Morning Engergy Strategies: Larks, Owls and Morning Energy

“I am tired and have no energy. I do not feel like training in the morning.  How do you manage to be up and about, as well as so full of energy, at this time of day?”

“You seem to be fine and full of energy, at night,” the trainer replies. 

There is a difference between our wake-sleep patterns and energy levels. 

“Maybe you should train at night?”

Why is one person full of energy in the morning and another more energetic at night, rather than in the morning? Is this a purely human phenomenon? 

The “Circadian Cycle: Daily rhythms from behavior to genes” refers to ‘larks’ and ‘owls’. Even birds manifest a difference in behavior patterns and energy levels, depending upon their internal, time clocks. 

Sleeping and waking at different times, according to one’s circadian cycle, energy levels differ, too.

“Are there genetic factors involved?” one might ask. "Why is this important?"

“As our society moves towards a worldwide ‘24/7’ culture, with shift work and jet lag almost the norm, circadian clock research is becoming highly relevant to human health, behavior and quality of life. Chronotype is our only handle on human clock genetics in real life.”

While it is increasingly apparent that there are definitely genetic factors involved, life is such that even with different, circadian rhythm patterns, people still need to be up in the morning and have sufficient energy to be able to meet the needs of the day. The same is true in terms of the needs of the night.

Understanding one’s own circadian rhythm can help a person to comprehend his or her own energy level and behavior patterns, at different times of the day or night.

The lark is an early morning bird, while the owl is a night bird. 

Ask yourself which bird most accurately depicts your personal energy levels. In other words, is your energy level the highest in the morning or at night? Ideally, you want to train or workout, at the time when your energy level peaks.    

“Something else that you'll need to take into account when deciding on the "best" time of day to train is your chronotype. According to some studies, "owls" (evening chronotypes) are more alert during the evening, while "larks" (morning chronotypes) are more "alert" in the morning. If you're an owl, you could see better results by training in the evening, while larks might make faster progress if they train in the morning.”

Are you a person who has no energy in the morning? Perhaps you might begin to see yourself as an owl, rather than a lark. Your energy level may have a lot more to do with your chronotype, in relation to your circadian rhythm, than you realize.

Begin by making a note of when you have your highest level of energy. Note the time of day or night when you have the least energy, as well. Look carefully at your wake-sleep cycle, as that will give you a clue as to whether you are a lark or an owl.

You may decide to change your occupation and training, so that it works in conjunction with your chronotype, circadian rhythm and energy level, as well.