We all need to learn to wake up earlier

You exercise more, eat healthier, and become more productive—basically, it makes life a lot better

Photo by Michelle Leman/Pexels

We all know that sleeping in is the best feeling in the world, but maybe we can learn something more from early risers.

You’re more likely to follow your workout

If you already put off waking up by hitting the snooze button, then you’re probably going to put off your morning routine, too. It’s hard enough as it is to motivate yourself to go to the gym, and sleeping in definitely doesn’t help. Regularly waking up early builds discipline and if you condition yourself enough, then you’ll be less tired in the morning. Exercising earlier in the day also gives you more energy

You’re more likely to eat Hhalthier

Waking up early means you can finally have time to cook a decent meal and maybe even pack your lunch. By waking up early and cooking for yourself, you’re more aware and conscious of the food you’ll be eating.

You get time for yourself

If you’re the kind of person who needs some time by yourself a few hours a day, then waking up early can give you some time to be truly alone. Most people start to wake up around six, so waking up at around five means you won’t be bothered by children or early phone calls. There’s a certain kind of calmness when you’re awake before busy hours, too.

You’re more productive

It might sound tiring but if you have a lot of things to do, it might be better to get up early. Sometimes the first thing you do in the morning is worry about all the things you have to do. Giving yourself an extra hour to compose yourself and organize your thoughts can help ensure you don’t overlook anything throughout the day. One article says that what you do in the hour after you wake up can set the mood for the rest of your day. 

You might be used to getting up just before noon, so suddenly waking up hours earlier is too big a leap. What you can do is try to wake up minutes earlier each time, so you can adjust your biological clock. Gradually ease into getting up early and within weeks, waking up at five would be nothing

If you aren’t already in the habit of waking up at the crack of dawn, then tomorrow is the best time to start. Okay, maybe that’s easier said than done. Outside of class and work, it’s pretty hard to give yourself reason to wake up earlier than necessary, so here are a few things that you could try.

Set up multiple alarms. Now I know a lot of people say it’s not a good idea because hitting the snooze button just makes you lazier, but hear me out. Try setting up multiple alarms around an hour before you wake up in 10- or 15-minute intervals leading up to the time you actually need to be up. You’re going to be hitting the snooze button during all those times but by the third time, your body would be done trying to get some extra sleep according to a study. Around this time, it’ll be a lot easier to get up because your brain is constantly being disturbed. The more times you hit the snooze button, the lighter your sleep becomes, and you’ll no longer be in deep sleep.

Create the right environment. If multiple alarms don’t work for you, you can try creating an environment that forces you to get up. What you can do is put your alarm across the room or on a high shelf, so you have no choice but to get up if you want to hit the snooze.

Progressively wake up earlier each night. You might be used to getting up just before noon, so suddenly waking up hours earlier is too big a leap. What you can do is try to wake up minutes earlier each time, so you can adjust your biological clock. Gradually ease into getting up early and within weeks, waking up at five would be nothing.

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