From getting some quiet to getting ahead, it can be good for you. Potentially.
Some of the most famous people in the world seem to live by the credo of going to bed early. These same people are most often not lying in bed for twelve or thirteen hours a night but also waking up earlier than the rest of us to start their day. Oprah is said to rise just after 6 AM, Apple CEO Tim Cook at 3:45 AM, and Mark Wahlberg, 2:30 AM.
Waking up early doesn’t really come with any true benefit except, perhaps, the ability to make you extra sleepy all day long, if you don’t get to bed in time to have a full night’s rest. But waking up before the rooster crows on the right schedule can do wonders, some say, for various aspects of your life. Here’s a look.
The ability to get stuff done with fewer distractions
When everyone’s awake, life can be full of distractions. The microwave dings to let you know your snack is ready, your phone rings with, (yet another), spam call from “Lisa from VISA”, and your kids ask for the Netflix password for the twelfth time today. Getting up early allows you to get things done by circumnavigating all of this. No one else is there. With fewer distractions, you can dive into that report without texts and emails taking away your essential focus. This can allow you to feel a greater sense of accomplishment. Studies have shown a sense of getting things done can contribute to a better sense of positive wellbeing over time, which is a definite plus. So, even if you’re just reading through emails or doing some basic bill-paying in those early hours, you could be doing yourself a favor by boosting your feel-good chemicals.
An increased potential for success
Feeling good about yourself is naturally going to make the path to success that much lighter. But getting up earlier plays a bigger role than that. According to some research, people who get up earlier are naturally more in sync with what’s described as the “traditional corporate schedule”.
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These people tend to display more proactive personality traits and all of this can lead to better grades in school, and more potential success earning money as an adult. (Maybe not as a nightclub owner but certainly as a director of marketing). Those who stay up too late watching old reruns every night, and who struggle to get up in time for work or school, could be generally less productive than those with a full night’s rest who are ready to go at 8AM.
Those priceless extras
Getting up early also gives you bits in intangible lovelies. You get a glimpse into the world you don’t usually see on a later schedule-early-morning dew, mist over the grass as the sun rises, quiet. No one on the streets but you. You get to enjoy a feeling of having the world to yourself: your own private window. Which is definitely a prized benefit.
All things being said, don’t wake up early if you don’t like it
Experts are now saying it’s all about rhythms. You don’t want to sacrifice your sleep and wake up early but go around tired all the, as mentioned before. It’s well known this can lead to weight gain, anxiety, bad concentration, higher blood pressure, and crankiness. CEOs who flaunt their long hours are doing the general working public a disservice, experts say. Working 80-hours per week isn’t a balanced life. Promoting that behaviour is irresponsible.
The takeaway? Do your best to find your body’s natural rhythms for waking and sleeping. Take time on vacation to figure out what feels best for you. Use these hours as a benchmark to work with when life gets busy again. If you’re a natural morning lark, go for it. If you’re a night owl, however, don’t stop watching over the moon. Stay healthy and do what’s best for you.
photo credits: Evgrafova Svetlana/Shutterstock.com
