In the case of bears (which happen to be the most common chronotype), here’s what to know, from when to eat to when to wake up and, of course, how to get better sleep. “The entire world operates on a bear’s schedule,” he says, noting this is because there appears to be quite a lot of them out there. (About 55% of people, based on the 1.5 million people who have taken Breus’ chronotype quiz online). Bears are characterized by waking and sleeping with the sun, so they’re definitely not night owls, preferring to wake up relatively early. Breus further explains that the quiz has identified a handful of key personality traits for bears: cautiousness, a tendency for extroversion, friendliness, being “easy to talk to,” and open-mindedness. “Some of the behaviors they appear to endorse,” he adds, “include avoiding conflict, hoping to be healthy (and often falling short), prioritizing happiness, and not liking a lot of change.” That said, he adds, if you are a bear and you’re experiencing some sleep challenges, getting your sleep/wake schedule down pat is the first thing to tighten up (aka going to bed and waking up at the same time every day).
