How to get the effects of a lie-in –without sleeping for longer

The question of whether it’s better to be a lark or a night owl is still hotly debated, but in winter it can often feel like the early birds get the best deal.

As the days get shorter and our exposure to daylight dips, getting up and out early ensures seeing as much of it as possible before the sun sets. But it’s also the time of year we find ourselves more tired than ever and struggling to get up. “We recently did some research that found only one per cent of us wake up feeling completely refreshed right now,” says sleep expert Dr Guy Meadows, founder and clinical director of The Sleep School.

The good news is, there’s plenty you can do to feel more energised first thing – but, unfortunately, having a lie-in isn’t one of them.

Avoid hitting snooze

While early wake ups take their toll, a weekend lie-in can actually make you feel more tired, says Meadows: “The timing of when we naturally wake up and fall asleep is regulated by our internal body clocks, which are responsible for our circadian rhythms. This effectively tells all our biological processes when to be active and when to be inactive. For example, in the morning it tells things like wakefulness and appetite to kick in, while in the evening it tells them to shut down. When we wake up at the same time each day, our body knows when to release certain hormones, like cortisol, before we wake up, which help us feel more refreshed and alert.”

When we lie in, however, Meadows says what we’re effectively doing is causing a “circadian desynchronisation”, which switches off those signals: “With a lie-in, we’re disrupting the natural rhythm of our body clock. This results in something called ‘social jet lag’, and – like regular jet lag – it leaves us feeling pretty rubbish: slow and sluggish and prone to sugar cravings.” Instead of a lie-in, Meadows suggests avoiding caffeine after lunch, watching a bit less Netflix in the evening, and going to bed half an hour earlier instead.

“Keeping a regular sleep/wake cycle is possibly the single most powerful health advice you can follow. It just makes everything else work better.” 

Not only does waking up at the same time help you feel more energised, it’s also good for your heart. A 2020 study from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US found that adults over 45 who have irregular sleeping habits have almost double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that waking up at the same time each day was as good for the heart as exercise and a healthy diet.

Look at the light

Dr Meadows says one of the first things you should do upon waking to feel more alert is to open your curtains, or step outside, and look at the light. “When your eyes see natural daylight in the morning it helps wake you up and you feel more alert during the day. And the results last all day, because early light exposure helps you sleep better,” he says. “Early morning light exposure is still valuable, and possible even, in the dark winter months. We get some bright and brilliant winter sunshine in the colder months, make the most of it.” So open your curtains, or better still, take an early morning walk…

Get moving first thing

It may not be what you feel like, but Meadows says that taking some exercise, whether it’s a run, yoga or an early morning walk, is a great way of telling your body and brain that the day has begun, which helps wake you up. Plus, it can even make you more efficient at work. 

A 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that exercising soon after waking resulted in better concentration and decision-making throughout the day. “If you exercise outside, it also increases your light exposure [see above], which gives you a double dose of energy,” says Meadows.

Use naps like caffeine

“I’m a huge fan of power naps,” says Meadows. The key, however, is to keep them short and early. “Having a 10- to 20-minute nap during the day can help you feel more refreshed when you wake up, if you’re not managing to get enough sleep overall. Many people tell me they struggle to nap, but you don’t need to be fully asleep; take the pressure off yourself and simply close your eyes and rest.”

And naps don’t just help us feel less tired in the morning  – a study earlier this summer found that adults aged 40-69 who enjoy daytime naps can also lower their risk of dementia.

But don’t nap too late: “Only nap between midday and 3pm,” says Meadows. “Any later and it will disrupt your ability to fall asleep that night. Naps are a bit like caffeine that way - they’re better for us and more refreshing in the earlier part of the day. Falling asleep on the train home isn’t good napping, and will just make you feel groggier overall.”

Have a “micro lie-in”

Let’s face it, there are going to be some mornings when the temptation to lie-in is just too great. “We can adjust to weekend lie-ins as long as they are not too long,” says Colin Espie, Professor of Sleep Medicine at the University of Oxford. “A lengthy lag isn’t recommended because it destabilises our overall sleep pattern. We need to try to get sufficient sleep during the week and not play a big game of catch-up on the weekends.”

However, the fact you need a lie-in at all could be a sign that your sleep habits need an overhaul. “If you find yourself really needing lengthy lie-ins at the weekend it’s important to check that you are not running on empty during the week,” says Espie. “Getting into the habit of being sleep deprived and having long sleeps on the weekends won’t compensate for that, and it could be storing up health problems for the future.”

Meadows agrees: “A short lie-in every now and then won’t hurt – but rather than doing that it’s far healthier to look at your overall sleep habits so you reach the point where you don’t need one.”