Neurobites: Your master biological clock

Some of us are early birds and some are night owls. Which we are seems to be genetically driven. Whether you’re prone to wake up early or stay up late, your tendency to sleep and wake at certain times during the day is called your chronotype.

What is Your Chronotype?

Your chronotype is a description of your body’s internal circadian rhythm and the schedule that it operates on. It determines the pattern throughout the day of your core temperature, blood pressure, cognition and creativity, alertness, hormone levels, energy, hunger, digestion, metabolism, sociability, and your ability to heal.

And in turn, these patterns influence human health and wellness. For instance, your chronotype may affect the best time in the day for you to eat, exercise, socialize, problem solve, and even take medication.

Exposure to light and the changes in the daily pattern of light and darkness influence your chronotype, but importantly, so do your genetics (specifically the PER3 gene). In fact some of the genes associated with your internal body clock are also involved in the development of the retina – which assesses the level of light in the environment.

We all have a master biological clock that affects our general preferences for mornings or evenings. According to Dr. Michael Breus, most people fall into one of four major chronotype categories. Dr. Breus wrote the book The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype – and the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take your Meds, and More. 

Research into the influence of our chronotype on our health is multiplying. A study published in January 2019 investigated whether the genes associated with chronotype were associated with genes related to mental health. One finding was that early risers are more likely to have a lower risk of depression and schizophrenia and a greater sense of well-being.

Regardless of your chronotype, you know how important a good night’s sleep is to overall health. We all perform better after getting adequate rest. Consider the Dreampad for yourself and your clients.

The Dreampad is a patented sleep aid guaranteed to give you a great night’s sleep. Soothing music is played through the Dreampad with a gentle vibration, which signals the nervous system’s relaxation response, making it easier to slow down and fall asleep peacefully.