“Hydrate when you wake,” advises Ms Denise Iordache, a sleep therapist and founder of JoySpace Therapy. “Your body naturally dehydrates overnight, and water is crucial for energy and overall wellbeing. Jumpstart your metabolism with at least 0.2l of water alongside your coffee, tea or cereal.”

Research shows that sunlight is the best primitive signal for your brain to be awake, alert and (almost) receptive to interacting with others. “Whether it’s a short walk or breakfast by a sunny window, embrace natural light to enhance your wakefulness,” Iordache says.

“Get an accurate measure of both the quality and quantity of your sleep,” says Ms Emily Capodilupo, a data science and research specialist at WHOOP, a US wearable tech company that creates fitness trackers. “Measuring your heart rate variability and respiratory rate, along with how much time you spend in light (REM) sleep versus deep sleep, can help you understand and improve your sleep patterns.”

“Engaging in a light workout or gentle yoga can kick-start your energy levels,” suggests Mr Lee Mitchell, head personal trainer at fitness site Jogger. According to research, early morning exercise is directly associated with more exercise and movement throughout the day, too.

“Feeling fresh and alert in the morning can also come from what you’ve eaten the night before,” says Ms Amanda Ursell, nutritionist and member of the British Dietetic Association. “Try opting for evening meals rich in complex carbohydrates and lean protein, but lighter in calories and fat. This way, you avoid acid reflux when lying down, which will disrupt digestion and your sleep.”

“This might feel counterintuitive as a night owl, but to become a morning person you need to start acting like one,” says Ms Ashleigh Tosh, health and fitness expert at Goal Plans powered by MuscleFood. “By doing difficult tasks that require energy and concentration in the morning, you’ll train your body and brain to adapt to the new early-bird schedule.”

“For early morning starts – like a session with your personal trainer – lay out your exercise kit the night before,” Mitchell says. “Prepare any meals or snacks ahead of time, too – this stops morning stressing and allows you to focus on starting your day with clarity and purpose.”

“Meal prepping the night before is also a great way to ensure you’re fuelling your body with a nutritious breakfast,” Tosh says. “This will keep you full and give you energy throughout the day.”

“If you can’t face big breakfasts, stick to something simple like a protein bar or a protein shake,” Tosh says. “Protein will also stop you feeling ‘hangry’ when you’re dealing with the first tasks of the day.”

“A natural light alarm clock filters light into your room gradually around an hour before you need to get it. In all seasons, this is a godsend,” says Ms Nichi Hodgson, (@nichihodgson) broadcaster and author who regularly gets up at 3.30am for TV newspaper reviews. “This clock stops the body freaking out to a phone alarm, which also dramatically spikes cortisol.”

“For the mornings you need to get up really early, it pays to sleep alone,” Hodgson says. “This stops you waking your partner and upsetting their sleep, and there’s a better chance you’ll sleep well if you’re on your own.”

“Everyone has a genetic propensity towards their ideal sleep/wake schedule with some having significant ‘night owl’ or ‘morning lark’ tendencies,” says Dr Jim Brown, consultant physician and sleep specialist at Marylebone Health. “But most people have an intermediate chronotype; many issues related to circadian rhythm problems are habitual and behavioural, such as staying up late to watch TV or play video games and then feeling tired the next day.”

“As a natural lark, my brain functions better at 4.00am than at 10.00pm or 11.00pm,” Hodgson says. “As such, I may put my clothes out for the next day the night before, but I won’t do any final prep for my early start until the morning. If you’re a night owl, however, do it before you sleep – but leave some wind-down time, too. At least 30 minutes without your phone or computer.”

“Take your smartphone away from your bedside table,” Hodgson says. “This will stop the urge to check what time it is if you wake prior to your natural alarm clock going off.”

“Exercising during the day is believed to help our body’s natural sleeping rhythm,” Tosh says. “As little as 20 minutes of movement may help you fall asleep quicker. If you can’t fit in a workout, try a brisk walk or a light jog on your lunch break or at the end of your working day.”

“Incorporate a morning visualisation exercise,” Iordache says. “As you wake up, visualise a successful and fulfilling day ahead – studies from the Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw, Poland, show this helps start your day with a positive mindset.”

“If a whole day’s visualisation sounds too complicated to start off with, picture (in as much detail as possible) one thing you look forward to on that day,” Iordache says. “That could be meeting a friend, enjoying a cup of coffee or walking the dog. This reduces morning stress, sets a constructive tone and reinforces the habit of waking up early as a rewarding and enjoyable experience.”

“Waking from an incorrect portion of sleep can leave you feeling groggy,” Brown says. “If the alarm goes off during deep sleep you will wake with sleep inertia, which could be why you’re not usually a ‘morning person’. Experiment with adjusting bedtimes by 15 minutes at a time until you wake during a portion of the sleep cycle that is light sleep.”

“If you are going to be viewing screens close to bedtime, blue-light blocking glasses can be a helpful tool,” Capodilupo says. “Blue light from screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. By blocking this light, the glasses can help maintain your natural sleep.”

“One coffee is good to get going when you first wake up, but resist the temptation to keep topping up,” Hodgson says. “Better to have a lunchtime nap to revive yourself rather than more caffeine, which will only disturb your sleep the following night. Invigorating teas like ginger and lemon are better.”

“Have a calming bedtime ritual, like taking a warm bath or shower,” Mitchell says. “Gently warming the body will relax you without ramping up your metabolism and activity hormones the way evening exercise can.”

“If you’re usually out after work, focus on quality social time at breakfast or lunch instead,” Hodgson says. “Missing social time all together will leave you utterly miserable. Just shift the fun stuff to earlier in the day.”

“When it comes to getting into bed and getting out, most people have got it backward,” says psychologist Mr Nick Wignall. “When it comes to getting into bed at night, forget about the clock and listen to your body. When it comes to getting out of bed in the morning, forget about your body and listen to the alarm clock.”

“Everything in life and biology is a wave or cycle, including attention,” Brown says. “We’re not designed to work at maximum intensity from dawn to dusk and therefore regular breaks during the working day help with attention thereafter. These can include walking outside, breathwork, socialising and stretching.”

“Start the day with simple stretching moves that transform breath into chi ‘life force energy,’ vitalising your being,” says Mr Lee Holden, master of the ancient art of qigong. “Inhale through your nose, stretching your arms back, expanding your respiratory system. Exhale, palms touching, sinking your chest. Inhale, arms out, pause for two seconds. Exhale, sinking chest, pause for two seconds. Repeat twice.”

“Kneel on all fours on the bedroom floor and take a deep breath in, drawing in your abdominals, too,” suggests Ms Sarah Emblow, a Pilates trainer and cofounder of Raise and Replenish, a line of plant-based lattes. “This activation move is called a Watch Dog. As you exhale, extend your opposite arm and leg before drawing them back in and repeating the other side. This will set you up for better posture, balance and alignment for the rest of the day.”

“Cordyceps and MCT oil supplements help to fuel my body and mind for a day of client calls and meetings,” Emblow says. “Both are great natural sources of slow-release energy, which also means you can avoid that afternoon slump.”

“If someone says, ‘I want to be more of a morning person during the week, but I want to sleep in on the weekends,’ that’s not going to work,” says Dr Philip Gehrman, a clinical psychologist who directs the Sleep, Neurobiology and Psychopathology lab at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Engaging your imagination with a paperback allows you to enter an altered state of consciousness,” Wignall says. With your mind lost among the words, your body can relax, making it easier for you to drift off.

“Practise relaxation techniques such as meditation or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) to unwind,” Mitchell says. “Tense and then relax different muscle groups in the body, starting with your toes and working up the body to the frowning muscles of the forehead. You’ll alleviate anxiety and promote a calm state of mind.”

“The human condition is a little bit messy and sleepless nights are going to occur regardless of what you do,” says Mr Tom Haines, exercise psychologist at the University of Nottingham. “If you can’t sleep, just accept that you’ve got stuff going on – but you’re just going to lean into it. Don’t get up or go to another room. Don’t watch TV. Just lie there, accept it and try to relax rather than fight against it.”

“If you have kids, get your partner to do bedtime and be on nighttime duty,” Hodgson says. “I frequently go to sleep before my one-year-old daughter and I absolutely love it.”

“Your internal dialogue needs to change from ‘I am not a morning person’ to ‘I am becoming a morning person’,” says Headspace cofounder and former Buddhist monk, Mr Andy Puddicombe. “This small thing will make a world of difference when that alarm clock goes off.”