Chronotypes

I have always had problems sleeping, from when I was small. The smallest noise or light bothers me. I battle to fall asleep, but once I am asleep I am generally okay. I hate early starts in the morning. My ideal waking time would be about 8am. I lose energy in the mid-afternoon.

I read recently about chronotypes, which are different from circadian rhythms. I am not very into horoscopes, personality types etc, but I do enjoy doing a quiz here and there.

There are four types – bear, wolf, lion and dolphin. I am, apparently, a dolphin

According to “The Sleep Doctor” Michael Breus, about 10% of people are considered to fall into the dolphin chronotype.

Dolphin chronotypes have a tendency towards insomnia and difficulty falling and staying asleep. This chronotype is aptly named as such because dolphins only sleep with half of their brain at a time.

People who fall into this category will find themselves generally restless at night and often wake up feeling groggy in the morning. One of the main culprits of the dolphin’s restlessness comes from rumination, making it challenging to fall asleep. Dolphins also tend to wake frequently throughout the night.

Despite difficulty waking up, the dolphin chronotype has the most energy around mid-morning—the perfect time to get their important tasks for the day done.

Their anxious sleeping behaviors may not be ideal, and getting a full night of sleep is a challenge. The dolphin’s ideal window for sleep will land between 12AM and 6AM. 

Dolphins may have a hard time waking up in the morning, but once they get going, their productivity reaches its peak around mid-morning, around 10AM to 2PM.

The dolphin chronotype is thought to be intelligent and detail-oriented, although they can lean slightly neurotic. Dolphins are more introverted than other chronotypes and may avoid social situations.

Read more here