What is a sleep type? Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night, but when our bodies naturally want to sleep and wake up each day depends on our sleep chronotype, or sleep type.
A chronotype is your body’s natural disposition to be awake or asleep at certain times. It’s important to work with your type rather than against it, if you want to be as productive and rested as possible. Your sleep type affects all aspects of your day to day life, not just your sleep!
Our DFS ‘What’s your sleep type?’ quiz, developed in partnership with sleep expert and founder of The Sleep Care Company, Anne Marie Boyhan, asks a series of questions about the times of day you prefer to do certain activities, and your sleeping and waking habits, to match you with one of five sleep types. We’ll then share a host of personalised tips and advice to help you work with your sleep type, including tips on creating your ideal bedroom and how to get the most out of your day.
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Each of the five distinct sleep types have different strengths and preferences. So, we’ve developed a host of practical advice and expert tips to help you work with your sleep type - from how to style your ideal bedroom, to making the most of your day.
A Early Riser type or a lark is at their best in the morning - you’re a natural early riser and often don’t need an alarm clock to wake up. You wake up the earliest of all the sleep types, but this also means that by early evening, you are tired, and so you tend to go to bed earlier than others too!
A Morning Person type means that you are more of a morning than an evening person. You wake up relatively early and as a result, you go to bed relatively early too.
The Nine to Fiver type works in line with the traditional 9-5 work schedule, and has a ‘go with the flow’ type of sleep personality. You like your schedule but you may find it easy to stay up too late, and in doing so, deprive yourself of much needed sleep.
Afternooner types may find it difficult to wake up in the morning. You are most productive in the evenings - in fact, you really get into your stride after 4pm - and as a result, you often go to bed later and you enjoy a lie in whenever you get the chance!
You are an After Darker type or owl if you find it hard to wake up in the morning and really get into your stride after 5pm. This is your sleep type if you often need multiple alarms to wake you up in the morning and crave alone time until at least 11am, so that you can adjust.