Blog

Work with your natural sleep cycle, not against it

Side by side collage of the following animals: Wolf, bear, dolphin, lion

If you’re reading this, you’re living in the modern world where there’s endless noise, traffic, and distractions, all of which disrupt our normal and natural rhythm. We all have a unique natural rhythm, also known as circadian rhythm, sleep-wake cycle, or what Dr. Michael Breus, The Sleep Doctor™, calls a chronotype. To find out what your chronotype is, take Dr. Breus’ quiz.

Meet Dr. Breus: Dr. Michael Breus is a clinical psychologist with more than two decades of experience in his field. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Additionally, in 2021, Reader’s Digest named him the best sleep specialist in the state of California. Dr. Breus is a member of the Apollo Neuro Scientific Advisory Board.

While we each have a unique schedule that would let us thrive and be our best self, life gets in the way. Often, you simply can’t adhere to the best schedule for you due to work, family commitments, and other responsibilities. We know we should adhere to a bedtime, avoid screens before bed, and log eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. The reality? It’s really hard to do. 

There are plenty of sleep trackers that tell you that you didn’t sleep well or that you’re not recovered. But this ignores the realities of life. Sometimes you can’t take a nap, or you have a late flight that gets delayed, or your kids are up sick or crying. There are so many valid reasons that we can’t have perfect sleep schedules. 

This is where the Apollo wearable comes in. The Apollo wearable restores your circadian rhythm and helps support your natural rhythm, even when life gets in the way. The Apollo wearable doesn’t just track your health, it actively improves it. Utilizing a new touch therapy experience the Apollo wearable was developed by neuroscientists and physicians for better sleep, relaxation, and focus. It helps us overcome the loop of too much caffeine followed by needing substances to unwind. Imagine this: good sleep, with nothing added.

In partnership with Dr. Breus, we have recommended Apollo schedules based on your chronotype to flow through your day and synchronize to your personal needs.

Bear chronotype

This is the most common chronotype— about 55 percent of people have the Bear chronotype. People with this intermediate chronotype are generally most productive before noon, and begin feeling declines in energy in the late afternoon, and begin winding down for sleep in the early evening.

The sleep-wake cycle of Bears is aligned with the sun, so it’s more natural for them to rise and set with the sun as well.

Tips for getting better sleep with the Apollo™ wearable if you’re a Bear

🐻 Use Clear and Focused mode in the morning to get a lot of deep work done before noon so you don’t have to do it later in the day.  

🐻 Use Energy and Wake Up mode midday when you need an extra boost. It’s better than an afternoon espresso, and won’t affect your sleep.

🐻 Use Relax and Unwind when you finish work for the day so you can get to bed on time. 

Wolf chronotype

Odds are, you know someone who is not a morning person. These people almost certainly have the Wolf chronotype.

People with the Wolf chronotype are most energetic waking up later in the day. They are most productive between noon and 4:00PM, and also get boosts of energy during the evening.

Tips for getting better sleep with the Apollo wearable if you’re a Wolf

🐺 Use Energy and Wake Up to give you an extra boost if you have to get up early for school or work.

🐺 Use Social and Open mode to help you get in the zone if you have a meeting in the morning when you aren’t exactly feeling cheerful.

🐺 Use Sleep and Renew to help you get to sleep faster after a late-night creativity burst. 

Lion chronotype

“Early to bed, early to rise” is a good way to summarize this chronotype. People with the Lion chronotype tend to wake up early in the morning, and are most productive in the hours before noon. Lions are at their best when they can immediately get started with their day’s to-do list and get things done sooner rather than later.

After finishing their day and winding down in the early evening, Lions tend to fall asleep early, usually by 9:00 or 10:00 PM.

Tips for getting better sleep with the Apollo wearable if you’re a Lion

🦁 Use Clear and Focused mode to get a lot of deep work done before noon so you don’t have to do it later in the day.  

🦁 Use Social and Open if you’re forced to be out late at a work or social function to help you stay present with others. 

🦁 Use Relax and Unwind as soon as you get home from work so you can feel fully relaxed by your early bedtime. 

Dolphin chronotype

Of all the chronotypes, Dolphin is the hardest to create a set schedule around, since people with this chronotype tend to have trouble finding a sleep schedule that works for them. People with the Dolphin chronotype tend to be very intelligent, but also high-strung, sensitive sleepers who are often easily disturbed by noise or light. A Dolphin’s fragmented sleep patterns often overlap with symptoms of insomnia, which may or may not be indicative of the disorder itself.

But there is good news for all the Dolphins out there! People with this chronotype have an excellent window of productivity— they tend to get things done between 10:00AM and 2:00PM each day.

Tips for getting better sleep with the Apollo™ wearable if you’re a Dolphin

🐬 Use Clear and Focused mode between 10:00AM and 2:00PM each day as that is your best window of productivity. 

🐬 Use Meditation and Mindfulness during the day to find a moment of stillness if you need a short respite. 

🐬 Use Sleep and Renew to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer so you’re not as easily disturbed by your environment. 

“Apollo has been a game changer in my ability to focus, be present, and sleep on demand. My patients love the fact that Apollo is drug-free, has no negative side effects, and is completely effortless. If anyone out there is interested in getting higher quality sleep, then they need to incorporate this device into their daily life.”Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, The Sleep Doctor™; Double board-certified Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Sleep Specialist

Headshot of Michael Breus, PhD