The Swedish habit of Gökotta could finally make you a morning person

This could be you very soon (Picture: Getty Images)

Does the sound of your alarm haunt you in nightmares? 

Or perhaps you dread the chirpy ‘morning’ from your colleagues first-thing while you cradle coffee at your desk?

If this sounds like you, it’s highly unlikely you’re a morning person – along with 30% of the population.

However, if you’d love to become less of a night owl and more of a lark (especially now the days are getting longer and brighter), the Swedish lifestyle practice of Gökotta might be just what you’re missing.

Simply put, it involves getting up at dawn to hear birdsong – with the idea that this can boost your wellbeing and focus, and help you feel more connected to nature. 

When it’s translated, Gökotta means ‘the act of getting up early specifically to go outside and listen to birdsong’ – and considering how good nature is for our mental and physical health, we can believe there’s definitely something to it.

Traditionally, it’s practiced in Sweden from Ascension Day (May 30) to midsummer (June 24) and is all about, physically, getting up with the birds. 

There’s science to back it up too – as neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman told HuffPost that morning sunlight is ‘most powerful stimulus for wakefulness throughout the day and helps to fall asleep at night.’

Also, it’s worth pointing out that this doesn’t need to be a long morning walk: it might be a 10-minute whip around your block first-thing – or simply sitting in the garden with your morning coffee.

And considering how popular other Scandi trends have been (we’re looking at you Hygge and Sisu), we could be hearing a lot more about Gökotta over the coming weeks.