Is Waking Up At 5 AM Really Worth It?

Waking up early, around 5 a.m., is a healthy habit that will do more than just add more hours to your day.

If you want to reduce stress in your life, then start waking up at 5 a.m. It is a magic number that is not going to solve all your problems, but it’s definitely going to help you stay alert throughout the day. You know they say, One day, one step, one habit at a time. If done regularly, this can help you complete many goals.

We all know that waking up early is impossible without sleeping early. So in this post, I would like to suggest some time-tested, simple tips that I use to wake up early every morning.

It is important for me to stick to a schedule because I am terribly moody, and until I am fired by passion and purpose, it is impossible for me to wake up early.

I have tried waking up at 430 am, but it does not work for me. Hopefully, these tips will also help you set a daily schedule and check off a few more things on your to-do list.

POST CONTENTS
The resolution to wake up early
The 5am medical truth
Creating a fixed sleeping and waking routine
Tips to power up your mornings

Disclaimer: All contents in this post are for general health information only. Please consult a specialist physician or a coach before trying any new exercise, diet or health advice. There are no affiliate links attached to this post. 

The resolution to wake up early 

My mom wakes up at exactly 5 a.m. If, on a rare occassion, she wakes up at 8 a.m. for some reason, she feels guilty that she wasted the day.

She has continued this habit because she loves the quietness of the morning. She sits calmly and slowly sips her green tea as I am getting ready to go to the office.

But I am just the opposite. If I am extremely tired, I can sleep up to 12 hours in a day. As an adult, my waking hours have been inconsistent, and I wanted to change that. So with my regular job schedule, I decided to wake up at 5 a.m. every day.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences suggests that there are different types of Circadian Rhythms. 

“Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. Biological clocks are organisms’ natural timing devices, regulating the cycle of circadian rhythms. They’re composed of specific molecules (proteins) that interact with cells throughout the body. A master clock in the brain coordinates all the biological clocks in a living thing, keeping the clocks in sync. Circadian rhythms can influence important functions in our bodies, such as, hormone release, eating habits and digestion and body temperature” 

There is another very popular theory suggested by productivity coach Robin Sharma, who wrote the book The 5 AM Club. He says that to become more productive, you wake up at 5 a.m. and follow the 20/20/20 rule.

• 20 minutes of exercise
• 20 minutes of meditation or journaling
• 20 minutes of learning

I have not read this book and only discovered its popularity while researching for my blog topic. I realised that while creating my 5 a.m. schedule, I was already following this 20/20/20 feature.

After waking up, I sit for a few minutes and pray. I like it because it gives me time to reflect and thank God for everything he has created. I haven’t ever timed it, but it is around 15 minutes.

Through trial and error, I have found that I am not happy exercising for 10 minutes, which is too little, or for 30 minutes because that’s too tiring. So I do 20 minutes of exercise.

I have a habit of checking local and international news every morning, either before breakfast or during it. I like to stay updated before leaving home for work.

You may also like to read: Famous Authors And Their Exercise Routine 

Creating a fixed sleeping and waking routine

Much more than waking up at 5 a.m., it’s important to fix a sleep and waking schedule. Consistency in schedules ensures a sense of balance in life and, therefore, a sense of accomplishment.

Dr. Anisha Patel-Dunn, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer of LifeStance Health, an outpatient mental health company, says that

“Waking up at 5 a.m. can be beneficial. Depending on your unique situation, it can allow you to incorporate a self-care practice without disruption, like a workout or meditation, or accomplish a few things off your to-do list before your kids or partner wake up.”

However, she also suggests not forcing yourself to follow a rule that you don’t like. Ease into it by rising a few minutes early every morning.

When I started this challenge, I knew that besides sleeping early, I also needed a strong sense of purpose for the day. So, I made a list of things that are required to be completed in a day.

I also prepared a week’s breakfast schedule instead of whining every day about it. I made sure to include protein and greens in my breakfast. With the usual lunch, I packed dry fruits for snacking and a necessary dose of hot coffee in a mug.

Extensive medical research says that waking up at a fixed time consistently has the following benefits:

• Better mental health by experiencing a sense of calm.
• Planning your day becomes easier.
• Exercising in the morning improves your metabolism and therefore it speeds up weight loss.
• Enough time to practice mindful eating.
• Walking in the morning in nature activates your five senses.
• Instead of following the exact 20/20/20 rule, you can complete other important tasks like writing a blog or reading a book or studying for exams.

You may also like to read: Practice Active Relaxation With Restorative Yoga

Tips to power up your mornings

From my experience of taking up the 5 a.m. challenge, I am sharing tips that may also help you fix a sleeping and waking schedule.

Sleep early and refrain from checking your mobile after 11 p.m.

Create a cosy sleeping den by removing distractions.

Practice restorative yoga before sleeping.

Drink half a cup of milk or apply a cooling hair oil massage or a foot massage to relax your body.

Prepare a schedule for the next day.

6-7 hours of sleep are required to feel completely rested.

Wake up at 5 a.m. and follow your schedule. Gardening, walking, jogging, journaling, and reading are a few offline activities that you should do to improve productivity.

Have a healthy breakfast, and try to have coffee after breakfast and not immediately after waking up.

Smile and say hello to your reflection in the mirror because of all the things that you are going to successfully complete today.

Conclusion

Waking up at 5 a.m. definitely proved worth it for me because I got a new and better job with only five working days in a week. I have added more activities in a day since I complete any pending work in the morning besides my fixed morning schedule.

Don’t wait for a week, a month, or a year to start a healthy routine. Try journaling your sleeping and wake-up times and how they impact your mood. Create a schedule and a strong purpose for the next day. And don’t forget to share your experience with me.

You can connect with me on Twitter and Goodreads. 

• Twitter
• Goodreads

References

Circadian Rhythms

https://nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/circadian-rhythms.aspx

I woke up at 5 a.m. for 7 days to see if it would increase my productivity: Here are the pros and cons, published on 8 February, 2023, by Renee Onque.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/02/08/waking-up-at-5-am-for-productivity-here-are-the-pros-and-cons.html