I don't know about you but I'm not naturally a morning person.

For those few hours in the morning, my brain does NOT function at its capacity and I find it hard to get going. I always used to save high-functioning tasks for the afternoon but I'm not always free in the afternoon so something had to change.

For the past 6 months, I've worked out this hack to make my mornings more productive and I've never looked back.

This is my high-productivity routine.

1. When in bed, I visualise exactly what I'm going to do when my alarm goes off. I visualise how I'll feel and the immediate actions I'll take.
2. When my alarm goes off I get up immediately - no snoozing - just as I visualised.
3. I get dressed and go downstairs - no showering when I'm up early as warm showers make me lethargic.
4. Turn on the Upp, daylight simulation light in the living room where my desk is situated.
5. Make a drink - I like to have electrolytes as they seem to help me wake. The light from the living room pours into the kitchen where I can begin to acclimatise.
6. I sit quietly in the vicinity of the light and literally witness my body wake up naturally over the next 15-20 minutes whilst I contemplate and organise my day.

Why does this work?

Well apparently it's all to do with the circadian rhythm, the body's natural body clock and it's triggered by a specific kind of light.

It turns out that the blue spectrum of light, apparent in the morning sunshine, combined with a certain intensity of light, tells your body to start its daytime sequence.

It begins its orchestra of releasing hormones at specific times so that you can function properly throughout the day.

It blocks the enzyme that converts serotonin into melatonin meaning that your levels of serotonin, the happy hormone, begins to rise and you feel more awake.

This doesn't happen when you don't get the proper amount or light. Either if the sun isn't out or you are waking up in the dark.

Another hormone that gets released is cortisol, the hormone associated with stress (when built up in high amounts) which at small doses, converts into productivity when combined with a decent work plan.

What it means to me?

This light has been a game-changer to my morning routine.  I honestly get that later afternoon productivity feeling within 30 minutes of having the light on in the morning.

I never thought I'd be able to function properly early in the mornings but I can get up at 5am and by 5.30 and 6am I can be in a highly productive state and get through my higher functioning tasks.

Usually mornings are dedicated to easy tasks, scrolling through my emails, getting distracted and literally waiting for my body to switch on.

Now I know I can use the light whenever I need to get myself into a waking state where I can do some serious work.

What I really like about it is that when I turn the light off, It's a really clear signal to my brain that the main working period is over.  It allows my body to begin preparing for the evening and I end up having more restful sleep.

If I need to work into the evening, I don't have to break my cardinal rule of no coffee past 2pm.  I can just turn the light on, right up until 10pm sometimes and then be in bed by 12pm and sleep fine.

As long as I turn the light on at the same time each morning, I train my body clock and I keep the whole sleep/wake cycle in sync.

Takeaway

It's so important to get sunlight within an hour of waking and to be consistent with it to get your body into a regular rhythm.

If you can't get sunlight then daylight simulation lights like the Upp Light are perfect.

This light was specifically engineered to be a room light that simulates a summer's day, to be aesthetically pleasing and something that you look forward to having on.