7 Ways To Become A Morning Person

Get ahead first thing with our easy tricks to guarantee a successful start to the day

- Fiona Ford

Dread getting out of bed now that autumn is on the way? It’s not your fault – it’s actually science that’s to blame. That’s because, as the days become shorter, we’re no longer exposed to early morning light. This means our bodies stop producing so much of the sleep hormone melatonin, which makes it much harder to get going first thing.

And this can be bad news for the nation’s health and happiness, with a new study* finding that being an early-morning riser can help ward off depression and boost wellbeing. But if you’re not naturally up with the lark, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn to become a morning person. Here’s what can help you to rise, shine and thrive as the season changes...

1 Set a regular bedtime

‘Humans have an internal body clock that automatically repeats itself every 24 hours,’ says Dr Guy Meadows, clinical director at The Sleep School. ‘This helps to regulate our sleep/wake cycle, appetite hormones, body temperature and cell regeneration.’ But our clock resets itself each day using external ‘timekeepers’, such as light and dark, meal times and when we go to bed.

‘Herein lies the problem,’ says Dr Meadows. ‘Anything which upsets the 24hour cycle, such as the clocks changing, can lead to damaging effects. This makes us feel groggy, tired and nauseous, resulting in it feeling tougher to get going in the morning. Aim to establish a regular sleep and wake pattern, this will aid sleep quality and daytime energy levels.’

2 Avoid the bright lights