Whether you think you’re an “early bird” or a “night owl,” there's a lot of truth to have a specific type of sleeping pattern.

It’s a concept known as “chronotype.” Your chronotype is the natural tendency you have to sleep and wake at certain times. It also directly influences the amount of energy you feel during periods throughout the day.

In today’s article, we’ll dive deep into the concept of chronotypes and the 4 main ones that are often referred to. You’ll also learn whether your chronotype is a Fox or not. Keep reading to learn more!

The different chronotypes

In the discussion of chronotypes, depending on the study, there are 4 or 5 sleep animals that are often referred to.

According to Dr. Michael Beus, there are4 main chronotypes that can give you a general idea of where you land on the natural sleep-wake cycle spectrum. However, there are always variations from person to person, and there may be aspects you resonate with some, and others not so much.

The 4 main sleep chronotype animals identified by Beus include:

The Bear

Comparable to the Chipmunk; they awaken and sleep with the sunrise and sunset. Normally requiring a full 8 hours of sleep every night. You might identify as a bear if you’re social during the day but have a strong need for sleep at night.

The Dolphin

Similar to the Rabbit, this chronotype has the lowest sleep drive of all. People who fall under this category are generally seen as light sleepers sometimes even insomniacs.

The Lion

Seen as the morning bird or the Chickadee. People who fall under this chronotype have a strong passion for life and are generally full of energy early in the morning, but often burn out by early evening.

The Wolf

Similar to the Fox or the Owl; you might resonate with the wolf chronotype if you find you’re not a morning person, and you’re outgoing and love being out at night.

Understanding your chronotype

Dr. Michael Breus established these four main chronotypes through his study of solar and lunar cycles in living organisms (chronobiology).

Identifying with an animal chronotype can help you better understand your natural wake-sleep cycles, and when you’re most productive. However, you can establish different sleep chronotypes through various quizzes.

At BetterSleep, our morningness-eveningness quiz can help you determine which of the 5 sleep animals best describe your chronotype; The Chickadee, Rabbit, Chipmunk, Fox, or Owl.

Are you a fox chronotype?

To figure out if your sleep chronotype associates most with the Fox, you have to ask yourself a series of questions.

Fox chronotypes are usually most productive in the evening. If you’re a Fox chronotype, you may find that you’re most creative and productive in the hours after dinner and leading up to midnight.

A Fox chronotype will happily go to bed late so they can fuel their creativity during those evening hours. And as a result, they also have a reluctance to wake up early in the morning.

Regardless of your chronotype animal, creating a healthy and relaxing evening routine can help you fall into a state that helps you fall asleep easier.

From sleep hypnosis to bedtime stories, BetterSleep offers a wide variety of sleeping routines you can try out so you can get the rest you deserve. Try BetterSleep for free today!