Could you join the 5AM CLUB?

Celebrities are raving about the benefits of an early wake-up call...

Having a lie-in is a luxury a lot of us can only dream of. The busyness of everyday life sees most of us crawl out of bed between 7am and 8am even on non-working days, according to research. But it seems sleep is overrated, because experts believe having a lie-in can actually impact sleep patterns and productivity throughout the day. By contrast, waking early can boost your mental health, and scores of celebs are getting in on the act, raving about the benefits of an early start. And believe it or not, 7am doesn’t cut it!

Jennifer Lopez has spoken about how she likes to break a sweat at 5am while most people are still in bed, and it seems one of the reasons stars get up at dawn is to work out. Mark Wahlberg is renowned for his 4am rises and Instagram posts of his six-pack with captions such as, ‘4am club is back!’

Closer to home, Victoria Beckham is rumoured to rise at 6am to hit the gym. And Stacey Solomon recently revealed she gets up before the kids at 5am to squeeze in a workout. So what about the rest of us? Can an early wake-up really be beneficial to our mood and productivity? One writer puts it to the test for a week.

‘I’M TOO EXHAUSTED FOR ANYTHING’

Monica Cafferky, 54, is a writer and lives with partner, John, 63. 

I’m usually up at 8am, so 5am is going to be a killer. However, if I’m honest with myself, I need to try joining the ‘5am club’ because I’ve become a bit lazy. Yes, I do evening yoga, but often my step count is below 4,000, even after walking my dog. A sedentary lifestyle, where I sit for most of the day at my desk, isn’t ideal. So, could getting up with the birds motivate me to move more?