After spending years associating “waking up early” with school and then subsequently with work, it eventually becomes a routine you do out of “obligation” that you grow to dislike.
However, it is easy to forget that early mornings aren’t just meant for you to wake up to a fixed schedule, but are an essential habit to adopt for a healthy body and mind. So, we’ve compiled a guide with all the advantages of waking up early that will help you transition into your new morning routine!
The Ideal Sleep Hours
If you’ve been pulling all-nighters with early morning shifts and surviving the day with barely 4-5 hours of sleep as an adult, you may suffer from sleep deficiency— which can lead to injuries, mental health problems, loss of productivity and serious cases of death. (1)
The recommended hours of sleep as per your age group: (2)
| Age | Age Group | Sleep Required |
| Infant | 4-12 months | 12-16 hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 years | 11-14 hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years | 10-13 hours |
| School | 6-12 years | 9-12 hours |
| Teen | 13-18 | 8-10 hours |
| Adult | 18+ | 7+ hours |
You must complete a full sleep cycle, which can often be difficult if you miss out on a good night’s sleep. Trying to compensate for it by sleeping during the day can disrupt your sleep cycle and dysregulate your melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain that signals when to fall asleep and when to wake up.
Sleep deprivation or disturbances can affect this hormone which can lead to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and insulin insensitivity. (3)
Early to bed and early to rise is the perfect solution to prevent sleep deprivation or dysregulation.
7 Advantages of Waking Up Early Everyday
1. Enhanced Productivity
Waking up at the crack of dawn to the birds still singing and empty roads, surrounded by the tranquillity of silence, can help you focus without being overwhelmed or overstimulated by your surroundings.
You can begin your day with yoga or a nice jog down the road, or you can get a head start on your day’s tasks to feel a sense of achievement and set a positive tone for the day.
2. Better Sleep Cycle
Making a routine out of waking up early can help restore the body’s natural clock, called the circadian rhythm— a small part of the brain that is controlled by light and dark and is an essential function that affects sleep patterns.
A disrupted circadian rhythm can lead to issues like memory problems, low energy, delayed recovery, and more. Waking up early helps you fall asleep sooner, as the body fatigues faster, and continuing the routine for a while will align your sleep cycle.
3. Improved Mental health
A study published by the journal JAMA Psychiatry stated that people who tend to go to bed early and wake up earlier have a significantly lower risk of major depression. (4)
While research conducted in 2021 on 840,000 individuals showed that waking up earlier made them more resilient and happier, a full night’s sleep can help rest your mind and prepare you for the day without feeling agitated from a lack of sleep or irritation from sleep deprivation.
4. Better Cognitive Functioning
You may have noticed that when you wake up late and are gearing up for your day, you often feel groggy or experience brain fog. This is due to sleep inertia, which can last up to two to four hours after waking up.
This state of brain fog can be avoided by waking up early and giving your body time to awaken completely without external stimulants like caffeine or energy drinks. This will help alleviate your mind and provide mental clarity for more focused cognitive function.
5. Healthy skin
You can spend all the money you want on extravagant skincare products, but it will never be enough without allowing your body to have the complete and total rest required for the day.
Disruptive sleep schedules can lead to oxidative stress, which can cause acne, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and premature aging. A skincare routine needs to begin with a proper sleep routine to optimize the health of your skin.
6. More Energy
For people with irregular sleep cycles, waking up in the morning can mean being fatigued for the entire day. However, the issue can be traced back to not sleeping on time rather than waking up early.
Once you’ve adjusted to the new routine, you will be surprised by how energetic you feel after a quality sleep and waking up refreshed with a completely new day ahead of you.
7. Healthy Eating Habits
Rushing out for your day after waking up late, with no time to sit down for a nourishing breakfast and subsequently munching on snacks during your commute, is a disservice to your body and health.
Waking up early will give you time not only to eat a healthy breakfast but also to prepare one right at home with healthier options that will keep you fuelled for the day.
Tips for Waking Up Earlier Everyday
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Steady Changes
The motivation to reset your sleep cycle may come on a sudden weeknight, but your body cannot immediately adjust to this change. It should be something you gradually transition into; a simple way is by going to sleep an hour or two earlier than your regular time and waking up earlier as well.
Once your body is completely adjusted to the new time schedule, steadily push the time back to an adequate hour to adjust your morning routine.
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Take a Walk
Once you are up, don’t stay in your bed. Your body needs to see the light to help your circadian rhythm process the change from night to day.
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Ditch Your Screen
Do not go straight to your phone and scroll through social media first thing in the morning. Instead, try to do a small workout, jog, or yoga to begin your day on a positive and healthy note.
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Eat Your First Meal
Set a time for breakfast and eat something healthy. This will help your body adjust to meal times and make you feel hungry at the right time of the day naturally, energizing you for the following hours.
Conclusion
Being a student or employee, waking up early can hold a negative connotation of losing the day to being occupied with tasks. However, early mornings are just as essential for your body as sleeping early. The perfect balance of this sleep cycle can benefit your health and create a better mental state.
If you struggle with sleep or are facing sleep deprivation, please contact your healthcare provider for assistance.
FAQs:
1. How to wake up early in the morning?
- Sleep early to wake up early
- Avoid processed foods as late night snacks
- No caffeine past 6pm
- Allow natural light into your room
2. How to get up early?
- Set alarms and sleep on time
- Reward yourself for waking up early
- Allow yourself to breathe and relax
3. What are the benefits of waking up early?
- Better sleep cycle
- Better mental health
- Better skin health
- Better cognitive functioning
4. What are the importance of waking up early?
- Helps improve mental health
- Increases productivity
- More energy
- Better immune function
5. How to rise early in the morning?
Going to bed early can help you wake up early.
6. How to sleep and wake up early?
- Consistent routine
- Relaxed environment
- No caffeine late night
- Limit screen time
