Brisbane was crowned the world’s earliest rising city. Does the title stick?

Brisbanites might no longer hold the official title as the world’s earliest risers, but we have maintained a reputation for making the most of the mornings.

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So why are we so obsessed with waking up before the rest of the country?

Griffith University associate professor and health psychologist Nicola Burton says understanding the factors that contributed to behaviours such as physical activity and sleep was the first place to start.

Important biological factors include age, circadian rhythms (the body’s natural 24-hour internal clock responsible for regulating periods of alertness and sleepiness), and sleep chronotypes.

“People will often talk about early larks and night owls,” Burton says.

“There are some people who are just naturally early wakers, they wake up ready to go, whereas there are some people who feel most productive in the middle of the day, and others who feel most productive in the evening.”

Individuals can also be “indeterminate”, experiencing fluctuating periods of peak productivity.

Social, individual, cultural and environmental factors carry as much weight as our biology. That includes family environment, productivity beliefs, work schedule, health issues, trends, weather and the cultural fabric of a place.

Like Colombia, avoiding heat and humidity partially explains Brisbane’s early morning activity. “We don’t have the same low temperatures in the morning as some of our southern states,” Burton says.

“And even though we don’t have daylight saving, we do still have quite a lot of light available, compared to some European countries, for example.”

Daylight saving comes into effect on Sunday, October 6, moving the clock forward an hour in the ACT, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

And as predictable as the six-month headache that ensues for states with misaligned time zones is the annual debate about Queensland’s exclusion from the adjustment.

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Arguments for and against are well-worn but in the context of Brisbane’s aspirations to have a vibrant nightlife and 24-hour economy, pressure to shift that extra hour of sunlight into the evening might ratchet up in coming years. More so as the city heats up.

Would that mean Brisbane stops being an early-rising city?

Burton thinks the lark and owl can co-exist. “We’re moving, and we’re in a more time-flexible culture than what we were 10 to 20 years ago,” she says.

We’re not about to shoehorn siesta into Queensland culture (if only) but we have started to adopt fluid attitudes towards hours of operations. Think tradies starting work early to beat the heat, cafes daring to open later than 3pm, flexible work-from-home arrangements and a growing late-night dining scene.

“How far that can be taken is unclear. I think there are still limitations that will be somewhat influenced by not only our socio-cultural norms, but our climate norms as well.”

I’m with Brisbane – I like starting the day early. Being active in the morning means I’m less annoying to myself and those around me and can come home after a long day and do absolutely nothing – if I so wish.

I also enjoy late nights and nocturnal activities, and have found a way to lean into both.

It’s the kind of duality that Brisbane could embrace, becoming a place of activity at first light, and well into the night.