work out, consume caffeine, be most productive at work, and get your best quality sleep.

Here are the 4 chronotypes as they relate to sleep

🐻 Bear -Most people are sleepy when it’s dark and awake during day. They wake up relatively early, and usually feel that afternoon slump around 2 or 3pm. Stress and anxiety can cause short periods of insomnia – this is totally normal, and a sleep coach can help you work through/prevent this.

🦁 Lion- This is someone who really thrives in the “5am club.” According to an article in Medium, Mr. Robin Sharma has labeled 5-6am the “Victory Hour.”  If you’re a lion, don’t stay up late AND wake up early- it’s counterproductive. A Lion’s daily activities must align with an early bedtime- before 10pm.

🐺 Wolf- The wolf is most productive in the afternoon and early evening. It will be a bit of a struggle to force a regular early up, since a comfortable bedtime is 11pm or 12am. Keep in mind, variations between chronotypes are small, but important.  A “wolf" is NOT someone who struggles to sleep and is awake regularly until 2am. That’s a problem.

🐬 Dolphin – Typically the creative type, these people might have anxious and/or sporadic sleeping habits. According to Casper, it’s actually recommended that these people wake up “early,” because of their anxious tendencies. Insomnia is common, and late morning is the best time for demanding tasks. Working with a sleep coach to improve your routine and energy levels can help you feel more focused. When needed, medical/dental/psychological intervention can be transformative.