What Is the 5 AM Power Hour? Know How It Can Help Your Mental Health

Imagine your alarm rings at a sharp 5 AM and the world around is quiet. After a good night and fulfilling sleep, you begin your day with a fresh start, and the time is finally yours. This is called '5 AM Power Hour', an intentional 60 minutes you take out in the morning before the hustling and bustling of the world. Just you and your mind in calmness. 

What is 5 AM Power Hour?

5 AM Power Hour is the 60-minute intentional block between 5 AM and 6 AM, where you can focus on your mind, body, growth, and planning for the day. First popularised by Robin Sharma with his self-help book 'The 5 AM Club', the method has been gaining popularity with people's hectic and chaotic lifestyles in today's time.

What is the core of 5 AM Power Hour?

Its intension is to give you a break before kickstarting your day and moves far from the hustle culture and toxic productivity. The method highlights four core pillars: mind, body, growth, and planning. Here are the things you can do in between this hour before starting your day.

1. Mind: Meditation, journaling, gratitude, bathing in sunlight, or breathwork
2. Body: Light movement, yoga, stretching, or a walk
3. Growth: Reading, learning, or personal development
4. Planning: Setting priorities for the day

ALSO READ- Why Morning Sunlight Is Becoming a Wellness Trend

How 5 AM Power Hour May Help Your Mental Health?

Remember the key role: do not use your phone, social media, or check any news in this hour.

1. Reducing morning anxiety

If you are waking up to numerous notifications on your phone, it might cause anxiety spikes. With the 5 AM Power Hour Method, start your day with silence and train your nervous system to begin the day with calmness.

2. Sense of Control

An hour to yourself can give you a sense of control in the morning, and it can be seen as a small win, boosting self-esteem.  

3. Reduces Overthinking

Planning your day in advance can reduce the overall overthinking that might create a hindrance later. Easy activities like journaling can ease your mind and give you more clarity throughout the day.

4. Regulates Circadian Rhythm

Simple things like waking up with sunlight, moving your body, and avoiding screens in the morning can help balance cortisol.

ALSO READ- Morning vs Night Skincare Routine: What Matters More?

What are the evidence-based activities you should include in a morning hour for good mental health?

Dr Rachna Khanna Singh, a renowned Mental Health Professional, emphasises how a supportive morning routine does not need to be elaborate or time-consuming.

"The components with the strongest evidence behind them are morning sunlight exposure, physical movement, mindfulness practice, and a consistent wake time. Sunlight helps anchor the body's circadian rhythm, which in turn supports mood regulation and sleep quality (Bedrosian & Nelson, 2017)," she says.

She adds that movement also has well-documented effects on mood, alertness, and cognitive functioning through its influence on brain neurochemistry (Basso & Suzuki, 2016).

Talking about mindfulness practice, Dr Rachna Singh further adds, "Mindfulness practice, meanwhile, is more specifically linked to reduced stress reactivity and rumination rather than mood enhancement in a general sense. A consistent wake time adds a layer of predictability that supports overall stability and wellbeing."

If you have limited time, prioritise getting some morning light and moving the body, rather than attempting to complete an exhaustive checklist.

How do I know if I am using a morning routine to avoid problems vs helping myself?

This is something many people think while struggling to stick with routines. Dr Rachna Singh advises how one should check if they are using a morning routine as escapism or not.

"A useful way to check this is to ask: Am I moving toward something I value, or am I simply trying not to feel something?" she says.

She adds, "Flexibility is another marker worth noticing: a routine that supports wellbeing can bend when circumstances change, whereas one rooted in avoidance often becomes rigid, generating anxiety or distress when it is disrupted. This aligns with research on experiential avoidance, which has shown that a tendency to escape or suppress internal experience is associated with poorer mental health outcomes over time (Fledderus et al., 2010)."

Conclusion:

The 5 AM Power Hour is about giving your mind a break from the chaos that might await later in the day. You are choosing yourself and setting the tone for the entire day. However, no matter how much mental health advice you may read, results will only be shown through consistency and patience.

(Image Credit: Magnific)
To read more such stories, stay connected to Her Zindagi.