Does the early bird really catch the worm? Would your whole life change for the better with a few tweaks to your morning routine? Maria Neuman explores the benefits of an energising early start …
This time of year we can feel compelled to make a list of resolutions, goals, plans, and projects. Giving your whole life a make-over by the end of January may seem like a herculean task but being the good humans that we are, many of us sign up for gym memberships, swear off sugar, and vow to be a shining beacon of wellness by Easter.
“January has become notoriously known for restriction,” says model-turned-nutritionist, Rosemary Ferguson, who recently returned to the Miu Miu SS24 runway, 30 years after being dubbed the brand’s original cool girl in 1994. So, instead of having a list of failures and never-agains, she (and many others) say that starting your year by pledging a mindful morning routine is one of the best things you can do for yourself. “I swear it makes a massive, massive, massive difference,” she says of her own 5.30 am wakeup time. “Carving out some time for yourself, moving your body, and jotting down what’s going to happen that day, you notice a big shift quite quickly.” She also sensibly suggests initially getting up 30 minutes earlier than usual to ease yourself in.
The statistics about the better-health of early birds are pretty convincing. Waking up an hour earlier can help lower your chances of depression by 23 per cent, according to a 2021 study by the University of Boulder, Colorado. Other studies tout heightened productivity, increased self-esteem, and feeling less depleted at the end of the day. While celebrities and CEOs champion the merits of a 4am alarm call, I say there is a fine line between lark and lunatic and that line is 5am in the winter unless you have a baby, are a farmer, or booked on a cheap flight that leaves at the crack of dawn.
“While celebrities and CEOS champion the merits of a 4am alarm call, I say there is a fine line between lark and lunatic and that line is 5am in the winter…”
“If you don’t make an early morning routine work for you, you’ll give it up after three days,” says Margaret Young, a Dublin-based yoga teacher and ayurvedic nutritionist, who likes to get up at 6.30am. Young agrees the hardest part of starting an early morning routine is the actual getting out of bed bit, especially when it’s still dark out. She swears your body adjusts quickly, and before you know it, you’ll instinctually wake up a couple of minutes before your alarm. Motty Varghese, Sleep Physiologist and Head of the Sleep Therapy Clinic in Dublin, suggests switching your jarring beep alarm for a dawn simulator alarm clock, that gently wakes you with incrementally increasing warm light. “Light exposure is key, and of course natural sunlight is best, but this can help if someone struggles to get up,” he says.
OK, we’re up! Now what? There are a few pillars that committed dawn risers swear by – meditation, movement and journalling – but there’s lots of room to craft your own version. Morning is a struggle for me but I try very hard not to reach for my phone first thing as I find that just sets everything off on a downhill trajectory. I really don’t need to know that Boden is having a 40 per cent off sale as the sun rises. Regardless of the time of year, I open my back door and let fresh air in (I think that’s the Swede in me). Researchers have shown that repeated cold exposure can have slight immune benefits (the same theory behind sea swimming) but for me, a blast of fresh air is enough, and gives me a calm sense of connection to the world. Little rituals keep me on track: I always light a stick of incense in the kitchen (Astier de Villatte Aoyama or Stockholm), make coffee, and drink a giant glass of water while that’s brewing.
Years ago, I started a “gratitude text” exchange with my friend Allison in California. I read hers and text her back five things I’m grateful for, from the trite (toast!) to the deep (having the courage to make changes). This is the closest I get to journalling (of which more later) but I definitely feel the benefit of this micro-reflection. Having a dog is the biggest motivator for getting me outside and a gorgeous way to start the day. As we walk, I’ll chat with my mum with my headphones on, listen to some music or a podcast – The Adam Buxton Podcast, Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, or The Blindboy Podcast.
Margaret Young leans into Ayurveda (ancient Indian principles of healing) and starts the day by using a copper tongue scraper. As a regular tongue scraper myself, I can confirm that once you’ve tried, you’ll never go back. It takes ten seconds, and helps stave off morning breath, cavities and gum disease. “If you can’t get a tongue scraper, use a soft bamboo toothbrush and lightly brush your tongue,” Young suggests. Then brush your teeth.
Rosemary Ferguson downs a glass of water at room temperature, sometimes with a squeeze of lemon. Model and businesswoman Sophie Anderton adds Will Powders Electrotide to her H2O to increase the hydration benefits, before she begins 20 minutes of stretching. “Monday to Friday, I wake up at 6am. I love having that first hour to myself before the day starts, with the first 30 minutes in silence,” she says. Starting with yoga, and a 20-minute meditation on her acupressure Shakti mat, Anderton finds quiet moments, breathing, and grounding herself have become so second nature that “now, it doesn’t feel like it is a discipline”.
Holdereight Birds of a Feather Yoga Mat, €89; www.yogadublin.com.
When it comes to yoga and meditation, this is where technology makes mornings easier. Go online to YouTube, type “Ten-minute yoga class” in the search bar and you’ll find plenty to choose from. Young likes the Nike series on Netflix (something that had never come up in my algorithm of Nordic crime dramas and indie comedies). After a little repetition, you can do a yoga sequence unassisted but I find the calm narration and reminders to breathe of a video really helpful in keeping me focused. “If you are someone who likes to go to the gym later in the day, you can just do three minutes of stretching, it’s just about waking up the body,” adds Ferguson.
If you’d like to try some meditation, online sources and apps such as Insight Timer, Breathe, Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations, some with a mantra, or some simply focusing on your breath. While it can feel surprisingly challenging to sit quietly and stick with it, anything is better than nothing. Try not to think of it as something you must master, rather just something nice you do for yourself. Regular meditation practice can have beneficial effects on everything from high blood pressure and chronic pain to general anxiety. I find it helpful for my niggling sciatica (sometimes I lie down during meditation if it feels better), another friend swears by it for her chronic IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and everyone says it helps to regulate their responses to life, keeping your mood on an even keel. “I find I’m less likely to have big adrenalin spikes when something unexpected or irritating happens. I may still react but I’ll come down quicker,” says Young. “The more you do it, you train your nervous system and your mind, making it easier to respond calmly to a situation, rather than having a knee-jerk reaction.” Again, baby steps are better than no steps, even starting with three minutes’ meditation is worthwhile.
Now, journalling. The trick is to not think too much, write whatever you want – a few things you are grateful for, a scenario that is causing you stress, grief, something you’re going to do in your day. Aim for a page or two of a notebook. Think of it as unscrambling your brain before the day starts. “I write down anything that is infuriating me and a small to-do list,” says Ferguson. Of course, the key to any successful morning routine is a helpful evening routine. Anita Murray, MD of the Pink Beauty Group in Dublin, is a pro. “Kids’ lunches, uniforms, and even my own out? t for the next day, are all prepped the evening before.” Makes sense, since her morning routine starts at 5am when her youngest crawls into her bed. Murray’s other morning sanity-savers are no phone scrolling and some fresh air.
Sisterly The Elevator supplement; www.sisterlylab.com.
The key to sticking with early starts is ease. Young likes the term “habit stacking” making tasks easier, more effcient, and ultimately do-able. If you want to get in the habit of taking supplements, buy a chic tray and keep them on your kitchen table to take with your breakfast. Listen to your mediation app while doing your make-up. Make smart food choices that give you sustained energy for the day. Ferguson loves two boiled eggs or a quick smoothie with scoop of supplement powder, spinach, and avocado.
Moss Boss Tonic, €21.95, www.oirtonics.com.
As for my personal pillar of a great morning routine – coffee – all the experts agree that if you can hold off for at least an hour before imbibing, while your body’s own cortisol is regulating, you’re less likely to have that afternoon energy slump. Since coffee is also a diuretic, try water or herbal tea before that first flat white. I am one of those who loves to shuffle straight from my bed to the coffee maker, so it did take a little bit of adjustment but I’ve switched to water with a dash of Moss Boss Tonic by Óir Tonics, packed with minerals, collagen and Wild Irish Sea Moss.
Since the first week of January has (mercifully) passed, let’s follow the Lunar Year like Margaret Young does – the first new moon is January 11. From that day, start reimagining your mornings. Dedicating some time to yourself in the morning can become something you really savour and appreciate, giving you a great feeling of personal accomplishment before you’ve even opened your front door. “Remember it takes 66 days to create a habit,” says Murray. “Be gentle with yourself and don’t expect overnight changes.” If you have days when you forget, oversleep, or get thrown a curve ball, just keep going. By Easter you may just find that 5.30am is your favourite time of day. @tinywonderful
