Eating in Sync with Your Chronotype: How to Fuel your Body the Right Way?

Have you ever wondered why your best friend thrives on morning yoga and protein smoothies while you can barely even function without coffee till noon? Whether someone is a night owl or a morning person is actually about a lot more than their personality. It’s about chronotype. Chronotype is one’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Your body has its own set of internal clocks and this system influences the way it would process and use energy.

That is why, if you learn everything about chronotypes and figure out a way to sync your meals with your internal clock, you’ll be able to take your performance to the next level. So, today is finally time to understand your chronotype and learn how to fuel your body the right way.

What’s a Chronotype?

Imagine your body has a timekeeper, telling it when to feel awake, sleepy and even hungry. That is the easiest way to describe chronotypes. There are 4 chronotypes out there: lion, bear, wolf and dolphin.

Based on these 4, you’re either a Morning Lark, a Night Owl or something in between.

Why Should You Care About Eating for Your Chronotype?

Eating at the wrong times could mess with your metabolism, energy levels, and even your mood. You see, the timing of your meals can significantly impact your health because your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythms) influences processes like digestion and hormone release. For example, chowing down late at night can spike blood sugar levels in Night Owls, increasing the risk of weight gain and diabetes.

Matching Your Meals to Your Chronotype

Now let’s see what you can do to match your meals to your chronotype:

Lions

If you’re a Lion, you’re up with the sun and at the peak of your energy by breakfast. But, as evening gets closer, you start winding down and losing your energy. The energy boost you feel in the morning means you should get the main part of your calorie intake early in the day. It’s been shown that lions benefit most from high-carb breakfasts and protein-packed lunches.

• Breakfast: Start your day with a proper meal. You could go for a bowl of oatmeal with almond butter and berries or a hearty veggie omelet.
• Lunch: Your lunch should be nutritious and filled with Protein. Choose something like grilled chicken, quinoa, and roasted veggies.
• Dinner: For dinner try to eat early and keep it light. Try a simple soup or salad.

 Wolves

If waking up early in the morning feels like a chore and you get energized and creative at night, you’re a Wolf. As a wolf, you should choose your meals in a way that works with your delayed energy. Wolves are often awake at night so they tend to snack late. But, according to a study by Advances in Nutrition reducing late-night junk food can improve sleep and weight management [1].

• Breakfast: Many studies have shown that skipping breakfast can cause serious problems. So, no matter when and in what condition you wake up. Try to have a light breakfast. Options like a smoothie or yogurt are enough to keep you going.
• Lunch: For lunch, go for a protein-rich option like grilled fish with leafy greens to give you a boost of energy.
• Dinner: Now, dinner is your time to shine! Try to go for something hearty, like steak or salmon with sweet potatoes.

Bears

Bears are the most common chronotype, syncing their energy levels with the rise and fall of the sun. If you feel best when sticking to the classic 9-to-5 rhythm, you’re a Bear. As a bear you can benefit from evenly distributed calories throughout the day. So, it’s really important not to skip meals.

• Breakfast: Start your day with a balanced plate. Try scrambled eggs, avocado, and whole-grain toast.
• Lunch: Your midday energy is strong, so a meal with lean protein, veggies, and carbs (like grilled chicken with brown rice) is ideal.
• Dinner: Keep it lighter to avoid feeling full when you’re trying to go to bed. Grilled tofu with steamed veggies could be great.

Dolphins

Dolphins are light sleepers who often feel tired. As a Dolphin, you probably struggle with irregular sleep schedule and feel low during the day. That is why you need to try having small, consistent portions of food, in order to provide a stable source of energy. Dolphins often struggle with stress-related digestion issues. Research suggests eating magnesium-rich foods (like spinach and almonds) can help soothe this problem [2].

• Breakfast: A light but nourishing breakfast like Greek yogurt with nuts and honey can help you to start your day with more energy.
• Lunch: For lunch choose something easy on the stomach, like a quinoa salad with grilled chicken.
• Dinner: Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime to sleep better. Instead, try a calming option like grilled fish with steamed veggies.

FAQs

References

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322007803
[2] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4657156/