The Power of When: Are You A Dolphin, Wolf, Bear or Lion?

Some of us are up and ready to take on the world the second the sun comes up. Others hit their fullest energy level during a midday blast of productivity. One book, The Power of When by Dr. Michael Breus, has has taken the concept beyond early bird or night owl, and we love the doctors take on things.

Dr. Breus, who studies sleep disorders, wants us to know that not everyone's body runs on the same schedule. As it turns out, we each have a genetically programmed propensity to sleep at a certain time -- a chronotype -- and learning what yours is and how to work with it is an easy way to optimize life. It gives us the power to know when to do almost anything: have your best sex, go for a great run, eat our fave meal out and metabolize everything at warp speed, ask for a raise, be super creative...

Take the official quiz here to find out your personal sleep type, and learn more about what you need below!

What's Your Sleep Animal?

Dolphin. Real dolphins sleep with only half of their brain at a time (which is why they're called unihemispheric sleepers). The other half is awake and alert, concentrating on swimming and looking for predators. This name fits insomniacs well: intelligent, neurotic light sleepers with a low sleep drive [sleep drive = your need for sleep].

Lion. Real lions are morning hunters at the top of the food chain. This name fits morning-oriented, driven optimists with a medium sleep drive.

Bear. Real bears are go-with-the-flow ramblers, good sleepers and anytime hunters. This name fits fun-loving, outgoing people who prefer a solar-based schedule and have a high sleep drive.

Wolf. Real wolves are nocturnal hunters. This name fits night-oriented creative extroverts with a medium sleep drive.

What does it mean?

If you're a dolphin...

Exercise in the morning. Sure, it may be the last thing you want to do if you're feeling drained because of insomnia, but Dr. Breus says breaking a sweat in the a.m. can help you feel calmer going into your day.

Remember to eat lunch. Dolphins tend to skip lunch, says Dr. Breus—they're so busy, they often forget. He advises setting an alarm on your phone or computer so you remember to refuel, which will help you feel more even-keeled.

Don't try to get into bed too early. To prevent those "lying in bed wide awake" moments, a dolphin's ideal bedtime is 11:30 p.m. Avoid reading or watching TV in bed beforehand. "You must learn to associate bed with sex or sleep only," says Dr. Breus.

If you're a lion…

Set plans in the morning. Because you're an early riser, utilize that time, roughly around 6:15 a.m., to plan and organize your day, and make a few lists. "Lions are sharp at that time—and lions love a list," says Dr. Breus.

Exercise in the early evening. Lions typically exercise in the early morning because they're up and have nothing else to do, says Dr. Breus, but moving from 5 to 6 p.m. can give you energy when you'd otherwise be lagging.

Avoid high-carb meals when dining out with friends. Grabbing dinner at 6:30 p.m. or so? A plate of pasta is likely to put lions to sleep (they've been up for so long already), as it will elevate the "comfort hormone" serotonin, says Dr. Breus. Instead, eat a protein-heavy evening meal so you can stay alert, energized and sociable.

If you're a bear…

Take advantage of your most productive period.Your focus will be best from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., says Dr. Breus. Rather than using this time to socialize with coworkers, which bears can sometimes do, start crossing things off your to-do list.

Go on a midday walk. See if you can squeeze in a 30-minute walk before you eat lunch. It will help speed up your metabolism, says Dr. Breus, and help improve your concentration for the second half of the day.

Socialize later in the day. By nature, bears are social creatures, so utilize the time when your mood peaks, between 3 and 6 p.m., to interact with coworkers and clients, advises Dr. Breus.

If you're a wolf…

Get some sunlight in the morning. You're probably going to be groggy, as mornings aren't a wolf's best friend. But taking just a short 15 or so minute walk outside signals to the brain that it's time to wake up, and stops the production of melatonin, which otherwise would keep you feeling hazy.

Take advantage of the time when you're most energized. While lions, dolphins and bears are just biding time until the end of the day, from 4:15 to 6 p.m. a wolf can send emails, make phone calls or present to a boss, says Dr. Breus, because that's when they'll be most alert.

Unplug before bed. Though you may be wired around 11 and ready to send a bunch of emails or watch a few shows, use the last hour before bed (wolves should go to bed at midnight, Dr. Breus advises) to stretch or meditate, screen-free. This way you'll be priming yourself for sleep, rather than using tech that will keep you up further into the night.

This excerpt is from The Power of When. Get a copy here and learn more with our best sleeping tips. 

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