One of the essential parts of every person’s life is sleep. This is the time when we regain our strength, relax, and also rest both physically and emotionally. During sleep, there is a minimization of human activity, which has a truly healing effect on the body. However, it should be borne in mind that the time of wakefulness and recovery in different people is different and depends on their chronotype.
A bit of history
The isolation of various types of organism was still practiced by Chinese healers several millennia ago. It was they who determined that all people have a different picture of wakefulness and performance. The ancient Chinese were able to find out that by breaking the chain of rhythm of the main processes in the body, one can come to sad consequences, such as the occurrence of various pathologies. So the doctrine of chronotypes was born. The main subject of its consideration is the determination of the performance of each of the organs of the human body, as well as the identification of the most intense activities of our body. These are the so-called periods of vulnerability. Their elimination avoids the occurrence of excessive stress on a person and protects his nervous system from the manifestation of depression.
The doctrine of chronotypes received modern development only in the seventies of the twentieth century. However, many perceived the information about the existence of owls, larks and pigeons very skeptically. Only after the data were confirmed by numerous scientific experiments, society took this fact seriously.
The meaning of rhythms in human life
Each cell of our body, its system or organ has both temporal and spatial organization. This determines the sensitivity of the body, depending on the daily cycle.
Life rhythms or biorhythms imperceptibly from us affect the whole existence of man. They affect his physical activity, as well as the ability to adapt. This ability is very important under changing time conditions. Such biorhythmic activity of the body is called bird names. Many people know that owls and larks exist. However, there are also pigeons, as well as intermediate types.
The percentage of chronotypes
So, it has been scientifically established that there are owl people, larks and pigeons. How many of each of these chronotypes in the world? It is believed that among the population of our planet thirty-three percent of owls, sixteen - larks and fifty-one - pigeons. However, these types are mixed. There are only nine percent of pure owls, five larks, and thirteen pigeons. Most people are mixed in their biorhythm. This is 73% of the total population of our planet. Of these, 41% are classified as early bird pigeons, and 32% are owl pigeons.
Who gets up early ...
What a chronotype each of us has, human biorhythms tell us. An owl, an early bird, a dove - it all depends on the level of performance at certain hours of the day. Indeed, for each of these types, the greatest intellectual and physical activity occurs at different times.
So, if you compare larks and owls, larks get up at six or seven in the morning. For the second, this is a big problem. Early rise allows you to do exercises before work and take a run. After that, the larks are quite ready for work day. However, by six o’clock in the evening it is already difficult for them to cope with fatigue and drowsiness.
Chronobiological scientists have established that the biological rhythm of larks is natural. Indeed, throughout almost the entire history of its existence, a person was directly dependent on the sun. People did not allow themselves to get up late, as they had to work in the framework of daylight hours. And today, in the rhythm of a lark, there are tribes distant from civilization, who in their life are guided by the surrounding world.
However, scientists argue that a person can have a different biorhythm. Are the lark, pigeon, owl - are these chronotypes invented by researchers? Not at all. The existing distinctions, indicating that there are owls and larks, as well as other types of biorhythms, are the fruits of modern civilization. Gradually, with the development of electricity, such human activities developed that ceased to depend on sunlight. So there were owls. Although, of course, night revelers met at different times. But these idle people were very few.
Lark Feeding
People who prefer an early rise are ready to eat immediately after their awakening. Owls and larks are also distinguished by this. An ideal breakfast for early birds is milk porridge or cottage cheese, as well as sandwiches with sausage or cheese. Such high-calorie protein food in early larks is ideally complemented by a tonic vitamin salad.
The second breakfast for such people should be carbohydrate. To do this, the menu includes granola, dried fruits, any cereal and bread.
Lunch at the larks occurs at 13-14 hours. It is usually dense and high-calorie. After all, by this time the digestive system of an early risen person enters its second peak of activity. For lunch, the lark is better to eat spaghetti with cheese, soup or potatoes with meat. It should be borne in mind that the completion of the meal with a cup of strong black tea will allow you to maintain high efficiency for the entire remaining working day. Owls and larks are also distinguished by this. For those who prefer to get up later, it is best to drink coffee at lunch.
For dinner, larks will prefer high-carbon foods. Muesli and cereals, bananas, tests with jam, as well as chocolate and green tea will be appropriate here. It is worth saying that foods rich in carbohydrates are easier to digest and contribute to the production of a special hormone - serotonin, which favors good sleep.
Work and exercise of larks
The intellectual activity of people who prefer early awakening has two peaks. The first of them falls at 8-9 a.m., ending at 12-13 a.m. The second has a shorter period. It starts at 4 p.m. and lasts only two hours.
Morning is also an ideal time for playing sports. Larks should plan their training from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. In the evening hours, the fitness load will not give them positive results.
Owl routine
The morning for those who do not like to wake up early, as a rule, begins only at 10-11 a.m. However, you need to get up to work, although for owls it is a lot of work. A contrast shower or a cup of strong coffee will help such a people to tune in the right way.
The chronotypes of an owl and an early bird (or the nature of biological rhythms) are not considered at all in the way of social life. That is why people who get up early, work much easier. The fact is that all state institutions, without exception, work in the rhythm of larks. These are kindergartens and schools, clinics and shops, banks and post offices. Owls only have to work in them. According to most experts, this is the main reason that modern people are so often subjected to stresses caused by constant time pressure. However, how to fix the situation, no one has yet come up with.
Food for people who prefer late awakening
Owl and lark biorhythms have different. So, the stomach of those who prefer late awakening, begins to wake up only two hours after the rise. That is why owls, unlike larks, should only have breakfast after this time. In the early hours, such people are only recommended to drink a glass of mineral water. This will start the metabolic processes in the body and cleanse the stomach of toxins accumulated in it over night. Instead of a glass of mineral water, you can drink apple or grapefruit juice or eat a light fruit salad. Owls should not eat protein food in the morning. For them, fermented milk products or muesli are preferable, and from drinks - natural coffee. After two to three hours, breakfast can be repeated with honey or chocolate, coffee and bread rolls included.
With the approach of dinner in such people, the digestive system begins to gain strength. These are the biological rhythms of an owl. Larks will already have lunch by this time, and for those who get up later, the daily meal begins only at 15-16 hours. His menu should include more protein foods (meat or fish). Between 5.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., owls can treat themselves to yogurt or dried fruits. But for dinner, which should not be later than twenty hours, protein food will be ideal. It can be boiled or raw vegetables and low-fat fish. Particular attention is paid to the dinner type of people owl. The Lark prefers light food at this time of the day, and those who like late awakening may not eat all day, making up for a missed breakfast and lunch in the evening. Of course, such a regimen often leads to digestive problems and to overweight. That's why these people need to eat as few calories as possible in the evening.
Work and physical activity owls
People who prefer late awakening have three peaks of mental activity. The first of these falls on daylight hours. This is a period of time from 13 to 14 hours. The second peak of activity is evening. It is observed from 18 to 20 hours. The third period of activity is nocturnal. It lasts from 23 hours to 1 hour. The evening is the most productive period. With this in mind, such people should make plans for their work day.
As for physical activity, in the morning hours owls are contraindicated. They should leave gymnastics and jogging for a while closer to dinner. The ideal time for visiting the gym is considered to be the period from 19 to 23 hours. This is the period when the most effective exercises will be to gain muscle mass and lose weight.
Pigeons
And if a person is neither an owl nor an early bird? Then he is a pigeon. Such people are classified as daytime. Their life rhythm is adapted to the usual change of night and day for us.
Comfortable awakening in pigeons occurs somewhat later than in larks, and the period of greatest physical and mental activity lasts from 10 to 18 hours. Such people go to bed about 23 hours.
Pigeons are best adapted to the change of darkness and light. The shift of their own biological clock occurs only when moving long distances, when there is a change in time zones. For example, with a time difference of 3 hours, they have insomnia at night, as well as fatigue and sleepiness during the day. These same points contribute to a general decrease in performance. It should be borne in mind that when moving to the west, pigeons show an elongation of biorhythms, and during travels in the eastern directions, shortening is observed.
Such people prefer to eat balanced food, avoiding a large amount of fatty and harmful foods.
Mixed types
Human biorhythms are different. Lark, owl and dove are pure types identified by scientists. However, most people belong to other “feathered” ranks.
For example, pigeon larks. Representatives of this mixed type are easily tuned to an early rise, which significantly lengthens their working day. However, if pigeon larks of this rhythm adhere for a long time, then they may have temporary decreases in physical and mental activity. Typically, these phenomena occur after 16 hours in the summer and after 17-18 hours - in the winter. Adapting to changing conditions for this type of people will help a little daytime sleep. This half-hour or hour-long rest will allow you to restore strength and smoothly switch to the evening-night mode of work.
There is another mixed human chronotype. It is called a pigeon-owl. These are not night workers. However, such people are able to work actively at a later time (at 1-3 o’clock in the night). But it should be borne in mind that in this mode, the dove-owls just need a short afternoon sleep.
How to find yourself
Having identified its chronotype, each of us is able to most effectively use internal resources and establish spiritual balance. To determine who this or that person is, an owl or an early bird, or maybe a dove, there are various ways. One of them is to calculate the Hildelbrand index. To determine it, it is necessary to conduct small studies, measuring the frequency of respiration and pulse. Subsequently, the obtained values are correlated.
This test is carried out in the morning, before getting out of bed. If the ratio of heart rate and respiration is higher than five to one, then the person is a lark. If the result is less than one in three, he is an owl. The average value of this ratio indicates the pigeon chronotype. To obtain more accurate test results, it should be carried out with self-awakening on a weekday. It is advisable to take measurements two to three days in a row and take the average ratio for yourself.
Due to the fact that owls and larks have different biorhythms, the determination of the chronotype can also be carried out by measuring body temperature. It must be carried out immediately after waking up, without getting out of bed. Next, the temperature is measured after an hour, during which they are engaged in ordinary activities. If the thermometer column shows the same value, then the person is a lark. In owls, a temperature increase of 0.5-1 degrees is observed.
There are psychological tests. If the greatest working capacity and activity of a person occurs at noon, then he is a lark. Revitalization of owls occurs only at six in the evening. If it’s easier for a person to solve his affairs at 15 o’clock and later, then he is a dove.
Having determined the chronotype and changing our daily schedule in accordance with it, each of us can permanently get rid of problems related to physical and mental health. It is important to listen to your body, making your own work schedule and adhering to the right diet. Indeed, nature itself, which created different chronotypes, reminds us that each person is individual.