Can’t do mornings? Blame your genes. Researchers have now identified 15 regions of the human genome that influence whether we are, in fact, an early bird or a night owl. In other words, you now have a scientific excuse for hitting snooze.
But you can still fake entry. While around 50% of our brain’s body clock is decided by genetics and age (we wake 30 minutes earlier every decade), says neurologist Dr Kirstie Anderson, the other half can be trained. How? With a wake-up workout.
1 Have a reason to get up
Let’s be honest: we’d never subject ourselves to the dentist if it weren’t for the fear of our teeth falling out. Ditto, mornings: unless you’re biologically blessed, and have 5am blow-dries like Anna Wintour, you need a good incentive to put pants on, other than a caramel latte. Kick-start morning-person training with a date you have to keep: an earlier-than-usual work meeting, exercise class, or even an online delivery.
2 Don’t overdo day one
To make mornings a permanent success and not a one-hit wonder (like catching a dawn flight), go gradual. Think of an ultimate wake-up goal (eg 6am instead of 8am), then edge towards it in 15-20 minute increments each day. Experts agree this yields better results than one big shift, because you should get sleepier 15-20 minutes earlier each night, rather than feeling knackered and over it on day one.
3 Get a smart alarm app
By which we mean, they sound smart now, but they’ll be totally annoying at 7am. And that’s the point. The alarm on Wake N Shake Alarm Clock only stops after you’ve shaken your phone enough times, and there’s no mute. Step Out Of Bed and Walk Me Up require you to walk a number of steps before they stop ringing. While Carrot Alarm sings and then talks to you to get you up. Sounds sweet? Nope. It threatened to kill a kitten when we pressed snooze.
4 Open your curtains instantly
OK, not if you sleep naked, but as soon as is neighbour-friendly. When it comes to resetting wake-up rhythms, “Light is the biggest factor,” confirms Dr Anderson. “It signals alertness. Equally, bring light levels right down within one to two hours of your desired bedtime.” And before a late-night Instagram scroll, remember that light from a computer screen or device has roughly the same sleep-destroying effect as the sun
5 Invert your routine
Confused about why time seems to evaporate in the mornings? Here’s a clue: more than 12 minutes are spent just deciding what to wear. Switch similar time-hungry tasks (packing a gym kit, making lunch) to the night before. A shortened morning schedule flips perspective: instead of waking up to the prospect of personal chores, then work chores, it’s quality free time.
6 Don’t cave at weekends
Ever wondered why you eerily wake up just before your alarm? That’s your internal clock piping up, and it loves routine like you love coffee. Once you’ve had an early-rise rhythm going for a fortnight, nothing should throw it off – except that weekend sleep-in. “Avoid big differences between weekdays and weekends,” says Dr Anderson, or risk resetting everything. Which means Saturday’s 9am yoga class now has a no-flake status.
7 Enjoy it
This is most important of all. Mornings get a bad rep, but done right, they can be your most energising, productive hours. No deadlines, no other people, and a legitimate excuse to eat a huge breakfast (hey, it’s got to last you). It’s fact: you snooze, you lose.
So, are you struggling to sleep? Here’s how to catch the zzz’s your body needs. Sunday can be a very gloomy day. Why? Well because Monday is next obviously! Read these 5 tips will help you beat the ‘Monday Blues’.
