As someone who used to stay up late and stay in bed until noon the next day, I understand the pain of getting up early in the morning. The thought of getting out of bed early can sometimes feel like an impossible task, but since I made the switch to getting up early over the summer, I can confidently say that waking up and starting the day early is completely worth it.
Although I have the personal experience to back up these claims, most people are understandably skeptical about shifting into a morning person. However, science and research can back me up in numerous ways.Â
- Waking Up Early is Linked to Lower Risk of Depression
Firstly, I have noticed a significant shift in my mood, particularly in the mornings. Right around this time of year, I usually get hit with the winter blues; however, consistently waking up early has kept me happy and peaceful.
One study asked participants to stay awake for one night, and then gradually shift their sleep schedule earlier, followed by bright light exposure when they woke up in the morning (David Veale et al., 2021). After just one week, a third of participants saw a significant reduction in depression symptoms, suggesting that earlier sleep can reduce depression, relatively quickly at that.
This research also emphasizes the importance of a good morning routine to amplify the effects of waking up early. In my own experience, I’ve found it beneficial to immediately get out of bed when I wake up, get ready, and make my bed. This early physical activity allows me to better wake myself. In addition, I don’t open my phone until about 30 minutes after waking up, ensuring that I’m not bombarded with social media stimuli early in the morning. This routine has allowed me to have many uninterrupted, productive mornings.
- Waking up Early can Heighten Productivity and Attention
Speaking from my own personal experience, 90% of my work gets done between the hours of 6 am and 10 am. Ever since shifting my sleep schedule, I’ve felt a surge of energy and productivity nearly every morning. In addition, getting all my work done for the day relatively early means the other half of my day can be spent on hobbies and other things I enjoy. I often say that waking up early “starts the day off right”. The time you decide to get out of bed can dictate the rest of your day. By making the executive decision to wake up early and start your day productively, you are setting the tone for the day, telling yourself that you will spend your time wisely.
Research tells us that waking up at an earlier time is beneficial for productivity, as those who wake up earlier are more focused and attentive during the school or work day. One study assessed attention levels in adolescents based on their chronotype (morning person or night owl). It was found that students who were identified as morning people performed better on attention tests, making fewer mistakes than night owls.Â
One reason for this difference is the hours of a typical day at work or school. Most schools and workplaces have a start time of around 7 to 9 o’clock in the morning. This means that early risers often perform better due to being better accustomed to mornings than night owls, who are still groggy from waking up. So, while being a morning person doesn’t inherently make you more productive, it can be beneficial for the large population that starts work or school early in the morning.Â
- Debunking the “Night Owl” Theory
The idea that genetics can play a role in the times one wakes up and falls asleep has been backed up by science, however, newer research suggests that being a morning person or a night owl can be a result of your daily habits. One sleep journal highlights that those who often consider themselves night owls, or evening types, tend to use social media while in bed, take naps, and have caffeine late in the day (Sleep Review, 2023). This suggests that being a night owl may simply be up to daily habits and are not necessarily wired and unchangeable, as some suggest. Similarly, a study conducted on night owls aimed to shift their natural sleep patterns earlier by adjusting sleep time, exposing participants to more light in the morning and less in the evening, and controlling caffeine intake and exercise timing (Elise R. Facer‑Childs et al., 2019). As a result, participants achieved a mean shift of around 2 hours earlier, and they also reported feeling less sleepy in the mornings than they had prior to the sleep shift. In review, both findings suggest that people aren’t destined to be night owls forever. Your sleep patterns are a product of your habits and environment, not just your genetics. With the right lifestyle shift, waking up early can feel natural.
In short, waking up earlier, while difficult at first, can lead to significant improvements in depression, productivity, and grogginess. Just because you are a night owl now does not mean you can’t come around to being a morning person. So, tomorrow morning, I urge you to try waking up earlier than usual. With repeated effort, I’m sure one day you’ll wake up at 6 am and realize that maybe you are a morning person after all.