Are you an early bird or night owl? It's been up for debate for years whether one of these lifestyles or which sleep schedule is better, but you can't help your natural sleep rhythm. The good news is that there are ways to maximise your wellness routine and optimise your sleeping patterns.
We all know someone who has their protein shake down them following a fitness class by 7am, and someone who rolls out of bed a minute before work but can be highly functioning past 1am and up all night long. There is also quite a lot of stigma around Early Birds vs Night Owls of which Early Birds (also known as larks) usually come on top as modern-day society is actually designed to suit the morning tribe better. Truth of the matter is that research into sleep patterns strongly suggests that there are 'clock genes' that run human circadian rhythms, which points squarely at genetics as the main culprit for whether someone wakes up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. All you need are minor variations to a gene called PER1 to affect your body's natural rise-and-shine time, and our bodies are primed pretty much from birth to have those specific preferences. So release the guilt…
Holland & Barrett nutritionist Alex Glover and fitness expert Alice Liveing share the ultimate morning routine for your own sleep cycle.
“There is an internal process that differentiates the two sleep types”, says Alex, “and understanding that everything from what we eat in the morning, to what time we exercise and what supplements we take, is the secret to helping to boost our daily productivity depending on our natural rhythm. Around 30% of us have the ‘Early Bird’ rhythm, 40% of us sit somewhere in the middle [also known as hummingbirds] and the remaining 30% are known as ‘Night Owls’.” ah, so we're not alone, this explains a lot.
“An Early Bird is someone who tends to have an earlier sleeping pattern — typically waking before 7am, they usually feel most energetic at the start of the day, but can begin to lack energy as the day goes on, feeling very tired by the evening. And then on the opposite end, you have Night Owls, who get their biggest burst of energy usually after 9pm, resulting in later bedtimes, and usually later wake-up alarms."
Everyone's routine is individual, but Alex says there are hacks to be enjoyed.
Early Bird Ideal Morning Routine:
Alice, who is an Early Bird herself, recommends getting a workout in first thing. “Physical exercise is important for both our physical and mental health and is a great way to ensure we’re using the energy we consume during the day, so we feel restful in the evening. If you are waking up feeling super energetic, it can be easy to rush straight into a high-intensity workout, but Early Birds should still look to work in some kind of calmer stretching and mobility into their morning, helping to focus for the long morning ahead.” She says.
After working out, then is a good time to eat breakfast, and Alex recommends fibre and protein. “Foods like oats are perfect thanks to their high content of soluble fibre – you can make these of an evening, mixing with an oat milk and a high-quality flavoured protein, ready for serving after your morning stretch. A protein-packed overnight oat pot will have Early Birds full until lunchtime.”
For when the afternoon slump hits, Alex suggests avoiding caffeine and going pairing a decaf drink with a natural energy booster such as vitamin B12.
Night Owl Ideal Morning Routine:
“The biggest mistake I see people making is trying too hard to go against their own sleep cycle,” says Alex, “Our sleep type is hard-wired into our genes, and unfortunately there is very little we can do to change this.” We can already feel that heavy sigh for Night Owls.
“However, the best choice is to work with your body, to understand what works best and what doesn’t. Having said that, a typical 9-5 work lifestyle is better set up better for Early Birds, so if you are finding yourself struggling to rise for a 9am work start, there are some simple changes to your environment that can help you feel more ready for the day.”
*Opens notes app: “Natural light is one of the main signals to our internal clocks that it’s time to wake up; it’s no surprise we all tend to feel more tired in the winter months. If you’re wanting to rise early, try leaving your curtains open during the summer months to let the natural light wake you. And when you’re trying to get to sleep earlier than your body may naturally like, make sure your room is very dark and cool, around 18 degrees which is the optimal room temperature for your body whilst asleep.” explains Alex.
He says that these types of people tend to skip breakfast or delay mealtimes, but to boost your productivity you should eat soon after waking up. “Early mornings often feel rushed for late-risers,
so a grab-and-go food is ideal. Something light and simple but packed full of slow-release carbohydrates to maintain energy levels throughout the day until lunch, such as a wholegrain-
based muffin or snack bar," he adds.
People are saying it's ‘the best sleep of their life’.
As for exercise, Alice says you should make the most of evening bursts of energy and work out then. “Exercise boots mood and energy, so try not to do intense aerobic exercise too late, as this will may make you feel more alert, which isn’t ideal for bed time,” says Alice.
“Take time between your training session and when you plan on heading to bed, in order to let your body reset and wind down. I always say just try and get your exercise in whenever you’re feeling most energetic, be that at the beginning of the day, on your lunch break or as an evening blast, whichever suits you and your wellbeing best.”
“The biggest mistake people tend to make when getting in to a routine is only sticking to it Monday-Friday. For a new habit to form, you’ll have to stick with it on weekends too – your body will ultimately thank you for going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, because consistency is something your body needs.”
For a natural mood booster, you should try Full Spectrum St John's Wort Capsules, £12.99, Holland & Barrett, as Owls can miss out on REM sleep (rapid eye movement), which helps emotional regulation and memory.
Now for a small snack, here are two easy recipes for both of the main sleep tribes to help you start your day to make it as productive as your sleep schedule allows:
Recipes
For Early Birds: Super Berry Overnight Oats
Ingredients for the oats:
- 1/2 cup Holland & Barrett Organic Gluten Free Jumbo Oats
- 2/3 cup Minor Figures Oat M*lk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp Buckwud 100% pure organic Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Holland & Barrett Dried Goji berries
- 2 tsp Holland & Barrett Organic Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 tbsp mashed raspberries
- 2 tsb Bioglan Superfoods Protein
Method:
Mix together all ingredients in a container, once all ingredients are combined seal the container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
Ingredients for the chia topping:
- 1 tbsp Holland & Barrett chia seeds
- 2 tbsp Minor Figures Oat M*ll
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Buckwud 100% pure organic
- Maple Syrup
Method:
Mix together all ingredients in a container, once all ingredients are combined seal the container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.
Ingredients for the berry compote:
- 1 pound of mixed blueberries & strawberries
- 2 tbsp of Maple Syrup
- Pinch of Pink Himalayan salt
Method:
Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiled reduce the heat and simmer until the compote has condensed to about half of its original volume.
Time for a little pillow talk.
For Night Owls: Coconut Almond Butter & Banana Breakfast MuffinMakes 12 Muffins
Ingredients:
- 3 banana
- 200ml coconut oil, melted
- 160g light brown sugar
- 360g self-raising fl our
- 1/2 cup crushed almonds
- 5 Tbsps Pip & Nut Coconut Almond Butter
- 4 Tbsps PE Nutrition Simply Whey Vanilla
- 200ml water
Method:
1. Preheat fan oven to 180C
2. Line your muffin tray
3. Peel and mash your bananas in a mixing bowl
4. Once bananas are smooth add the coconut oil, water, vanilla essence, almond butter and sugar
5. Stir until combined
6. Then add in the sieved flour and crushed almonds, stir again
7. Once fully combined divide the mixture into the 12 muffin cases and bake for 20-25mins
8. Garnish Drizzle some almond butter over the top of the muffins and top with a few whole almonds.
In our best Kylie Jenner voice: Riiise and Shineeee-nnn
