I’ve always been the type of person to wake up early, and I’m talking 5:30 or 6 AM, which is about three hours before my actual school day starts. You’re probably thinking why I would do this to myself, and maybe even feel a bit repulsed that I would suggest trying to wake up early, I mean after all we are college students and we need all the sleep we can get. To be completely honest though, I love waking up early and I wouldn’t knock the thought of becoming an early riser until you’ve tried it for at least a week and see how you feel. If you’re still not convinced about the whole idea of waking up a few hours earlier, I have found many benefits, and here are some of them:
1. Ensures you eat breakfast. As we all know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it gives you the energy to you need to take on the day. Although we know this, many of us tend to forget or skip breakfast because we are in a crunch for time due to waking up late. Since I’ve been waking up early I always have time to make myself a bowl of oatmeal and a hot cup of tea, and it definitely makes me feel better compared to days when I skip breakfast and up feeling lightheaded and sick.
2. Increased productivity. Usually by the afternoon I feel quite sluggish and in a slump which prevents me from getting anything done. I tend to find myself sitting in the library burned out, wasting my time on my phone and ready to take a nap, which differs tremendously from how I feel in the early hours of the day. Instead of feeling tired, I find myself full of energy and my mind is completely fresh which helps me to focus and increases my motivation to study and complete assignments.
3. Reduces stress. Trust me, I’ve had my days where I’ve just rolled out of bed ten minutes before my class, and it’s not the prettiest sight. I tend to get stressed out easily, and when I wake up early it allows me to prepare for the long day ahead by planning what I need to do, what I want to do, and, most importantly, I’m not rushing around getting dressed and forgetting to pack my essentials in my bag. Having that free period to prepare ensures that my mind is not cluttered and I am not forgetting any important tasks or events that I have planned for the day and helps to reduce my stress immensely.
4. Going to bed at a decent time. If you wake up early, it makes sense that you will likely become tired earlier and go to bed at a reasonable time. This will ensure you get enough sleep to be well prepared for the next day.
The thought of waking up early is not ideal for many, but from my experience, I have found it increases my mood and productivity tremendously, and if you are looking to improve how you feel, I would recommend trying this and seeing how you feel.