IS getting up with the lark the key to feeling great and achieving more? So suggest advocates of the '5-to-9 routine' which is currently a hit on social networks.

The idea is to get up at the crack of dawn to take time for yourself and, paradoxically, get to work as soon as possible to reach your goals and achieve your ambitions. A routine that can be as inspiring for some as it can be frustrating for others.

If you're partial to a lie-in, your daily life could be turned upside down by the new morning routine that's all the rage on social networks: the '5-to-9 a.m. routine.'

This lifestyle is based on strict self-discipline in terms of sleep, nutrition and physical activity, but especially on the idea that human beings are more productive in the morning.

A concept that seems to be widely supported, perhaps in view of the 20 million and 17 million views scored by the hashtags #5to9routine and #5amroutine.

These reveal hundreds of videos of individuals some men but mainly women sharing their early morning routine, from getting up to leaving for work. And if one thing is sure, it's that these social media users seem to pack in much more than the average person.

Making me-time

If you haven't yet embraced the '5-to-9 routine,' chances are that your daily routine is already filled with a seemingly never-ending cycle of work, commuting and other commitments, with some possible variations depending on where you live, whether you are a parent or not, or your social life.

In any case, the fact remains that almost everywhere in the world, we are constantly chasing time. This hectic, fast-paced lifestyle was thought to be on the wane with the Covid-19 pandemic, but it seems to have picked up again since restrictions eased.

And this is where the new routine preferred by stars, wellness influencers, and other TikTokers comes in, promising to promote a calmer and healthier lifestyle focused on well-being.

Jeff Bezos, Jennifer Aniston and Oprah Winfrey all agree that getting up at the crack of dawn is not only good for your mental health but also for your productivity and efficiency. And they have made it their mantra.

Go to bed early, get up early to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

You just have to watch the videos of TikTok users who have adopted this routine to realize that you can indeed get a lot done when you get up at 5am. It's fascinating, and sometimes inspiring.

Preparing a delicious breakfast, with freshly squeezed juice, smoothies, freshly cut fruit, and bowls of cereal with all kinds of seeds, exercising, meditating, even going for a morning walk, embarking on an optimal beauty routine, and even reading a book, are some of the activities carried out by followers of the '5-to-9 routine' before they head off to work.

It's a way to take care of yourself, to refocus, and to stop putting off what you can do... at 5 am. And from the look of the comments posted under these TikTok videos, this routine is a source of admiration, if only because it requires a lot of self-discipline.

The cult of productivity

But this new routine is also a source of frustration for those who habitually get up at the last minute, just in time to have a coffee and a shower before rushing off to work.

To the point that some people feel obliged to specify that while this way of life is beneficial to them, it is not about criticizing or belittling people who do not manage to get up at dawn.

In the same vein, many health professionals are praising the '5-to-9 routine' on the Chinese social network, without forgetting to state that it is important to respect the sleep needs of each individual.

And that's without taking into account the fact that some people aren't necessarily more productive in the morning, contrary to popular belief.

Speaking to The Independent, psychologist Suzy Reading explains: "Some people naturally feel greater mental clarity in the morning, while others will feel more switched on later in the day. Go with what works best for you as an individual. What’s most important is respecting and meeting your sleep needs -- for adults, this is seven to nine hours of sleep daily, and sacrificing our sleep needs will not serve us in the long-term."

Another issue raised by many users of the Chinese social network is the glorification of productivity.

At a time when people's mental health is under strain, with an increase in anxiety disorders, depression and even burn-out, some people wonder if it is really necessary to adopt a routine aimed at being ever more productive and efficient.

Ultimately, it's up to each individual to determine whether this lifestyle can be beneficial to their well-being, without trying to achieve objectives that do not work for them.