“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Benjamin Franklin said these famous words, but I haven’t met a person who doesn’t love sleeping in a little late. While this is okay once in a while, it is not something to be practiced regularly if you want to be successful. That’s because there are so many benefits to waking up early. If you take a look at most successful people, they make a habit of waking up early. They get more stuff done in the morning than most people get done in their entire day! Here are some reasons to start setting that alarm clock a little earlier: No distractions: There are distractions all around us during the day. Whether you work from home or in the office, there are people around, phones to be answered and just general noise everywhere. Waking up early takes that all away, and distraction free work is usually more productive and efficient than working during the day. Better sleep: How does waking up early give you better sleep? Research has shown that we have an internal clock, and it works best when we wake up a little earlier. People who wake up earlier should also be sleeping earlier, which makes the quality of REM sleep even better. Exercise: People who miss their exercise usually say they don’t have enough time or have too much work to do. This is why early in the morning is the BEST time to exercise. There are no excuses of not having enough time and you will feel great knowing you got your workout done before the day even started. Meditation: The beneficial effects of meditation are well documented, and early in the morning is the best time to do it. There are no co-workers to contend with, no outside noise to block out and no work to get done right away. Just you and your thoughts are alone in the morning. Builds positivity: The morning is arguably the most stressful time for people. Rushing to get ready, eat breakfast and make it to work on time can really set the tone for a stressful day. Waking up early can eliminate all that, and help you start your day on a more positive note. By giving yourself more time in the morning you can actually enjoy your breakfast and make it to work early, making you even more productive. Better health: It is unanimously known that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. When we wake up our body hasn’t had any food or drink for hours, so it’s important to fuel it right in the morning. If you wake up early, you give yourself more time to not skip breakfast and to make a healthy breakfast as well. Better grades for students: Studies have shown that those students who wake up early tend to have much better grades than those who stay up and wake up late. This could be for a variety of reasons such as having a morning routine or being able to eat breakfast, but if you want better grades, try waking up earlier! Work on Long Term Goals: Many of us have grand goals we want to get done. Write a book, run a marathon or read more. During the hustle and bustle of the day, it can be hard to get these things done. But waking up early consistently and working on those goals is a way to make it happen. In fact, many studies show that working on something even for a little while day after day is much better than trying to cram it into a few hours on your day off. Better commute: If you usually leave during rush hour, you will be stuck in your car for a long time. By waking up earlier, you can beat traffic and never be late for work. This can also produce a lot less stress during the day. source
