Win the morning, win the day is a real thing. Scrolling is getting in the way of it.

The difference between a good day and a tough day can lie in the activities and routines we choose to undertake in the first hour.

So, what do you do with the first hour of your day?

You have probably heard about the adverse effects that digital media use can have on us at night. Whether it be trouble falling asleep due to the inhibition of melatonin caused by blue light from our phones, or the distractions of notifications in bed disrupting our precious sleep cycles. Improving our sleep hygiene rituals is crucial to a quality night’s sleep. However, what is often not treated with the same significance is the way we use our devices in the morning. Funnily enough, it is actually just as important.

Recent IDC research found that 80% of people check their phones within the first 15 minutes of waking up in the morning. For many, this is probably a common thing. I sure know this was for me, waking up and having a check of recent sporting results or a quick scroll through Instagram was almost embedded into the circadian rhythm of my sleep-wake cycle.

Using our phones first thing in the morning, disrupts the crucial brainwave journey that we are required to go through in the process of waking up. From slow, delta waves when we are in deep sleep all the way to high frequency beta waves required for peak focus and concentration in that 9AM meeting. Our brains need time to naturally move through these stages. By scrolling, we skip both theta and delta brain waves and are jolted straight to the beta stage, usually reserved for peak focus and alertness later in the morning. It means our brains are jumpstarted into action, giving our bodies no time to go through processes crucial for productivity, emotional regulation, focus and learning. When we scroll, the neurophysical arousal of our phones act as a defibrillator that kicks us into action, rather than allowing relaxed, gentle wakefulness.

Speaking of neurophysical arousal, our phones also impact the chemistry of important hormones involved in sleep-wake process. Often given a bad rap, cortisol is a hormone that acts as a modulator to promote wakefulness, increase energy levels and prepare us for a day of focus. However, morning social media and phone-use can elevate these levels, turning this wakefulness into a state of stress, bringing with it feelings of anxiousness and apprehension. This early overproduction of cortisol also serves as a reason we might feel more tired earlier in the day, sometimes referred to as the ‘afternoon crash.’ 

Now I understand these insights may elicit an eyeroll from busy people for whom it is not possible to start the day off tech-free. The post-covid fuelled blending of work and home life can make this even more unrealistic. But waking up and opening Microsoft teams is doing more harm than good in terms of impacting our ability to work and be productive throughout the day. This being especially true for those in unique task focus-driven jobs.

So, what can we do to improve our mornings and reduce the stress and energy sapping sluggishness that an early morning scroll can have? The most important thing is to use wake-up tasks that help to nurture this beautiful wakefulness, without leaving us feeling on-edge or overwhelmed.

Have a plan

Having a clear plan of what the morning routine will look like is key. Focused, productive and energetic mornings generate focused, productive and energetic days. Creating a tech-free morning routine that works for you and your household is fundamental to changing your behaviours and habits.

Natural Light

Try to make natural light the first light you get in the morning. Simply opening your curtains or getting outside is the best way to do this. Alternatively, try sleeping with the blinds open to make sure you wake up when your circadian rhythm is ready to. By getting natural light in the morning, you promote feelings of alertness without receiving that excessive production of cortisol.

Do something you like to do

It can often be easy to fall into the habit of approaching the looming tasks that bring us down first thing in the morning. News, emails or even social media feeds that seldom stimulate more feelings of good than bad. Waking up and doing an activity you like to do is one of the best ways to evoke a positive start to the day. This could include a form of exercise, reading, drawing or having meaningful human connection with someone.

Keep your phone out of arms reach

By keeping your phone out of arms reach, or better, out of your room completely, you are committing to getting up and moving before looking at your phone. Putting two feet on the ground can often be the hardest thing to do of a morning and so by removing distractions such as your phone, you are more likely to take this challenge head on. This may mean investing in an alarm clock or something more contemporary like a google home for that morning alarm, but it will likely reduce the amount of time spent on screens in bed.

I caveat these suggestions by acknowledging that making big changes can be difficult. If you are someone struggling with excessive digital media use in the morning or difficulty getting up, the best thing to do is start small. Trying to implement simple morning goals and routines that over time become formulated habits is the key.