MY WORLD OF TRUTH
Tuesday, 26 February 2019
ELEVEN FILMS TO WATCH IN MARCH
Greta
A lonely young waitress finds a handbag on a New York subway train. Luckily, the address is inside, so she returns it to the widowed piano teacher who left it there. She then discovers that the piano teacher makes a habit of dropping bags around the city specifically to lure in prospective friends. Uh-oh. Directed by Neil Jordan, Greta is a trashy ‘woman scorned’ thriller in the late-1980s / early-1990s vein of Fatal Attraction and Single White Female. But the casting is irresistible: Chloë Grace Moretz is the waitress, and her stalker is Isabelle Huppert, sending up her signature European roles with magnificent abandon. Thanks to them, writes Peter Debruge in Variety, Greta “winds up being far more enjoyable than it has any right to be”.
Released 1 March in the US, 7 March in Portugal, and 14 March in Greece
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Oscar-nominated as an actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor makes his debut as a writer-director with The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - and he proves to be just as intelligent behind the camera as he is in front of it. The film adapts William Kamkwamba’s autobiographical novel about a 13-year-old boy (Maxwell Simba) who tries to save his family from famine in Malawi in 2001 by building a wind turbine out of bicycle parts and gum-tree wood. Not only does Ejiofor examine the punishing realities of corruption and cruelty behind this inspirational tale, but he is typically sensitive in a supporting role as the boy’s father. Geoffrey Macnab in The Independent newspaper approves. “The film works on many different levels: as a coming-of-age story, as folkloric village tale, as eco-fable, and as a lyrical and insightful account of resourcefulness and ingenuity in the face of disaster.”
Released 1 March in the US, and 1 March online in Germany, France and Singapore
Apollo 11
Was Neil Armstrong really as stoic as he seemed in Damien Chazelle’s First Man? Was Buzz Aldrin really as obnoxious? Find out in a 50th anniversary documentary that brings 1969’s moon landing to the big screen in awe-inspiring detail and clarity. The film’s director, Todd Douglas Miller, and his team have restored a wealth of previously unseen archive footage, and edited it together without adding any narration or new interviews. The resulting labour of love scored 100 per cent on the Rotten Tomatoes reviews site when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Apollo 11 is an “utterly astonishing” film that “takes your breath away,” says David Ehrlich in IndieWire: “You’re suddenly overcome by the sheer enormity of what it meant to leave the Earth and land somewhere else.”
Released 1 March in the US
The Aftermath
The Aftermath is one of the few World War Two-related films to remember that hostilities didn’t end the moment that a ceasefire was declared. Based on Rhidian Brook’s novel, James Kent’s lavish romantic weepie stars Keira Knightley as the wife of a British officer (Jason Clarke) who is stationed in ruined Hamburg just after the war. She hates the Germans, because her son was killed in an air raid. But is there a chance that a tall, dark and handsome architect (Alexander Skarsgård) might convince her to overcome her prejudices?
Released 1 March in Ireland, 13 March in Belgium, 15 March in the US and 21 March in Italy
An Elephant Sitting Still
The first and last film from a major talent, An Elephant Sitting Still (Daxiang Xi Di Er Zuo) was written and directed by Hu Bo, who adapted it from his own novel, and then took his own life at the age of 29, shortly after it was completed. Nearly four hours long, Hu’s highly acclaimed social-realist drama charts a day in the life of four strangers in a rundown city in northern China. They all end up travelling to a Manchurian zoo to see, yes, a circus elephant that sits and ignores the world around it. Sight and Sound magazine praised the film’s “introspective, moving panorama of hopeless lives”, noting “Hu Bo’s piercing sensitivity to private doubts and anxieties, and his ability to make them visible on the faces of his complex, credible characters”.
Released 8 March in the US
Captain Marvel
It’s taken a decade, but Marvel Studios have finally got around to making a superhero film about a superheroine. It’s also the first Marvel film to be directed by a woman, or co-directed, at least: the people who made Captain Marvel are Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the wife-and-husband team behind Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind. The Oscar-winning Brie Larson stars as Carol Danvers, a US Air Force fighter pilot zapped with cosmic powers by an alien race. Another twist on the typical Marvel formula is that the action is set in the 1990s, with a digitally de-aged Samuel L Jackson playing a younger incarnation of his usual character, Nick Fury.
Released 6 March in Denmark, 7 March in Argentina and 8 March in the US and Spain
The Mustang
A violent convict (Matthias Schoenaerts, playing yet another of his trademark soulful bruisers) has been in a Nevada desert prison for 12 years when he signs up to train wild horses in an “outdoor maintenance” program. Of course, The Mustang is not so much about whether the convict can teach the animals to calm down, but whether they can teach him. But Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s restrained, meticulously scripted Western drama is so convincing that it canters past the clichés. “The Mustang turned out to be such a wonderful, extremely heartfelt surprise,” wrote Perri Nemiroff in Collider. “Between De Clermont-Tonnerre’s deft touch and the unforgettable lead performance from Schoenaerts, they were able to subvert most of my expectations, not with dramatic twists and turns, but with simple human understanding and emotion.”
Released 15 March in the US
The Beach Bum
Harmony Korine’s last film was 2012’s psychedelic crime drama Spring Breakers, in which Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez torched their wholesome Disney starlet images. His follow-up is another neon-lit trip to hedonistic Florida, this time in the company of Matthew McConaughey. Korine has explained that the actor “plays with the idea of what people imagine him to be, and kind of takes it into another radical direction”, which is one way of saying that McConaughey parodies his free-spirited, bongo-playing persona by playing a rebellious stoner named Moondog. When pushed for more information on his experimental new comedy, Korine had this to offer: “A lot of the time we were just filming him drinking and peeing.” So there you have it. Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Jonah Hill and Zac Efron join the party.
Released 18 March in the Netherlands and Russia and 29 March in the US and Lithuania
Hotel Mumbai
In November 2008, terrorists went on a four-day bombing-and-shooting spree across Mumbai. Anthony Maras’s harrowing non-fiction thriller recreates one of the worst crime scenes: the besieged Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Among the actors in the ensemble, Dev Patel plays a waiter who is willing to sacrifice everything for his clients, and Armie Hammer plays an American guest who is trapped downstairs in the dining room while his baby is upstairs in his room. As gruesome and unbearably tense as it can be, The Guardian newspaper concludes that Hotel Mumbai is “an excellent, white-knuckle thriller – and an unlikely crowd-pleaser”.
Released 14 March in Australia and New Zealand, and 22 March in the US
Us
Get Out was one of the success stories of 2017. Its creator, Jordan Peele, was known as a sketch comedian, but his low-budget debut film as a writer-director went on to be a commercial smash, an Oscar winner (for best original screenplay), and a provocative commentary on race relations in the US. It was scary, too. Hard as it might be to believe, he has promised that his much-anticipated follow-up, Us, will be scarier - and the trailer is utterly petrifying. Two of the stars of Black Panther, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke, play a couple who take their children on holiday to a beach house, where they are menaced by scissor-wielding doppelgangers.
Released 20 March in France and Belgium, 21 March in Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands and 22 March in the US, Sweden and Italy
Dumbo
“From the imagination of Tim Burton,” says the trailer, which might be a slight exaggeration. Dumbo is, after all, a live-action remake of a classic Disney cartoon, and there have been plenty of those in recent years. On the other hand, Burton is an inspired choice to direct a whimsical yet sinister film about a baby circus elephant with ears the size of sails: from Edward Scissorhands to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, magical outsiders have always been his favourite characters. Besides, fans of Batman Returns can savour the reunion of Burton’s Bruce Wayne and the Penguin, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito.
Wednesday, 20 February 2019
TOP 5 FOODS TO BOOST YOUR CHILD'S BRAIN POWER
Now school has started again, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about the best foods to help concentration. We’re all aware of the importance of enough fruit and vegetables, but what else can we offer our children to optimise their chances of having a good day at school? Here are my top five foods to include in your child’s diet weekly, from 12 months of age:
Eggs
Children’s brains are developing at a significant rate, especially for the first years of their life. Choline is a very important vitamin that plays an integral role in this, as it is vital for the creation of memory cells deep within the brain. Rich in choline, the yolk of an egg almost meets the daily needs of children up to eight years. Egg are also high in protein and contain iron, folate and vitamin A – all of which are important for growth, repair and development of cells. So encourage your kids to eat eggs regularly, unless they are allergic.
Hard boiled eggs mixed with a small amount of mayonnaise are perfect in a sandwich, or why not try egg and soldiers or French toast as a weekend breakfast when you have a little more time.
Oily fish
Rich in omega-3 which is vital for brain development and health, oily fish has so many benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential components of the building blocks needed for cell development. Certain types of omega-3 fats are the most abundant fat found in the brain and some studies have shown they may help manage behavioural problems due to their role in neurotransmitter function. Other studieshave linked poorer reading ability with low levels of omega-3 and supplementation was linked to improved memory function.
Salmon, mackerel, fresh tuna, trout, sardines and herring are great sources of omega-3 oils and should be eaten once a week. Try substituting one of your children’s meat dishes to include one of these healthy fish choices with these family-friendly recipes.
- Fish cake fingers – using mackerel and salmon
- Feel-good fishcakes – using sardines
- Tangy tuna burgers – using fresh tuna steak
- Fish pie bites – using salmon fillet
- Superhealthy salmon burgers
Oats, cereals & wholegrain breads
Packed with carbohydrates, wholegrains provide essential glucose and energy to fuel the brain. They are also full of B-vitamins, which nourish a healthy nervous system. Numerous studies have shown that a breakfast filled with wholegrains improves short-term memory and attention, when compared with refined carbohydrates or no morning meal at all. Wholegrains are found in oats, granary breads, rye, wild rice, quinoa and buckwheat. Wholegrain foods are also high in fibre, which regulates glucose supply into the body.
So why not try and start your child’s days with wholegrain cereals or oats? Wholegrain crackers with tasty toppings such as cheese, mashed avocado or banana are a great treat; hummus or a bean dip with wholegrain pitta is an easy and quick idea for lunchboxes; or swap rice or couscous for whole wheat couscous for dinner.
- Apple & sultana porridge
- Fruit & nut granola
- Cinnamom porridge with banana & berries
- Porridge with apple & cranberry compote & toasted hazelnuts
- Apple & blueberry bircher
Beans
High in protein and packed with vitamins and minerals, beans are an excellent food choice for your kids. Kidney and pinto beans contain more omega-3 fats than other beans which we know are important for brain growth and function. Not only do they release energy slowly which keeps them filled with energy, it will help them concentrate in the classroom if they’re enjoyed at lunch time.
Sprinkle mixed beans over salad, try them mashed and spread on a pitta pocket or add them to shredded lettuce and cheese to make the perfect sandwich filler. Mixing beans in spaghetti sauce or swapping them occasionally for meat will also make a good dinner choice.
- Mexican bean burgers – kidney beans
- Grilled courgette, bean & cheese quesadilla – pinto beans
- Cheesy veg burgers – pinto or kidney beans
- Jacket potatoes with home-baked beans – haricot beans
- Smashed bean dip – cannellini beans and chickpeas
Milk, yogurt & cheese
Milk, yogurt and cheese are so nutritious and are packed with protein and B-vitamins which are essential for growth of brain tissue, neurotransmitters and enzymes which all play an important role in the brain. Another benefit is these foods are high in calcium which is vital for growth of strong and healthy teeth and bones. Children have different requirements for calcium depending on their age, but you should aim to include two to three calcium-rich sources a day. For more information about calcium requirements, click here.
If your child isn’t a lover of milk, don’t worry, as there are other ways that you can add dairy into the diet: use milk instead of water when making porridge, puddings or pancakes; why not serve yogurt as a dip for sliced vegetables, fruits, breadsticks or pitta pockets; sprinkle grated cheese into pasta, omelettes, fish pie or shepherd’s pie.
Wednesday, 13 February 2019
COULD GUT BACTERIA MICROBES MAKE YOU FAT?
Our guts contain around 100 trillion microbes, collectively known as the gut microbiota. No two people’s microbiomes look exactly the same, and they are a product of what we inherit from our mothers during birth, our diets, environment and lifestyle.
It is well established that the gut plays a role in numerous systems in our body, including digestion, hunger and satiety, through multiple mechanisms, but now researchers are starting to uncover the specific differences between the microbiomes of obese and lean people, and develop personalised weight-management treatments based on their findings.
There are hundreds of differences in the human genome that predispose us to obesity, which increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, and is increasing in most countries around the world.
Studies involving twins have shown that obesity has a heritability rate – how much variation in traits is caused by variation in genes, rather than the environment – of between 40% and 75%, which means there is room for external factors to play a role. But while there are many differences in gut bacteria that could influence weight, scientists don’t yet know why, or even how much of it comes down to our genes.
Some dieters struggle more than others to lose weight, despite following sensible advice, and this may come down to the bacteria in our guts. Specifically, the enzymes carried within it.
“What we eat is available to us, and to the bacteria inside our guts, which digest parts of food we lack the enzymes to do,” says Purna Kashyap, associate professor at the Mayo Clinic and head of its Gut Microbiome Laboratory.
“This process generates additional calories that the gut microbiota can give back to us, so it’s a mutually beneficial relationship where bacteria give us more bang for our buck from what we eat,” he says.
Kashyap tested to see if, when switching to a lower-calorie diet, gut bacteria can be more efficient in deriving calories from food, which would be helpful when food isn’t plentiful, but could also hinder weight loss.
In a pilot study, 26 participants went on a lower-calorie diet high in fruit and vegetables, and some didn’t lose as much weight as others. Analysis of their gut bacteria found participants had different levels of two particular types of bacteria, and one, Dialister, that hindered weight loss.
In those unable to lose weight, this bacteria was able to break down carbohydrates and use their energy. more effectively, Kashyap says.
Some bacteria we get from our diet could indirectly cause weight gain by changing the gut’s behaviour
However, Kashyap says that only a fraction of weight loss can be controlled by these microbes.
“It makes biological sense that the bacteria may be hindrance, but they can only play a small role as they produce only a small number of calories needed.”
While the research couldn’t conclude where Dialister comes from, one study found that some bacteria we get from our diet could indirectly cause weight gain by changing the gut’s behaviour.
Researchers analysed the blood plasma and stool samples of 600 obese and non-obese people, and found 19 different metabolites linked to four types of gut bacteria that could lead to weight gain, including glutamate, linked to obesity, and BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), associated with higher insulin secretion and risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
These metabolites may be partly determined by meat consumption, according to researcher Louise Brunkwall.
“The metabolite pattern that we identified contained a lot of branched chain amino acids, which are found in animal products. This is in line with other research that show that a high protein intake increases the risk for several diseases.”
Brunkall says research needs to focus on how the composition of gut bacteria can be modified to reduce the risk of obesity, as well as understand what a healthy gut looks like, and what factors change its bacterial composition.
There is no clear picture yet of the differences in the gut bacteria profile of lean versus obese people, says Oluf Pedersen, professor of Metabolic Genetics at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen. But what is being established is the importance of having a diverse intestinal microbiota, filled with many different types of bacteria.
Pedersen and his team analysed the gut bacteria of 123 non-obese and 169 obese adults, and found that the 23% of those who had a comparatively low diversity were more likely to be obese, have insulin resistance and elevated blood lipids, and increased levels of inflammation markers in the blood, all of which increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Those who were both obese and had lower bacterial diversity gained much more weight over the previous nine years.
One study found that we may be able to achieve higher gut microbiota diversity by increasing our fibre intake
Pedersen says the reasons some people have more gut bacteria diversity than others isn’t yet understood, but scientists do know that having multiple antibiotic treatments can contribute to a major loss of bacteria that never fully recovers.
It isn’t fully established whether diversity of bacteria is a cause or consequence of weight gain, however, there is evidence that the microbiome can influence metabolism.
One study found that we may be able to achieve higher gut microbiota diversity by increasing our fibre intake. When we consume fibre, our guts break it down into short chain fatty acids, including butyrate, an anti-inflammatory linked to leanness and lower inflammatory diseases, explains Ana Valdes, author of the study and associate professor at the University of Nottingham.
“If people with type 2 diabetes go on a high-fibre diet, you can reduce their diabetes status and increase butyrate production,” she says.
“People who have more diverse microbiomes and eat more fibre have less insulinogenic diets (consisting of foods that give us lower spikes in glucose and insulin), and probably have higher energy expenditure.”
“We need to test this properly, but gut bacteria could convert the fibre into substances that modulate insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism.”
Recent, and arguably the most ground-breaking research into the link between weight and gut health so far involves the bacterial species Christensenellaceae. Around 97% of us have detectable levels of the bacteria in our guts, but it has been found to be more present in lean people.
When researchers looked at heritable gut microbes, Christensenellaceae came top of the list, found in gut microbiomes around the world and showing up from a very early age, including in the guts of babies.
“We’d never heard of it before, and we pride ourselves on knowing names of things,” says Ruth Ley, lead researcher on the study and director of the Department of Microbiome Science at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology.
“We had to go back and look at where it had been this whole time, but it had only just been named so it wasn’t searchable by name, only by sequence,” she says.
Researchers from the Weizmann Institute in Israel have found a way personalise treatment to benefit gut health and lower the risk of developing diabetes
Researchers transplanted an obese-associated microbiome, amended to include Christensenellaceae, into mice and found that it protected them against weight gain.
“Since host genetics only account for around 40% of relative abundance, we don’t know where 60% of Christensenellaceae is coming from,” says Jillian Waters, who was part of the research team who discovered the bacteria’s ability to protect rats from gaining weight. She has a hunch it comes from our diet and lifestyle, and now, researchers are trying to get to the bottom of what it actually does and where it comes from, to pave the way for future treatment.
In the meantime, researchers from the Weizmann Institute in Israel have found a way personalise treatment to benefit gut health and lower the risk of developing diabetes, which is associated with obesity.
Researchers recruited 1,000 participants, and tasked them with measuring their blood sugar every five minutes and recording their diets, how they slept and felt for one week, and found that they reacted differently to different foods.
“Many foods created the reactions we’d expect in people, for example, eating meals without any sugar kept blood sugar constant in most people, and sugary foods made levels spike, but the degree to which this happens varies greatly between people,” says Eran Segal, lead scientist on the project.
“Tomatoes are one food that spikes levels quite a lot for some people, so the amount they eat should be controlled, while others may find a single food is bad for them but, when combined with another food, might be better.”
The bacteria in our gutsnare capable of complex biochemical reactions
From the data they collected, the researchers developed a computer algorithm that could take a person’s gut bacteria composition and predict how their blood sugar levels will react to different foods. They tasked 25 participants with eating food deemed ‘good’ for their blood sugar for one week, then food deemed ‘bad’. The diets changed their blood sugar reactions and successfully balanced blood sugar levels.
Our gut bacteria and individual blood sugar responses to different foods may evolve over time, Segal says, but this would take a long time, and our guts before and after changes would still be more similar than how our guts compare to another person.
The algorithm has been licensed to start-up Day Two, which offer services in Israel and US, and is planning to expand to the UK in the near future. Segal is now conducting research on people with pre-diabetes and diabetes and is seeing that personalised diets designed through the algorithm, when maintained for a longer period, can reverse both pre-diabetes and diabetes.
Researchers are hopeful that other personalised treatments will be available in the next five years – but there is a lot of work to do yet.
The bacteria in our guts, says Kashyap, are capable of complex biochemical reactions.
“We now need to understand how these bacteria influence each of these processes, leading to obesity and diabetes, which are complex, multifactorial diseases.
“The microbiome is changeable, we can modify it. If we can figure out how gut bacteria is driving it, we should be able to target it at multiple levels, which will each have an impact on treatment of obesity. There’s no doubt the microbiome is a part of that solution.”
IS WAKING UP EARLY GOOD OR BAD?
Being successful means waking up early – or so we’re constantly told.
It makes you more productive. Celebrities and CEOs do it. You’ll be healthier and happier. You’ll feel in control of your life.
But despite the deluge of such stories, waking up at an ungodly hour isn’t some sort of magic productivity hack that will solve your time-management problems. For some, it can even be counterproductive.
The trick is finding a routine that fits your situation. Here are some timeless tips that can help you cut through the noise and figure out a wake-up strategy that’s right for you.
What are the benefits of getting up early?
There can be lots – at least, according to all the people who get up at daybreak.
Many people cite fewer distractions during the early hours: kids or anyone else in your home are probably still asleep, for example, and you’ll probably be receiving fewer texts or emails at that time.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said he rises at 03:45 to start checking email in California before his East Coast colleagues can (which, at 06:45, is still quite early in its own right). Oprah Winfrey says she gets up at 06:02 every day for reflection, meditation and exercise before starting work at 09:00. The most extreme case might be Mark Wahlberg, who wakes up at 02:30 to exercise, play golf, pray and recover in a -100C cryochamber.
You might be more alert and have better cognitive ability in the afternoon
Studies have also suggested early rising and success might be linked. People who wake up early are more in sync with the traditional corporate schedule and tend to have more proactive personalities, which might lead to better grades in school or higher wages on the job.
If getting up early doesn’t come naturally, there are some strategies you can try. Early exercise and exposing yourself to light as soon as possible can help stimulate metabolism and body temperature, which gets you going more quickly.
Yet the early alarm clock may not work for everyone – it turns out there are plenty of caveats around trying to become a morning person if it’s not an easy fit.
Is getting up early for everyone?
No. Whether or not waking up early actually makes you more productive could be in your genes.
There’s been lots of research about how some people are biologically more likely to feel more alert in the morning, while others are at their best at night. You might be more alert and have better cognitive ability in the afternoon, for instance.
In fact, a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications provided further evidence that this is the case. Looking at data from over 700,000 people, researchers found over 350 genetic factors that could influence whether people feel more naturally energised either in the morning or in the evening. The large sample size makes the study the biggest of its kind so far, though further research is needed to confirm the results.
So, if you don’t naturally feel alert in the morning but decide to wake up early anyway, you might be sabotaging your actual peak performance times.
Of course, people may have personal reasons for making an early start. “There may be other factors at play, such as enthusiasm and high job satisfaction, which facilitate eagerness to get up earlier and get to work,” says Marilyn Davidson, professor emerita of work psychology at the University of Manchester.
Parents with young children or workers with non-traditional hours may also have no choice about what time they start the day.
Getting up early doesn’t necessarily translate to instant success at the office
The main point: the mere fact of getting up early doesn’t necessarily translate to instant success at the office. In fact, depending on the person, it could end up having a negative effect.
Can getting up early ever be counterproductive?
Yes. Especially if you don’t normally wake up super early and are trying to hop on some kind of productivity bandwagon.
“People say: ‘Oh, this CEO is doing his 05:00 regimen, I’m going to hop on and do this on Mondays and Fridays,’” says Rachel Salas, an associate professor of neurology who specialises in sleep medicine and sleep disorders at Johns Hopkins University in the US. “But that’s not consistent [sleep]. You’re messing with your system.”
Salas says that getting a full night’s sleep and getting the same amount of sleep at the same time each night are both important. An even worse scenario? If you’re actually reducing sleep to become an early riser.
Sacrificing sleep means you may be hit by the many negative effects of sleep deprivation, including moodiness, poor concentration, potential weight gain, anxiety, increased risk of heart disease and higher blood pressure.
So if early rising means cutting sleep, don’t do it. Salas says she’s had patients come into her clinic who got by on reduced sleep in their 20s and 30s, but struggled as they got older, their lifestyles changed and they had kids.
“If you start early, you will need to stop work earlier too, so there may be no real benefits,” points out Gail Kinman, professor of occupational health psychology at the University of Bedfordshire in Luton, England. She thinks that high-profile businesspeople who follow up an early start with long hours in the office or a late-night presence on email have a damaging effect.
There’s something particularly pernicious about the bragging of a CEO chronicling their early starts. The New York Times recently coined the term ‘performative workaholism’, referring to workaholics flaunting early wake-ups and long hours as a badge of honour, which can end up setting a bad example.
“CEOs are important role models for staff,” Kinman says. “And seeing this behaviour as desirable is just irresponsible.”
What should you do?
Experts say to experiment. Don’t listen to vocal thought-leaders or LinkedIn influencers – figure out what works best for you. And, hey, maybe that does mean waking up super early after all.
Pay attention to when you feel most tired and most awake. When on holiday, make a note of the times you fall asleep and wake up naturally. Try to sync your schedule to those times, as that’s how you’ll tap into most of your natural energy for the day ahead.
When it comes to the workplace, experts suggest an approach that accommodates everyone’s habits to bring out the best in them. Susan Stehlik, director of New York University’s management communications programme, suggests offices and teams use a technique called “appreciative inquiry”.
Pay attention to when you feel most tired and most awake.
This means that the team sits down at the very initial stages of a project and brings up their individual needs, schedules and preferences right out of the gate to the group – ideally, so that the group can adjust accordingly.
“That way you bring up things [like]: ‘I have kids, I have to be up at 05:00 every day and have to get them to day-care and can’t stay late’,” Stehlik says. “‘Here are my vulnerabilities right now, and here are my strengths right now.’ It’s mostly teamwork.”
If team leaders are flexible, you could agree to have an early riser start checking email or working earlier, and then allow them to knock off earlier in the afternoon. That way, workers can enjoy the benefits of early rising, but avoid burnout.
You’re also applying the practices of early rising to those to whom it’s applicable or useful, instead of arbitrarily getting everyone up early to chase the illusion of increased productivity.
In the end, though, it’s all about taking sleep advice from non-experts with a grain of salt. It’s about knowing your unique sleep preferences and the times of the day (or night) that you feel at your peak. And above all, it’s getting adequate – and consistent – amounts of sleep.
For some people, forcing yourself to wake up before the chickens because that’s what your business idol does may not be the smartest or healthiest way to start the day.
“Don’t do it,” Kinman says. “Unless you are a true morning person.”
