How to Find Your Sleep Chronotype

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Discovering your sleep chronotype can actually make a huge difference and provide powerful insights into how to optimize your health and wellbeing. 

Everyone has a unique chronotype, which determines the best times for you to go to sleep, wake up, so that you can be at your best throughout the day. 

But it’s not just about improving your energy, getting the right sleep schedule can also boost your immunity and help you time your day - like when to drink caffeine for maximum benefit.

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What the heck is a Sleep Chronotype?

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A sleep chronotype refers to your natural inclination for sleep and wake times. While some people feel alert in the early morning, others may thrive in the evening. 

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This isn't about being a "morning person" or a "night owl" by choice; it's in your biology.

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Your chronotype is guided by your circadian rhythm—your body’s internal clock—which regulates your sleep-wake cycle. We’re actually guided by 24 hour cycles and it’s key to pay attention to the cues of when we should start shutting it down and when we need to get up and be alert. 

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The Role of Your Master Clock

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At the core of your circadian rhythm is a master clock located in your brain, specifically in your hypothalamus. 

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This clock, known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), controls all the biological clocks throughout your body. It responds to light, signaling when to suppress or release melatonin (your sleep hormone), thus keeping your sleep cycle in tune with day and night.

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Without the right cues, like natural sunlight, your SCN can get off track, disrupting your sleep. If you can't always access natural light, consider using light apps designed to mimic sunlight and help regulate your rhythm.

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Different organs in our body actually operate on a slightly different circadian rhythm. For example, our kidneys start to slow down in the evening, which is why it’s best to not drink as much late in the day to prevent a middle of the night trip to the bathroom.

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Why Your Chronotype Matters

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Energy Levels Throughout the Day

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Your chronotype significantly affects your energy peaks and valleys. Early risers (morning chronotypes) have circadian rhythms that are slightly less than 24 hours and tend to hit their stride in the early hours, while evening chronotypes have circadian rhythms that are 24.2 hours. These individuals feel most energetic later in the day. Identifying your chronotype allows you to structure your day to match your natural energy flow.

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The reason for this variance might be tied to the evolution of community. A study of the Hadza bush camp in Tanzania, which continue to live somewhat of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, showed that at no time was everyone asleep. Someone was always “on watch” to protect the camp. 

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The study also showed that typically younger group members stay up later and elders work up earlier in the morning - confirming the hypothesis that your chronotype shifts as we age.

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Seems obvious, but, if you're more alert in the morning, plan your most demanding tasks during this time. If you're a night owl, it's okay to adjust your schedule to accommodate late-night productivity. Not everyone needs to follow the 5am wake up trend. In fact, 85% of the population should not be getting up this early unless we absolutely have to.  

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Sleep and Immunity

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Sleep isn't just about feeling rested—it's a vital part of your immune system’s functionality. During non-REM deep sleep (Stages 3 and 4), your body repairs itself, your brain processes the day’s memories, and your immune system strengthens. 

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Deep sleep (Non-REM Stage 3 + 4) is also when we create new memories. 

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The slow brain waves (delta waves) are what allow the brain to recover in order to consolidate what we've learned. 

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These waves move at about one wave per second, compared to gamma waves that are like 10-40 per second when we are awake and concentrating.

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It turns out that our immune system gets smarter during our deep sleep, too!

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We can more easily prevent or fight bacteria and viruses that already attacked us thanks to our memory T cells. These cells recognize the unwanted virus (or even a similar virus) and more quickly jump into action.

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Research shows that insufficient sleep reduces your natural killer cell activity by up to 70%, weakening your body’s ability to fight off illness.

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Your sleep chronotype can help ensure you're getting quality sleep when your body needs it most. Once you understand your ideal sleep times, you can optimize your deep sleep for maximum immune support.

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How to Determine Your Sleep Chronotype

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Figuring out your chronotype is easier than you think. It starts with just paying attention. Too often we just race through our day and are constantly feeling rushed and fatigued. But by observing when you feel naturally tired and when you're most alert, you can identify how to better structure your day. Here’s a quick test:

1. Without an alarm, when do you naturally wake up?
2. When do you feel most energetic? Morning or evening?
3. When do you experience the strongest urge to sleep?

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You can also use online chronotype quizzes for a more detailed analysis.

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Timing Your Caffeine Intake

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Caffeine is a popular tool to boost alertness, but timing is everything.

Throughout the day our body creates adenosine - increasing our "sleep pressure" aka our need to sleep. This chemical is flushed out by the brain during sleep - eventually helping wake us up.

Caffeine latches on to adenosine receptors in the brain. We still build adenosine, but the signals don't get to the brain - which is why we’re more alert - until we aren't! When the caffeine is metabolized, that's when we feel the crash! 

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You can avoid the mid-afternoon slump by strategically timing your caffeine consumption.

Try to wait about 90-120 minutes after waking up before consuming caffeine. This helps you create a routine to wake up and become alert more naturally using light, temperature, and movement. Then try to limit your caffeine intake after noon, especially if you’re a morning chronotype and going to bed earlier.

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Caffeine has a quarter life of 10-12 hours. Basically this means 25% of the caffeine we drink or eat is still in our body 10-12 hours later. This will prevent it from disrupting your evening wind-down and sleep cycle.

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Optimizing Your Sleep for Longevity

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By learning your sleep chronotype, you can align your schedule with your body’s natural rhythm. 

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This not only enhances daily energy levels but also plays a critical role in long-term health, including your immune system and mental sharpness. 

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Along with knowing when to sleep, being mindful of light exposure, and timing your caffeine right, you’ll be on the path to thriving, not just surviving.

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Quick Tips for Better Sleep

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The number one tip from sleep expert, Dr. Matthew Walker, is to keep a consistent sleep schedule and try to follow it for seven (7) days a week - yes, even on the weekends. 

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A 2021 study of over 2,000 physicians found that irregular sleep patterns "substantially impacted mood and depression" and that "sleep consistency could improve mental health." 

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But don’t worry if you stay out late enjoying a night out with friends or sleep in one morning. The worst thing you can do is mentally punish yourself for decisions you made yesterday. The goal isn’t perfection - after all, life’s supposed to be fun too! 

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Here are a few other Quick Wins when it comes to your sleep:

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• Nail Your Morning Routine: Get outside as soon as possible after waking to help regulate your circadian rhythm.
  
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  • First 5-15 Minutes being Awakesome text
    • Make Your Bed - 1) triggers your brain when it's time to be awake; 2) gives you the day's first accomplishment; 3) makes it more inviting to get back into bed that night. 🛏️
    • Move - even if you're not headed for a morning run or workout, try to immediately warm up the body - can be 25 push-ups near the bed, squats while brushing your teeth, or even jumping jacks - just get moving! 🏋🏽
      
      
  • Within the first 10-60 Minutes being Awakesome text
    • Feel the Cold - just the opposite of what you do at night, in the morning you want to take a cold shower or plunge. We've all felt that holy s%*# moment jumping into a cold pool. This wakes us up and immediately raises our body temp - shoot for 3-5 min with an all cold shower or 45-55 degree tub. 🥶
      
      
    • See the Light - saved the best tip for last - this is the #1! Don't look right at it - but get outside for 5 min to get sunlight into your eyes to pump up your cortisol which will reset your circadian rhythm. *If it's cloudy you might need to spend 10+ min outside. ☀️
      
      
• Evening wind-down: Avoid bright lights and screen time at least two hours before bed. Check out the Thrive25 Sleep Protocol
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• Caffeine timing: Delay your first cup of coffee and avoid it after noon for better nighttime sleep.

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Understanding your chronotype is the key to optimizing your sleep, boosting your immune system, and maintaining high energy throughout the day. 

Now that you know what a chronotype is and how it affects you, it’s time to take charge of your sleep schedule and start thriving.

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