Are you an Lark or an Owl? - Working with your natural energy cycles

Are you a lark or an owl?

In reality, most people have peaks and troughs in energy levels throughout the day.  Being aware of our own patterns (and those of others) can help us to tackle the chunky, important stuff at a time when we have most energy for it.

 Research in biochemistry has found that there are certain energy patterns that most people have. They’ve found that from the hours of about nine in the morning to noon, your mind is the sharpest. The early afternoon until about three is the best time for analytical activities that use reasoning and verbal skills. From three to six, the mind becomes sluggish but the body is at its peak.

Dr Michael Breus calls those people who share this energy cycle, Bears. Breus is a clinical psychologist specialising in studying individual sleep needs or chronotypes. He identifies 4 different chronotypes - Bears, Dolphins, Lions and Wolves.

Bears make up most of the population and have a energy cycle similar to the one above. They need a full 8 hours sleep to perform well and will have the snooze button on repeat! Energy peaks late morning and mid afternoon so schedule your “deep work” tasks for these times if possible.

Dolphins make up about 10% of the population and are those most likely to be insomniacs. They are light sleepers who struggle to get to/stay asleep and this impacts on energy available throughout the day. Working on developing better night-time routines to aid sleep will help with day time productivity.

Lions make up about 15-20% of us and are the true “larks” as we understand the saying. they rise early with bags of energy but crash and burn in the evening, often falling into bed by 10pm. Early morning, soon after rising is the best time for deep work and/or exercise where performance matters.

If Lions are the ‘larks” then Wolves are the “owls”. Wolves sleep late, are often groggy into the early afternoon, when they come alive and then it’s party, party, party into the early hours. Despite the legend of the lone wolves, those with a wolf chronotype are sociable and love company, working best with others and at time of the day when many of us are hitting the wall!