Why Forcing Yourself to Be a Morning Person Isn’t Working (Science Says So)

As BCBAs, we spend a lot of time analyzing environmental variables, building routines, and teaching families how to set the stage for better sleep. But how often do we pause and explore our own sleep patterns with the same level of curiosity and clinical precision?

According to sleep researcher Matthew Walker, PhD, there are four pillars of healthy sleep—Quantity, Quality, Regularity, and Timing (QQRT). Today I want to focus on the one most of us tend to ignore:

👉 Timing: aligning your sleep schedule with your natural chronotype.

In behavior-analytic terms, your chronotype is your pattern of sleep-wake rhythms that influences when you feel alert versus exhausted. Fighting it is like punishing your own biology. Not helpful. And definitely not effective.

What Is Chronotype, Really?

Your chronotype reflects your natural sleep-wake tendencies across the 24-hour cycle. It determines:

• When you naturally feel sleepy

• When your brain performs best

• When your energy predictably dips

• When your mood and executive functioning are sharpest

Aligning your schedule (as much as life allows) with your chronotype improves sleep quality, energy regulation, mood stability, and cognitive performance—all things we need in order to show up as effective clinicians.

What Shapes Chronotype?

There are several contributing variables:

🧬 Genetics: Chronotypes are partly inherited—several genes influence circadian timing.

📅 Age: Chronotypes shift across the lifespan.

• Kids: earlier

• Teens: significantly later

• Adults: gradually earlier again

☀️ Environmental influences: Light exposure, lifestyle routines, and social schedules can gently push chronotypes earlier or later—but only within biological limits.

The 4 Major Chronotypes

Psychologist and sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD, uses animal metaphors to make chronotypes easy to remember:

🐻 Bear (40%)

Most adults. Their energy rises and falls with the sun.

Peak productivity: 11am–6pm

They thrive on consistency and natural light exposure.

🐺 Wolf (30%)

Night owls. Difficulty waking before 10–11am.

Peak productivity: evenings

These are the BCBAs writing reports at midnight (you know who you are).

🦁 Lion (15%)

Early birds.

Peak productivity: dawn–noon

These are the clinicians who voluntarily schedule 7am meetings (🙋‍♀️)

🐬 Dolphin (15%)

Light sleepers, often anxious sleepers.

Peak productivity: 10am–2pm

They’re sensitive to noise, light, and irregularity—and more prone to insomnia.

None is “better.” Each is simply your starting point.

So What Do We Do With This as BCBAs?

Here are small, values-aligned steps you can take:

1. Collect Data (of course).

Use momentary time sampling throughout the day to rate:

• Alertness

• Cognitive clarity

• Motivation

• Fatigue

Map your peaks. That’s your chronotype profile.

2. Schedule demanding tasks during peak times.

Treatment plan writing, supervision, tough family conversations—save those for high-energy windows.

3. Shift what you can.

We can’t redesign clinic hours. But we can adjust:

• When we book important meetings

• When we schedule deep work

• When we start winding down

Small shifts matter.

4. Practice self-kindness, not perfection.

The goal isn’t “sleeping like a textbook chronotype.” The goal is moving your life closer to your biology, not away from it.

5. Use ACT-based reframing.

Unhelpful thought: “I should be able to function at any time—I’m a professional.”

Reframe: “My body has a rhythm. Working with it makes me a better clinician.”

6. Advocate gently—for your clients and yourself.

Understanding chronotypes also helps us support families. Asking, “When does your child seem most alert?” is just another way to conduct an assessment rooted in compassion.

P.S. Ready to prioritize your own sleep and wellbeing this December?

Join us for the BCBA Winter Sleep Reset. You will get:

• tiny daily challenges

• ACT-based thought reframes

• science-backed steps

• 12 days of reclaiming your rest

This holiday season give yourself the gift of rest and be ready to show up for your families, your clients, and yourselves in a way that feels sustainable come January.

We start December 19th. Sign up here➡️ restful-kids-wintersleepreset.mailerpage.io

Can't wait to see you there! ✨