FEATURE RESULTS-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS Catching some Zzzs by erik klein I and maria boyle think we can all agree that there is nothing better than waking up after a restful night sleep feeling rejuve-nated, refreshed and ready to tackle what life throws our way. Good quality sleep puts our bodies into the parasympathetic state – more commonly known as the “rest and digest” nervous system. It is not surprising that during this state our body and mind rest, digest and revitalize to help support healthy brain function. The World Health Organization and the National Sleep Foundation both recommend seven to nine hours of sleep a night for the average adult. However, 50-70 million adults in the United States are failing to obtain those precious and recommended hours of sleep. In today’s world, it is so easy to access information through social media, podcasts, and magazines. Why are so many of us depriving ourselves of sleep on purpose? Both the journal Sleep Health (the journal of the National Sleep Foundation) and the book Why We Sleep by Dr. Matthew Walker are a few of the accessible resources that should be recognized for those who want to dive into the topic of sleep a little further. While “hustle” is an integral part of building any success-ful business, hustling smart and efficiently is key. Getting the right amount of sleep for your own recharge needs to be a part of this plan. Dr. Michael Breus, a leading sleep expert determined that there are four primary chronotypes of sleep patterns. Which one are you? The Lion (15% of the population) The Lion is the chronotype that gets all of the attention. These are the folks DR. ERIK KLEIN, D.C., is the CEO of Town Health Solutions, an Atlantic Canadian Network of corporate-owned and franchised clinics, establishing a new model to scale chiropractic practice and businesses for new grads and established docs alike. www.townhealthsolutions.com. DR. MARIA BOYLE , D.C., was born and raised in Saint John, New Brunswick. She is a strong advocate for educating and helping others achieve their goals and increase their motivation to a better state of mind. 16 Canadian Chiropractor December 2019 There is not one stage of sleep that is more important than the other – it is the cyclical process of all stages that is important. that wake at 4-5am, hit the gym, and have an abundance of energy early in the day, being most productive during the morning. The Lions will set meetings first thing. However, there is a down side: They don’t tend to be the life of the party. The cost of waking so early, is a very early shut down in the evening. So schmoozing, networking, family activities and/or recreation tend to take a hit. The Wolf (15% of the population) The Wolf tends to be a late sleeper, not truly feeling comfortable until about 10am, with their highest productivity during mid-afternoon, hence when they like to meet. Around dinner time, early evening, they’ll be in a lull, but coming to full attention after 8pm, and often not feeling ready for bed until 12-2 a.m. Wolves tend to be judged negatively, often being called lazy. Wolves forcing themselves to wake consistently early will often encounter health issues later in life, as we discuss below. Dr. Erik is a Wolf naturally, although he wakes at 6 a.m. most days, with a lot of self-maintenance to make this happen! The Bear (50-55% of the population) The bear wakes with the sun, and starts winding down at dusk. This is the majority of the population. Dr. Maria is a Bear. The Dolphin (15% of the population) These are your insomniacs. Wide awake at night, and fatigued during the www.canadianchiropractor.ca Photo: Adobe Stock
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