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 music and learning new skills”. However, dopamine also increases during less constructive activities she says, such as mindlessly scrolling on our phones, impulse shopping and gaming.
.
