7 Reasons Why You Should Start Waking Up Early

Rebecca Lewis November 18, 2013

Are you an early riser? Do you wake up early in the morning without the need for an alarm clock? Or are you one of the millions who are more than willing to sleep until mid morning? A growing body of research tells us that waking up early appears to have plenty of health benefits. They include the following:

Waking up early promotes mental health

Scientists from the Germany’s Aachen University conducted brain scans of early risers, ‘night owls’ and ‘intermediate’ chronotypes. They found that compared to early risers and the intermediates, night owls showed reduced integrity of white matter in several areas of the brain. Reduced integrity in the brain’s white matter has been linked to depression and to disruptions of normal cognitive function.

Waking up early correlates with better grades

A study by Texas University found that students who consistently woke up early each day had higher test scores and overall grade points, as compared to those who slept in all the time.

It helps you sustain a healthier diet

It is common for late snoozers to skip breakfast, which is considered as the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast increases hunger thoughts, increasing one’s tendency to binge eat and choose calorie-dense foods. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that people who eat breakfast end up consuming more daily calories than those who skip it.

Waking up early increases productivity levels

It’s true – some of the most successful people on earth are early risers. In 2010, Christoph Randler, a biologist from Harvard University, found that early risers are more proactive. But in what way does waking up early promote productivity? First, your brain needs a good night sleep to be able to perform at its best all throughout the day. Second, there’s less distraction in the early hours of the day, helping you get more focused on the task.

It gives you more time to exercise

Waking up early reduces the chances of missed workouts. Well, there is no wrong with exercising later in the day. But sometimes, the exhaustion and stress brought by a hard day’s work may often go in the way of your workout.

It helps you enjoy a quiet morning time

Enjoying a ‘quiet time’ is a privilege that early risers enjoy. Waking up early than the rest of the family, you probably have more time to reflect not just on the tasks you are about to do for the rest of the day but on your future plans as well. That’s why early in the morning is a great time to meditate.

It improves your quality of sleep

Going to bed early helps you establish a healthy bedtime routine. You need to have 7-8 hours of sleep to allow your brain and body to fully recharge. Taking a 30 minute to one hour of power nap later in the afternoon has also beneficial effects to your physical and mental health.

You probably have heard of this saying for numerous times already – “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. It’s true. Waking up early provides us a wide range of health benefits which could be summed up to a healthier, longer and happier life.