Mornings are ruled by my phone. My alarm goes off, and I’m immediately met with a carousel of notifications, luring me onto WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok. By the time I finally roll out of bed, I’ve already queued up a string of podcasts, music and shows to play in the background while I get ready for the day.
I’ve had enough of these mornings to know I’m probably addicted to my phone. So, what would happen if I suddenly reverted to phone-free mornings? Or, not only phone-free, but caffeine- and exercise-free too? TikTok claims low-dopamine mornings will make me more focused and motivated throughout the day. Let’s put it to the test.
This is what TikTok has coined the “ low-dopamine morning ”, a one to two hour routine that’s free of stressful or highly stimulating activities, and which is said to increase calmness and motivation. But does it actually work? To find out, I tried low-dopamine mornings for seven days and spoke to experts. Defining dopamine Loading Dopamine is a chemical messenger, or neurotransmitter, that helps regulate how we pursue and disengage from rewards, says senior psychology lecturer at RMIT Dr James Collett.
As a result, it’s often associated with feelings of excitment, happiness and satisfaction, as well as motivation, memory, mood and sleep. Health and community psychologist Dr Marny Lishman says a range of healthy activities can trigger dopamine, including “regular exercise, socialising, setting and achieving goals, enjoying mu.