How waking up at 4am impacts your health, as Zoe Ball quits Radio 2 show

Kate Ng
·Trending Lifestyle Reporter
Updated ·5-min read
Zoe Ball has announced she is leaving her BBC Breakfast show, with Scott Mills (left) taking over in December. (Getty Images)
Zoe Ball has announced she is leaving her BBC Breakfast show, with Scott Mills (left) taking over in December. (Getty Images)

An early morning wake-up call isn’t really anyone’s idea of fun, but how early is too early? 6am? 5am? What about 4am?

It sounds brutal, but a 4am alarm clock is the norm for millions of Britons who work in shifts that often start and end outside of the 9am-5pm work day. It is also the norm for BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball - until December, that is.

The 53-year-old presenter has announced she is stepping down from her breakfast show to focus on her family, after six years hosting the station's breakfast show. Her last programme will air next month, before it is taken over by Scott Mills.

Ball said: "I’ve decided it’s time to step away from the early alarm call and start a new chapter. We’ve shared a hell of a lot, the tough times, there’s been a lot of laughter. And I am going to miss you cats."

She added: "But I won’t miss the 4am alarm call, if I’m completely honest. You know I love you all to bits."

Zoe Ball outside Wogan House in London after her first morning hosting the BBC 2 Breakfast Show. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images)
Zoe Ball says she 'won't miss' her 4am alarm. (Getty Images)

Before she got the job in 2019, Ball said the early starts were "not horrendous".

"Some people get up and do two jobs in a day, people do night shifts, they do horrendous long hours," she told The Standard at the time.

"I’m going to get up and have three hours of fun, so I think, 'Get your butt out of bed, Ball, it’s your job'."

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 29: Tim Cook attends the WSJ. Magazine 2024 Innovator Awards on October 29, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards)
Tim Cook swears by a 3.45am wake up call. (Getty Images)

There is some evidence that waking up early can have some health benefits. According to the Sleep Foundation, there is research that suggests people who tend to sleep and wake up later are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than those who sleep and wake up earlier.

People who wake up earlier may find that they have more time for morning exercise, which can improve sleep quality, and time to prepare and eat a healthy breakfast.

There are some famous faces, particularly CEOs, who swear by an early start. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, gets up even earlier, at 3.45am, to answer his emails before hitting the gym at 4.30am.

Another big name who’s up and at it at 4.30am is Michelle Obama, who gets her gym time in in the wee hours, before getting on with her day.

Actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson starts his day even earlier, at 3.30am, to get a run in before his neighbours wake up.

UNITED STATES - AUGUST 20: Former first lady Michelle Obama arrives to speak on the second night of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Michelle Obama is also a fan of a super early start. (Getty Images)

However, how much benefit you reap from an early start really depends on how much sleep you are getting - if you don’t get enough sleep, you may be at higher risk of developing health issues.

The NHS says that adults need at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night in order to maintain physical and mental health.

If you’re getting up at 4am, that means going to sleep at 9pm at the latest to get the minimum of seven hours of sleep. You would have to go to sleep at 7pm to get nine hours of sleep.

But going to bed that early isn’t a possibility for many people, whether it’s due to work, family, childcare, or other reasons. That means that they may not be getting enough sleep, which can be detrimental to their health.

A lack of sleep can lead to:

  • Increased risk of stroke and heart disease

  • Increased stress levels

  • Increased risk of obesity and diabetes

  • Weaker immune system

Morning shot of a sleepy person lying in bed, reaching out to the phone to turn off the alarm, waking up. Sun lens flare passing through curtains on background. Display tapping in focus, copy space
Waking up really early can have health benefits - but it all depends on how much sleep you're getting. (Getty Images)

The Sleep Charity says that a good night’s sleep is "vital as a restorative time and plays a significant role in healing and repairing the heart and blood vessels".

"It also gives the immune system and the cardiovascular system a rest and allows other organs to be restored."

Sleep deprivation can also lead to fatigue during the day, which sufferers may try to combat by consuming more caffeine and sugary drinks. However, consuming too much of these types of unhealthy foods can also lead to physical health problems.

Your mental health is also affected when you don’t get enough sleep. According to the Mental Health Foundation, sleeping poorly increases the risk of having poor mental health, with issues like depression and anxiety rising among those who don’t get enough sleep.

So whether you get up at 4am for a particular shift pattern, or simply to emulate some of the famous people who praise early starts, you must ensure that you’re getting enough sleep each night to fuel you through the rest of the day.

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