BRIGHTER MORNINGS

However you feel about the start of the day, there are steps you can take to give you extra bounce.

Curtain up!

Natural blue light, which sets your body clock, kicks off at sunrise. So, throw open the curtains and have breakfast, exercise or meditate near the window. Better still, get outside and start moving – ideally in the hour after sun-up; if not, before noon.

Make your bed

‘Consider this your first success of the day,’ enthuses feng shui expert Amanda Gibby Peters. ‘Making your bed creates order from chaos. This ripples into the day and its expectations.’ It’s simple, but it can make us feel in control and energised. Find more of Amanda’s feng shui inspiration at simpleshui.com

Fake a sunrise

Owls who find it difficult to wake on dark mornings may benefit from a lamp that mimics the sunrise. Likewise, larks who get up easily but flag in the late afternoon could perk up if they use an SAD lamp on their desk after lunch. Light is measured in lux, and natural light is much brighter than your average bulb, so for an SAD lamp, look for at least 2,500 lux.

TRY Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300, £129 (johnlewis.com or lumie.com)

Get going

‘Exercise makes you feel more physically and mentally alert,’ says personal trainer Mel Rutherford. ‘Also, getting into the light helps wake your body naturally.’

Best routine? Walk for 20-40 minutes at a good pace. You should be able to talk, but not in full sentences. ‘To increase the intensity, find a bench or low wall and do a minute of step-ups every five minutes, alternating legs,’ she says. ‘No bench or wall? Keep walking, but with high knees.’

Rethink your D

It’s a must-take for energy and immunity. Our natural uptake comes from sun exposure, but right now, with shorter days and working from home in the mix, we’re all getting less. With one in five said to be short of it, it makes sense to up the ante on vitamin D. There’s still a lot of discussion about how much to take, but your doctor will probably currently be recommending 800iu a day as standard, rising to 2,000iu for those who are really short of it. Most nutritionists are going for at least 1,000iu as a daily baseline, rising to 2,000iu in winter. Your pharmacist or health professional can help you decide.

Mix a morning boost

A great smoothie will prop up your energy, especially post-workout. Add peanut butter for extra benefits. ‘Peanut butter packs a wallop of monounsaturated fats, protein and antioxidants, as well as nutrients such as magnesium, folate and vitamin E,’ says naturopath Rick Hay.

Find brain energy

Foggy mind? Try energy expert Madison King’s clever routine…

STAND UP. Stretch your right hand up as high as you can. Repeat on other side.

WITH AN OPEN PALM, randomly pat all over your body.

SMILE to activate endorphins.

HUM OR SING to stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the gut and other organs to the brain.

BREATHE to get oxygen into the body. Discover more at madisonking.com