So long…Slow Mornings

This is probably not quite the take on slow mornings you think it’s going to be.

As I sit here writing, it is 7:30 on a Sunday morning. The sun is pouring in through the kitchen window, significantly lower than it was this time last week. There is a pretty posey of late Dahlias and Sweet peas in a vase on the table, hand-picked by my Husband from the garden. The dog is cleaning her paws in her bed and my 7 year old is in the other room, amusing himself with the assault on the senses that is, Dragonball Z.

Right now, it is a dreamy, slow Sunday morning.

I am able to notice it, enjoy it and even write about it. These mornings, however, are few and far between. That’s what makes them novel. Their scarcity is what makes them feel special when they do happen. We appreciate the pause and the pace so much more when we find ourselves delighted -surprised even - by the realisation that we are enjoying a slow morning.

And these are precisely the reasons I don’t want one everyday.

Slow mornings have become another lifestyle goal, put out there by wellness influencers and accounts that conjure the ideal aesthetics of it all.

Now, apart from the very obvious fact that most people’s mornings simply cannot unfold that way, it also works against our natural rhythms which respond to how light moves throughout the day. If the goal was to have a slow morning everyday, we’d feel sluggish, slow and end up not getting much done.

Ever stirred between the hours of four and six in the morning to hear the birds already chirping away? Has you cat or dog woken you up early to be let out or fed? Perhaps you get frustrated at your own body clock rendering you wide awake as dawn creeps through the curtains?

Actually, all of these things are happening as they should. The circadian rhythms of the birds, bees and us work to get the most out of our biology. So, if you’re reading this thinking “yes Michelle but I really hate getting out of bed in the mornings”…it could be that your own rhythms need a bit of TLC.

Here is where using colours at the magnetic end of the spectrum can help. Red, orange and yellow are the expanding, warming, action colours in the rainbow. The lower frequencies and longer wavelengths heat and push apart, encouraging movement and productivity around them.

I like to apply these three colours to the three segments before noon -

6am-8am Red: The Big Push

Red has the longest wavelengths in the visible spectrum. It heats, pushes, expands and motivates. If you struggle waking up, place something red like a piece of card, flowers or art on your bedside table to focus on instead of hitting the snooze button. Again.

8am-10am Orange: In the Groove

If red is the stick, then orange is the carrot. Orange gently encourages energy to flow with joyful optimism and a zesty spring in its step. Bask in orange’s warmth by incorporating its energy into your morning routine with essential oils like wild orange, bergamot or neroli (happiness in a bottle in my opinion!). Ensuites are fun spaces to use fruity hues so you can start your day surrounded by a bit of positivity.

10am-12pm Yellow: Locked in

Yellow has the shortest wavelengths of the warmer colours, so whilst it invigorates it also helps focus the mind. It is the colour our eyes associate most closely with the sun, which tells the body and brain that it is time for action. Use it cleverly in your workspace or whenever you need to be on top of your game. Yellow flowers in a vase on your desk, yellow in your office decor - think furniture, soft furnishings and accessories if you feel yellow on the walls would be too much. Or scent your space with notes of lemon balm, grapefruit or basil to help clear a foggy mind.

We know that sleep is one of the most important things to help our bodies and brains rest, restore and rejuvenate. Supporting our natural rhythms with colour can help establish healthy sleep/wake cycles that mean we can make the most of daylight hours without feeling like we are wading through treacle.

So, whilst I love a surprise slow morning as much as the next person, let’s not be tricked into thinking we’re doing life wrong if everyday doesn’t start with one.

And if the early bird catches the worm, I’m showing up as nothing less than a Peacock.