The thought of a weekend lie-in is so alien to me...

BROADCASTER AND AUTHOR SARA COX TALKS TO CAMILLA FOSTER ABOUT HER MORNING ROUTINE AND THE ENERGY BOOSTS SHE COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT

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DESPITE not being on the early morning radio breakfast shift, a lie-in is still an alien concept to BBC Radio 2 Drivetime host Sara Cox, who's always "up with the larks".

"I am 100% a morning person," exclaims the broadcaster and author, 50. "That is where my energy is. When I'm writing my books, I'm getting up at 4.50am and I am writing from 5am and for those 90 minutes until half six, that is when my brain is at its sharpest and when my mood is at its highest."

This hasn't always been the case.

"When I was little, I never wanted to go to bed. My mum used to call me a night owl but I'm definitely up with the larks now.

"I think as you get a little older and start to look after yourself more, the mornings become easier because you are sleeping more.

"I think that all comes naturally when you want to squeeze more into your day as you get older.

"The thought of having a lie-in until 11am or 12pm at the weekend now is so alien to me. I hate the thought of wasting a minute, even at the weekend. I feel like it's really important to get up and to embrace the day and do as much as I can, because then I can kind of relax for the rest of the day."

Getting up and moving her body is also a central part of Sara's morning routine.

"If I'm going to exercise, I want to exercise first thing as that's when I've got the energy," the mum-of-three reveals.