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Chronotypes and what effect do they have on our daily lives

You've probably wondered why you can't get used to getting up early, or maybe you don't understand those who don't get up early? Perhaps you've noticed that you do better (whether it's work or sports) at certain times of the day and that these schedules are different from the people you used to know.

Well that's normal, because that's where the chronotypes come into play. Chronotypes are linked to our internal clock and to our genes. They have a direct effect on a lot of things including bedtime and wake-up time. That’s why some individuals naturally tend to get up earlier and have more energy and concentration for morning activities, while others prefer to delay waking up and plan their important activities more towards the end of the day. 

At Circular we classify people into 3 major chronotypes and 3 underlying sub-categories. Here are the 3 major categories. Some people tend to be “Morning-type” (early birds), more effective in the morning, others are “Night-type” (late sleepers), more active in the evening and finally others have an intermediate chronotype called “Solar-type”. 

About half of the population are of Solar-type chronotype, about a quarter are Morning-type and the other quarter are Night-type.

Underlying these 3 main categories are people who are extremes in their category. Going to bed later than the average for the category or having irregular sleep, for example. That’s why we also classify users as erratic. For example, you can be of Night erratic type or Solar erratic type. A study has shown that certain troubles have different frequencies according to the chronotypes of the individuals. For example, troubles such as anxiety and insomnia are more likely to be observed in "night-type" people.

It is important to know your chronotype in order to respect your body's needs. When the natural rhythm of the body is not respected, physical and mental consequences can be felt: tiredness, mental or physical inefficiency, drowsiness, mood and so on. 

Here are some parameters of your life that may depend on your chronotype.


Determining a person's chronotype is usually done using a questionnaire that asks about preferences for waking and sleeping times as well as optimal times to perform certain activities. Many tests exist on the internet to find out what chronotype you are. 

You can also use a biosignal tracker like Circular that will automatically build your profile and find your chronotype thanks to your sleep schedules that are tracked as well as the response of your bio-signals (heart rate components and temperature) in relation to your activities. Kira the personal assistant will also advise you on best practices related to your chronotype and your habits to maximize your productivity at times that correspond to your body's natural rhythm.

As you have understood, there are many activities whose schedule can be optimized according to your chronotype. For example, the time you eat, drink coffee, alcohol, exercise, focus and so on. Knowing your chronotype and acting in compatibility with your chronotype can improve your sleep, make you feel more focused and productive throughout the day and greatly improve your well-being. 


If you would like to know and understand your chronotype and regain control of your health, don’t hesitate to check what the Circular ring can do for you.

Laurent Bsalis

Laurent is passionate about biohacking and tries his best to be a better version of himself. He also eats too much ice cream which is a problem.

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