By Emily Wei, Lifestyle Columnist
Happy March everyone! I hope you all had a good February and are hopefully rising out of your winter induced slumps soon! As a student with two part-time jobs, I always find it difficult to find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning around this time of the year (as I’m sure many of you do too). That’s why I thought I’d write about the benefits of waking up early and how you can accomplish it! The world’s richest billionaires are said to wake up at 4 a.m., but if you can manage waking up anytime between 5-7a.m. or just an hour or two earlier than you are now, I’m sure you’ll see a difference in your overall lifestyle.
Some major benefits associated with waking up early include; increased productivity, physical health, and concentration, better sleep quality, and more time for breakfast!
First, when you wake up early, you are more free from distractions than during the daytime, therefore allowing you to focus more on various tasks. This is in part due to a hormone involved in alertness called cortisol being strongest in the morning. Secondly, if you exercise in the morning, research has shown that this can lead to better metabolism and improved cardiovascular health! So, this is the perfect opportunity to go on a morning run or whip that yoga mat out and watch the sun rise! Third, waking up early has been associated with enhanced concentration since your brain is free from any events or noise that typically occurs throughout the day. The part of your brain involved in decision making and complex thinking called the prefrontal cortex has also been shown to be the most active and efficient in the morning! Fourthly, if you consistently wake up early, you are regulating your internal clock called your circadian rhythm and can promote a better overall sleep. Last but not least, if you wake up early, you’ll have no excuse to skip breakfast! It’s true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day since it gives your body the nutrients it needs to power on throughout the whole day.
It may be easier said than done for most of us to wake up early but here are a few tips! I know it’s difficult in the wintertime, but try waking up with the sun, it will help regulate the internal clock we were talking about earlier! This may seem obvious, but also easier said than done, try going to bed earlier. You should always try to get at least 8 hours of sleep so if you’re aiming to wake up earlier, make sure to accommodate your bedtime to it too! It can also help to gradually adjust your sleep schedule by going to bed/ waking up 15-30 minutes earlier everyday until you get to your goal. Next, consistency is key. The more you consistently wake up early, the easier it becomes. If all else fails, remember that your alarm clock exists and try putting it far away from your bedside so the only way you can turn it off is if you get up and walk over to it! Lastly, give yourself a little reward each morning for getting up. Whether it’s something simple like making your favourite flavour of tea or coffee, reading a good book, or buying a small pastry, give yourself something to look forward to!
As someone who has been forced to wake up early everyday to get to class or work on time, I can wholeheartedly say that I would much rather go to bed and wake up early than stay out late and sleep in. I feel so much better about my productivity and myself overall even though I might not be in the mood on some days. Just remember to give yourself a break every now and then!
