Wellness Tip:

Wake to a Melodic Alarm

If your morning alarm is a jarring beep beep beep, you’re doing yourself an injustice. An abrupt sound is more likely to leave you with sleep inertia – that groggy, disoriented feeling you get upon waking. 

You probably already sensed this intuitively, but science backs it up. Research published in PLOS ONE found that people who woke up to melodic alarms reported lower levels of sleep inertia than those who woke up to neutral, non-melodic sounds.

So why not try swapping your blaring beep for Edvard Grieg’s Morning Mood or a similarly melodious tune? Try it tomorrow – and let us know what song you choose.

Routine Breakdown

Dr. Ayanna Abrams, PsyD, Founder of Ascension Behavioral Health & Co-founder of Not So Strong

The Therapist-Approved Way to Start Winter Mornings

Winter mornings ask a lot of us. And when you jump straight from bed to go mode, your nervous system can stay in high alert. That’s why Dr. Ayanna Abrams, PsyD, suggests a “soft start” morning routine – a gentler, more intentional start to the day. “You might also notice better decision-making with less reactivity and even less exhaustion by the end of the day,” she says.

The Routine:

• Wake up more gradually. Swap a harsh alarm for softer sounds and give yourself an extra 10 minutes so the morning doesn’t start in a rush.
• Keep your phone out of reach. “Use an actual alarm clock that serves only that purpose, and put your phone across the room or in another room overnight,” says Ayanna.
• Delay screens altogether. Skip TV, emails, and scrolling first thing to reduce mental and emotional overstimulation. “Emails and texts are others informing you or asking something of you; social media is other people’s lives; news is tons of information,” says Ayanna. “You’re ‘starting’ the day in the lives of others.”
• Start with a grounding ritual. Take a few slow breaths, stretch gently, or sip water in bed to help your body wake up calmly.
• Add warmth and nourishment. A warm drink and a simple, balanced breakfast can signal safety and ease to your nervous system.
• Jot down your thoughts. “Jotting down some morning reflections or a very short to-do list—no more than three items—can help you think about your day without a rush.” This creates direction without overwhelm.

Why it works:

• Waking up gradually lowers the stress response and helps your nervous system shift out of sleep without a cortisol spike.
• Delaying screens reduces cognitive overload, giving your brain space to orient before processing external inputs.
• Grounding rituals send safety signals to the body, easing muscle tension and supporting emotional regulation.
• Writing things down early helps you get your mind clear, reducing background stress and decision fatigue.

Soft starts are just one part of a broader “soft living” philosophy, which prioritises slowing down and self-nourishment over wealth and hustle culture. “This requires more stern boundaries to protect your time, your energy, how much access people have to you emotionally, and how much you are ‘doing’ vs. ‘being’ day to day,” says Ayanna.

Have you heard of soft living? Here’s a guide that breaks it down if you want to learn more.