This Smart Bite was inspired by neuroscientist Dr. Julie Fratantoni and her reminder that we all have a natural rhythm guiding when we feel most alert and productive. Your “sleep animal” is simply a fun way to describe your chronotype—your built-in, genetically influenced preference for when you think best, move best, and rest best.

Why Your Chronotype Matters

Your chronotype influences more than just when you go to bed. It shapes your biological clock and governs alertness, appetite, mood, and sleepiness throughout the day. Knowing whether you’re wired to thrive in the morning, evening, or somewhere in between can help you schedule your big thinking work at the right time and save lighter tasks like email or routine planning for your lower-energy hours.

Which Sleep Animal Are You?

Take the free quiz from Sleepopolis to find out. Here’s a quick overview:

Lion: Early riser, sharp before noon, energy winds down by the evening.
Bear: Follows the sun, hits productivity in mid-morning/early afternoon.
Wolf: Night-oriented, slow to wake, often hits a creative flow later in the day.
Dolphin: Light sleeper or irregular schedule, harder to pin down; peaks may be late morning/early afternoon, but sleep is often fragmented.

Share Your Animal

Now it’s your turn: Which sleep animal are you—Lion, Bear, Wolf, or Dolphin?

I’m a Lion, found in about 10-20% of the population. This means my clearest thinking and strongest energy are all early in the day…and things definitely trend downward from there!

Drop me a note (Sally@MyZingLife.com) and tell me your chronotype. I’d love to hear where you fall and how it matches your daily rhythm.