“Just go to bed earlier” is not a sleep strategy
Growing up, I believed two big lies about sleep and ambition:
Highly successful people only need four hours of sleep (I’ll take this one on in a future newsletter).
Truly driven people wake up at 5am.
I’ve always disliked morning people—mostly out of jealousy. Imagining what I could accomplish with that pre-dawn energy… how I could conquer the world if only I, too, could possess whatever supernatural hustle they had before sunrise.
Sure, morning people can organize their entire life before our alarms even consider going off. But they’re also in bed before the evening spark even kicks in.
Now, to be clear: I’ve come around. I love my morning-minded brethren. And if that’s you, I’m glad you’re here.
But the other day I saw an Instagram post that stopped me mid-scroll:
“Even night owls should try to be in bed by midnight. You’ll feel better.”
And oof. The old anxiety about morning people came flooding back.
Here’s the thing: you don’t get to choose when you feel most awake.
You are biologically wired with something called a chronotype.
So while advice like “just go to bed earlier” might sound helpful, it’s not.
Because:
You can’t discipline your way out of your internal sleep-wake rhythm.
You can’t mindset your way into being a morning person.
You can’t fall asleep at 10 PM if your brain doesn’t even start making melatonin until 11:30.
It’s not a failure of willpower—it’s biology.
When we work with our chronotype (instead of against it), we’re not just better rested—we’re more productive, more creative, and genuinely happier.
So… what’s a chronotype, anyway?
It’s your body’s natural, genetically influenced preference for when you feel alert versus sleepy.
Sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and board-certified sleep expert, categorized them into four cute-but-scientifically-legit types:
Lions: Wake up early, hit the ground running, crash hard at night. (Think: CEOs who jog before sunrise.)
Bears: The majority of people. Sleep and wake with the sun. These folks are who the 9–5 system was built for.
Wolves: Night owls. Creative, energetic, and focused in the evening. 8AM meetings are an act of violence. (Hi, it’s me.)
Dolphins: Light, fragmented sleepers. Often anxious about sleep itself. Energy levels are unpredictable—but catch them at the right moment, and they’re electric.
Want to know your chronotype? Take the quiz here. (and see some ridiculously cute pics of animals sleeping).
And while the names are fun, this is serious science. Your circadian biology affects everything from hormone release to core body temperature.
So when someone tells a Wolf to “just go to bed earlier,” it’s like telling someone to get hungry for dinner at 3PM—right after a big lunch. You can try, but your body probably won’t cooperate.
This isn’t just theory. It has real-life consequences. Trying to force yourself into the wrong sleep schedule can lead to:
Fragmented, lower-quality sleep
Mood swings and increased anxiety
Burnout
Lower performance during your actual peak hours
But when you honor your chronotype, everything gets easier.
You’re not lazy. You’re not undisciplined. You’re just… not a Lion.
So what do we do with this?
Stop trying to become someone you’re not.
Start building a sleep and work routine around the body you actually live in.
Shift your workday start time (if you can).
Block focus hours when you have the most energy—whether that’s early morning, late morning, or evening.
And, let go of the guilt when you’re not up at 5—or not still out at 9.
And most importantly: Stop believing that productivity has a set alarm time. You don’t owe anyone a sunrise.
Coming Soon: Sleep is the Power Move
Want to dig deeper into your chronotype and start designing a schedule that actually works for you? My first online course, Sleep is the Power Move, launches next month.
I’ll show you how to:
Decode your personal sleep biology
Craft your custom bedtime blueprint
Spot the signs of sleep disturbances (and what to do about them)
Align your calendar with your energy
Work with your body, not against it, to finally feel like yourself again.
This isn’t about hustle.
It’s about reclaiming your time, your energy, and your badassery—by sleeping like the powerhouse you are.
More details + special discounts coming soon.
