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Sleep & circadian

Chronotype

DEChronotyp

Chronotype is your individual leaning toward earlier or later sleep-wake timing. It is commonly described as a morning type, an intermediate type, or an evening type. It is shaped by your genetics, your age, your light exposure, and your social schedule. Chronotype influences when your mind peaks, your athletic performance, and your cardiometabolic risk. And a mismatch between your chronotype and your imposed work or school hours, known as 'social jetlag', has been linked to obesity, mood disorders, and worse metabolic health.

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This definition is educational and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment. Talk to a doctor about any health decisions. Read our full medical disclaimer

Sources

  1. Roenneberg T, Wirz-Justice A, Merrow M. (2003). Life between Clocks: Daily Temporal Patterns of Human Chronotypes. *Journal of Biological Rhythms*doi:10.1177/0748730402239679
  2. Roenneberg T, Kuehnle T, Juda M, Kantermann T, Allebrandt K, Gordijn M, Merrow M. (2007). Epidemiology of the human circadian clock. *Sleep Medicine Reviews*doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2007.07.005