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Rising with the Sun: Tips for Waking Up Early

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Ben Franklin famously said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” In the modern age of nine to five jobs, organic mattress stores lined with cloud-like beds, and glowing screens, waking up early is the last thing anyone wants to do. Sleeping in well past noon on the weekends is a common practice amongst college coeds and seasoned businessmen alike.

But Franklin knew what he was talking about. Let’s take a look at why you should wake up early and how you should do it.

Reasons to Wake Early

  • Start the day right: Getting up late, splashing water on your face, and rushing out the door is not the best way to start the day. Waking early gives you all the time you need to bathe, eat breakfast, and prepare yourself mentally for the rest of the day.
  • Increase your physical fitness: Early morning workouts leave you full of energy and vigor, allowing you to take on the rest of the day. You can just as easily exercise after work, but you’re more likely to cancel your workout because of other plans. Morning workouts aren’t as easy to cancel.
  • Increase your creativity: Many artists, writers, and creatives find that their brain juices flow better in the morning. It’s when your mind is fresh. You can schedule more difficult tasks in the beginning of the day and give yourself a bit of a break as the day progresses.
  • Decrease your stress: The extra time allows you to get more done, freeing yourself of the stress and anxiety cluttering your brain. Alternatively, you can use the morning hours for quiet contemplation. The world is amazingly quiet early in the morning. No yelling children, no honking cars, no TVs blaring. It’s a perfectly peaceful time to read, gather your thoughts, and breathe.
  • Sunrises: Need I say more?

How To Do It

Waking early isn’t easy, especially if you’re already so used to sleeping past noon. It requires plenty of discipline, but here are a few tips to help.

  • Go to bed early. Don’t assume you can wake up early after going to bed late. Your body needs its sleep to function properly. If you want to wake an hour early, go to bed an hour earlier, even if you’re not sleepy.
  • Get a good night’s sleep. Tossing and turning all night will only make waking that much harder. You can find many specialty shops for mattresses in Los Angeles and cities across the country. Top it off with some bedding and pillows from your local furniture store in Los Angeles, where you can find other essentials to make your room a perfect sleep haven. Eliminate light in your bedroom. Don’t eat a large meal before bed. Essentially get as comfortable as possible and practice good sleep habits.
  • Place your alarm clock far from your bed. If your alarm is placed conveniently within arm’s reach, you’re more likely to hit the snooze button. The act of getting up to turn off the alarm is usually enough to keep you up.
  • Establish a routine. If you don’t have anything to do with your extra time, you’ll only fall back into your comforter. Create a routine that starts as soon as you’re out of bed. It could be as simple as starting the coffee pot or taking a shower. Any routine will serve as a sign that it’s officially time to get up.
  • Use cold water. Coldwater can do wonders for a groggy mind. Splash some on your face or, if you’re feeling brave, consider taking a cold shower.
  • Eat breakfast. It’s much easier to get out of bed when you have bacon to look forward to.

Of course, being a night owl isn’t a bad thing. Sleep cycles and work schedules differ from person to person. However, if you work the typical nine to five, staying up late isn’t much of an option. Try making the switch to waking early and see how things work out.