We know, we know- you must have cringed reading the title. And especially the night owls may be on the verge of ignoring this article. Many of you might already start complaining that we hardly get enough sleep, and waking up early is not an option. But doesn’t it all come down to prioritizing? And whatever can be done late into the night can be done early morning as well, correct? (oh, except watching your favourite shows on Prime time TV).
Well, here are six reasons to help you ditch the TV and take care of yourself by rising early.
1.You Live Longer
Though your heart wants to continue snuggling up under the blanket, your body is screaming to wake up- after all it has work to do! You must be aware of the body clock – your body’s own time of doing things. This “own” time however is common across all humans, and it’s in the morning that all hormones are preset to be secreted and those organs to function. Should the body find you are sleeping, that entire cycle is going to get disturbed. Remember, our bodies were built to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. Doing it any other way is simply going against your body’s rules and jeopardizing well being.
Although you may think you need to be well rested and let your body decide when it’s time to wake up, it’s not a very wise decision. Sleeping more than the amount required can make you feel even more tired and less productive. Studies have shown that people who sleep more than 8 hours a night or less then 6, live less than the ones who sleep between 7 to 8 hours. Also, if you go to bed early and get up early you get better shut-eye. Your body will be in tune with the earth’s circadian rhythms, which offers more restorative sleep. If you know how to get the best of the night hours, you won’t need any extra.
2.Time for Exercise
You knew this one was coming! But for obvious reasons. Exercise is the most essential part of well being and must be incorporated into one’s lifestyle. However, the usual complaint is not enough time. Waking up early does solve this. If you could claim the first hour of the morning after you wake up for yourself, use that for exercise. Start slow, with a Pranayama or Meditation and then start building up that heart rate. Get the body moving- the high levels of cortisol in your body at that time will be happy. You will then find, having exercised in the morning was the best thing you could do because you are so full of energy for the rest of the day. If you have weight loss plans this is even better. Join a gym so tat it motivates you to wake up early and exercise. After all your trainer won’t be too happy that you missed 3 consecutive sessions in a row!
3.Brahmi Muhurta
Ayurveda explains “Brahmi Muhoorta” as the time to wake up. This is the early morning period (last 48 minutes of the night). This time is very auspicious and Satwik in nature. Hence, if one wakes up early in the morning, the mind will be filled up with all the positivity and energy during this period.
4.Get time for Breakfast
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and yet practically, for many of us, it is difficult to get that meal. In a hurry for work, there’s never enough time to make that healthy breakfast. Scrambled eggs is NOT a fulfilling breakfast, so stop convincing yourself about it. Your breakfast needs to have a healthy portion of carbs, fat and protein, which means you have to pay more attention to what’s on the breakfast menu. Many people use the trick of cooking the previous night, yet, that’s of no use if you don’t have enough time in the morning to heat it up and eat it calmly. Well, waking up early solves this issue. Giving yourself time to have a healthy breakfast- is that too much to ask for?
5.You get rid of stress
Imagine your day without having to hurry or having that sense of urgency. What would it be like if, instead of running around thinking you forgot something and on the verge of always being late, you got to move in slow motion. Relaxing while drinking your coffee and reading a whole article in the newspaper. Having time to do your hair and make-up and iron your clothes. No more feeling like time isn’t on your side. How you spend your first hour sets the tone for the rest of the day. When you’re calm and taking it easy, everything works out just the way you imagined it.
6. You get the best of nature
Nature is reset every morning. The trees start producing fresh oxygen early in the morning. Go out and enjoy that cool morning breeze and tank up that fresh oxygen. The sun rises warmly early in the morning and brings new hope to the day. Watch the sunrise- apart from nourishing your body with vital Vitamin D, watching the sunrise fills you with optimism and energy. The early morning hours are quiet and peaceful- this is the only time Nature will give you silence and calm before you are thrown into a world of hustle and bustle of activity.
If these reasons aren’t tempting you already to get up early, then consider this- most successful CEOs in the world are early risers. If work is what is keeping you from getting up early, then it’s time to take a leaf from the books of Tim Cook, Anna Wintour, etc. Rise early, start early. This isn’t your grandmother being strict, it’s a favour your body is asking if you.
So what does your alarm clock read now?
