INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — Are you the type of person who wakes up in the morning bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Or are you more of a night owl who works best after the sun goes down?
While people have long self-identified as a "morning person" or a "night person," there's a now a tool called a chronotype quiz that can help identify your body's biological clock.
Discover your chronotype
California-based clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Breus is a sleep specialist. He suggests learning your sleep chronotype — your natural inclination to sleep at a particular time during a 24-hour period — can help you navigate daily tasks like exercising or taking a nap.
Breus told TODAY figuring out your sleep cycle is key to "working with your body instead of against it."
Click here here to take the quiz. The quiz defines your body clock by four chronotypes, represented by animals: lion, bear, wolf and dolphin.
What do the types mean
Lion
About 15 to 20 percent of people are lions, according to Breus. Lions are typically overachievers who prioritize health and positive interactions. Breus said they're up early, full of energy.
Lions work best in the early hours of the day, so Breus suggests doing the most important activities in the morning when the brain is sharp.
Bear
Bears represent most people's chronotype. About 50 percent of people are bears. They are extroverts who like to socialize, are team players, and prioritize happiness.
Bears follow a typical schedule of society, with sleep patterns matching the solar cycle. They like to get seven to eight hours of sleep, and might still hit the snooze button in the morning.
Wolf
Wolves are the night owls. Like lions, they make up about 15 to 20 percent of the population. To their own satisfaction, they are often impulsive, pessimistic, creative and moody.
Wolves have a hard time waking up early and are most energetic at night. They should save the day's important or intense activities for nighttime when they're best focused.
Dolphin
Only 10 percent of people are the dolphin chronotype. They typically struggle with insomnia, but are very intelligent. They can be perfectionists to a fault.
Dolphins usually are most alert in the late evening, but have spurts of productivity during the day. While the try to nap, they're often unsuccessful and frequently wake up feeling tired.
What is melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone our bodies naturally make to regulate our circadian rhythm — helping us fall asleep and wake up again. Melatonin supplements — sold over the counter and at any drug store — are becoming wildly popular.
People are increasingly turning to melatonin to help them through bouts of insomnia. Sales have nearly quadrupled in the last decade.
Because it's a "natural" supplement, families feel comfortable giving it to children, but there are a few concerns. Namely, because it's a supplement, it's not regulated by the FDA.
Eyewitness News talked to a central Indiana family who uses melatonin, and a doctor who is generally OK with its use, but has some recommendations.