Sleep is something we could all be more aware of. Getting enough sleep and getting high-quality, restful sleep can have a huge impact on health and longevity. Today, 35% of American workers don’t get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night, and 50 to 70 million Americans have a sleep disorder.

What can you do to sleep better? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for sleeping problems. We’re all different, and something that works for your friend, like herbal tea or sleep podcasts, might not work for you.

You’ve heard how some people are categorized as “night people” and others as “morning people,” otherwise known as “night owls” and “early birds.” There’s a scientific basis for these preferred sleep profiles, known as chronotypes. Though this tendency is not something you get to pick (it’s biologically hard-wired in our brains), no chronotype is intrinsically good or bad — they’re just different.

Discover your chronotype

Knowing your chronotype helps you plan your day around when you naturally feel most alert and focused. It boosts productivity, helps you get more done, and ensures you take breaks when you need them.

So, how do you find your chronotype? One tool is an online quiz, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). It’s based on a survey developed by researchers James A. Horne and Olov Östberg in 1976. It only takes a couple of minutes to complete, and provides your chronotype, what time your brain starts to produce sleep-inducing melatonin and the hour you most naturally fall asleep.

Chronotypes in the workplace

Why do we have chronotypes? Rewind to two million years ago when humans were living together in tribes. Some of us would have to stand watch to protect the rest of our tribe. If everyone was sleeping or if everyone was awake at the same time, it would make our tribe vulnerable to attack. Chronotypes evolved to allow some of us to look out for the tribe while the other half slept. These chronotypes proved to be an evolutionary advantage back then, so they’ve stuck around.

Fast forward to the present day and you’ll see that chronotypes have actually become a problem in our modern workplace “tribes.” Night people can grow frustrated with the very different work habits of morning people, and vice versa.

Sleep is paramount to your health — knowing your chronotype could help lead to restful nights and healthy, productive days in the future. Having sleep issues or want to discuss your sleep habits? Reach out to your Centivo Care provider – we’re here to help.