Could you join the 5am club?

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?

Monday Not a great start

I set my alarm on Sunday night for 5am, but I don’t even hear it! I must have turned the buzzer off in my sleep. I had planned on doing a 45-minute YouTube workout first thing, like a celeb. Instead, I wake up at 8am and follow my usual routine of breakfast, then a dog walk – feeling guilty. Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll do better. Already, though, I’m having doubts about this challenge. I’ve also been banished to the guest room, as my partner, John, doesn’t want to be woken up at 5am.

Tuesday Feeling like a zombie

Glancing at my bedside clock I note it’s 3.30am; even so, I’m wide awake worrying about getting up at 5am. Luckily, I manage to fall back to sleep. Later, I hear the