Not all children have to go to bed early. How do you find out if yours is “owl” or “hammer” and what does that mean
A tired teenager is not lazy, but often only in the counter with his own biological clock. It needs more sleep – not more pressure. Only 15 extra minutes can change everything. Photo: Shutterstock
Have you noticed that some children fall from sleep at 9 in the evening, and others become philosophers at 11 at night? It's not just a temperament but a biological feature called chronotype. The chronotype – that is, the natural biological rhythm of the child – explains why some children fall asleep early, and others take energy and become lively after 22:00. The short test below helps you find out if you have a “owl” at home or a “hammer” and how to match its bedtime at its pace. With the help of a simplified scientific questionnaire, you can find out what type your child is and-more important-how to help him fall asleep at the right hours, depending on the needs of age and the school program or holidays.
When it comes to sleep, not all children are the same. Some work best in the early morning (“Ciocârlii”), others have maximum energy (“owls”). This biological rhythm, called chronotype, is genetically determined and influences the time at which the body releases melatonin – sleep hormone. Research shows that chronotype differences occur right from school age and are accentuated in adolescence, when the circadian rhythm is naturally forbid. This means that a teenager who cannot fall asleep at 22:00 is not “lazy”, but for him, he simply did not start biologically “at night”.
Do the test: Is your child an owl or hammer?
This mini-keyboard is a simplified version inspired by the classic Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) instrument, developed by Jim A. Horne and Olov Östberg in 1976 (“A Self-Assessment Questionnaire to determine Morningness-Eveningness”,, International Journal of Chronobiology). The original full version has 19 questions and can be consulted in English here. The score indicates if you have a chocker, owl, owl or somewhere in the middle. It does not put a “diagnosis”, but it offers a solid orientation, used in research, about the time of day when the child is naturally alert. Answer with the child to the 5 questions, write down the points and gather the total score. Then check out results in the table:
1. When he wakes up, how does he feel?
a) very tired – 1 point
b) rather sleepy/sleepy – 2 points
c) pretty good – 3 points
d) full of energy – 4 points
See the following questions here.
