Waking up early is usually associated with snoozing your alarms and dreading going to work. This, however, is not the norm anymore! Early mornings are now seen as a respite for many. It is a time of undisturbed peace, serene skies and plenty of time to get recharged for your day. With the new social media trend of following a ‘billionaire’s routine’ which includes waking up at 5:00 am and following certain habits, we also bring you 7 reasons why you should wake up early in the morning!
Benefits Of Getting Up Early
1. More productivity
Getting up early gives you a kick start for the day ahead. Besides allowing you more hours for your work, it also boosts your speed.
Studies have suggested that when a person gets up early, he is more energetic and takes lesser time to do a task that would take more time otherwise. He is also more adept in taking better decisions, planning and achieving
goals.
2. Improved Mental Health
Research shows that people who tend to sleep and wake later are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than those who sleep and wake earlier.
However, a recent study suggests that people who prefer a late bedtime may be able to reduce their mental health risks by adjusting the time they sleep. In this study, those who shifted their sleep schedules earlier by about two hours reported lower levels of depression and stress compared to those who did not shift their sleep schedules. More research may determine if changing one’s sleep schedule could help treat such disorders.
3. More time for yourself
If you live with other humans — little ones or adults — getting up early could give you some much-needed (and desperately wanted) time for yourself.
More time to sip that coffee slowly while flipping through the paper or just enjoying the silence can help prepare you to face a hectic day feeling a little more chill.
4. Time for Breakfast
Waking up earlier provides more time to prepare a healthy breakfast. Healthy, high-protein breakfast options with low sugar content have been shown to improve energy levels throughout the day. People who eat breakfast feel more alert in the morning and tend to be in a better mood than those who skip this meal.
5. More time to exercise
If working out is important to you, but you often struggle to find the time, getting up early could be the ticket.
Getting your exercise in first thing remedies the temptation to skip workouts because of job or social commitments later in the day or plain old tiredness.
And while we’re on the subject of feeling tired, here’s another perk of morning workouts: Exercise initiates a surge of those feel-good endorphins that can improve your mood, lower stress and anxiety, and increase energy levels. You’re welcome.
6. Helps you concentrate
Your brain doesn’t wake up the second you do, which is why we tend to feel groggy and disoriented when we first get up.
This sleep inertia is a regular part of the waking process. Still, it can last about an hour or more, making it harder to concentrate and get stuff done if you’re up and out the door too quickly.
Waking up earlier gives you time to fully wake up so you’re more focused.
7. A good night’s sleep
Those who wake up early also tend to fall asleep at a prescribed time. Your body feels more tired and instead of staying up till 3:00 am binging a series, you will find yourself more inclined to take a rest. Going to bed early can enhance your energy and mood levels. This allows you to complete all four-six cycles of sleep so you can feel rejuvenated the next day.
Tips to wake up early in the morning:
– Find motivation – Whether it be to drink your favourite cup of tea or read a newspaper column, waking up early becomes easier when you have something to look forward to when you wake up. Reward yourself daily for developing good habits.
– Start small – Do not aim for dawn if you are used to waking up at noon. Your body clock requires sufficient time to adjust to a routine. Start by making an hour of change and slowly level up.
– Try out a routine – Routines are proven to be an efficient way to a better lifestyle. Having an approximate time when you go to sleep and wake up can make you feel more in control of your day. Add time to enjoy a leisurely activity too. Remember to include 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep in your schedule.
– Make a mental note to not hit snooze on your alarm. We recommend putting your alarm far away so you have to walk to switch it off.
– Follow good sleep hygiene. This includes no electronics at least 60 minutes before bed, not having heavy meals or snacks at night, sleeping in a dark space and brushing before bed.