Cyprus mornings should feel glorious!

There’s crisp light spilling over the hills or fields, the first warmth of the sun, the sea flashing silver.

Yet many of us start the day by reaching for our phones before we’ve even opened the shutters. Then we spend hours bathed in the cool glow of screens – and wonder why we feel sluggish, wired at night and exhausted in the morning.

Your body runs on a circadian rhythm – a 24-hour internal clock guided mainly by light. Natural morning light (especially the warm, bright kind we’re lucky to get in Cyprus) tells the brain to stop making melatonin, the sleep hormone, and ramps up cortisol and serotonin, so you wake up, feel alert and set a healthy sleep timer for the next night. Skip that light cue and your body clock drifts.

Meanwhile, artificial blue light from phones, tablets and laptops does the opposite: it tells the brain it’s still daytime, suppresses melatonin and delays sleep. Great if you’re working at midnight; terrible if you want to wake refreshed.

Science backs this up. A 2017 study showed that morning outdoor light exposure improves mood, alertness and sleep quality by strengthening circadian rhythms. Harvard researchers warn that evening blue light suppresses melatonin twice as much as other light and shifts the body clock by up to three hours. And another paper proves that early daylight can help reduce anxiety and boost serotonin.

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to throw out your phone! Instead, it’s all about timing. Tomorrow, before you scroll, step outside or open the balcony doors. Let real light hit your eyes for at least 10 minutes – mug in hand, face to the sky.

If you’re stuck inside, sit by a sunny window – goodness knows we have more than our fair share of sunny days on this island! And when evening comes, dim screens and lights an hour before bed. If you must scroll, use night mode.

Do this for a week and you’ll likely feel more awake in the morning and sleepier when you should. Over time, it can lift mood, sharpen focus and reduce that wired-but-tired feeling so many of us battle.

Because feeling good in Cyprus isn’t just about the endless sunshine – it’s about using that light wisely to keep your brain and body in sync.