Not everyone is a morning person; that’s a fact. But waking up early (we’re talking seeing a 5 on your clock) has proven positive results—including but not limited to being more optimistic and proactive. In fact, those early, early morning hours can be some of the most peaceful and productive of your day. Don’t pooh-pooh it before you try it—there just may be a morning person living inside you. Here, a few reasons to start setting your alarm clock for 5:59am or earlier.
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There's just something badass about rising before the sun. You feel like one of those people in Nike commercials. Even during the summer when the sun comes up by 6am, you still get to steal a few hours before most of the world has woken up. If this sounds ridiculous because you're not naturally a morning person, just try it for one month and see if your attitude changes. Night owls can be converted with a little practice and commitment. And most so-called morning people will tell you the worst part of the process is getting out of bed and standing on two feet. Once you've done that, you'll be surprised how awake you feel, and then it’s all easy from there.
Waking up in a rush to get ready for your morning commute can feel frantic and create anxiety that lasts all day. Having a few minutes to yourself can be the game changer for your daily mood. Depending on what time you need to arrive at the office, rising before 6am can give you time to relax with a cup of coffee, get a workout in, catch up on the news or even answer a few emails before the workday gets into full swing. In the best-case scenario, it creates time for all those things, setting you on a calm path into your day.
Believe it or not, consistently waking up early begins to bleed into your weekends. Once your internal body clock resets, it likely won't let you sleep in, even when you can. While this may seem like a bad thing, it can actually be nice to consistently wake up refreshed and ready to take on each day. And longer days, especially weekend days, are always a good thing.
This isn't just a hunch—studies prove early risers are happier people. But study or no study, it's hard not to feel great considering all the previous reasons listed. You've taken care of yourself, faced the day like a boss and gifted yourself more time—how could that not put you in a better mood?
