Whether you wake up with an alarm clock blaring in your ear, sunlight beaming your eyes, or some uncanny form of vampirism, waking up means different things to different people. And yet, while the vast majority of people crave more sleep and peaceful rising, there is also a hunger within us to wake up earlier. That desire puts us in two primary camps: those who are willing, and those who aren’t. If you’re the former and desire to wake up earlier but wonder about the health benefits of waking up early, this post is for you.

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Waking Up Early Can Be Healthy but How Early is Too Early?

When we talk about waking up early, we’re not talking about being foolish.

The body needs sleep.

The Sleep Foundation even reports people need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep.

But here’s the painful kicker that few people willingly admit.

Waking up early ISN’T the reason for lack of sleep.

The REAL reason people don’t get those precious hours is:

• Playing on our phones
• Watching shows or movies
• Working late
• Restless mind or body due to lack of physical or mental activity during the day
• Poor sleep environment
• Choosing late night social activities over rest
• ETC!

Does it make sense to wake up early when we’re doing all the above until midnight (or later!)?

No. It isn’t healthy for anyone.

Instead, waking up early should be viewed as an amplifier of productivity, health, and happiness when those other blockers are eliminated (or significantly reduced) from our lifestyle.

What We do First Makes a Big Difference

Once we get our late night rhythm in check, waking up early becomes much easier.

But there is a little trick I’ve learned to make early rising fun!

Yes, you heard that right.

Waking up early can actually be a great part of your day.

The trick is planning to do a great thing during those early hours.

Think about it this way.

If you were on vacation for two days at a place you always wanted to visit…would you spend all morning in bed?

Yeah, I know some of you are thinking “YES!”

But that’s only because you’re exhausted and sleep deprived right now.

Most of us would want to seize the moment, live our vacation to the full, and not waste the day away sleeping unless we sized the moment all night and need those precious hours of sleep to recover.

In the same way, when we wake up on vacation, we don’t curse the sunlight. We’re happy to be up because we know great adventures await.

But it really boils down to our sense of control and doing what we WANT to do.

That’s the trick.

When we wake up early, we need to have a plan for what we WANT to do with this glorious time before anyone else wakes up and begins affecting our choices.

Waking Up Early Can Make You Healthier and Happier

I wasn’t always an early bird.

But now that I am, I use my time to read, pray, exercise, and make breakfast. It also allows me to be more present with my kids and wife when they wake up because I’ve already done my thing, so to speak.

The days I miss my alarm or stay up too late, I don’t exercise. I don’t read. I don’t pray. And sometimes, I don’t even see my kids before they go to school.

Don’t worry, this is very RARE!

But still.

Waking up early promotes the health and happiness of me and my entire family!

Healthline lists 10 Reasons to Get Up Early and chief among them are stress management, better sleep which leads to healthier skin, more time for healthy meal choices, and improved concentration.

And once you wake up early and prioritze yourself, it’s no big deal when it’s time to shift focus to others.

When it’s time to get ready and go to work, I do so knowing I already did what I wanted. I’m more ready to engage others and focus on other people’s priorities which has lead to consistent success over a long period of time.

Waking Up Early Can Start Slow

If you’ve been wanting to wake up earlier, I’ve found starting slow is a great way to do it.

Rather than changing your alarm clock 2 hours earlier, set it just 30 minutes earlier. But you must have a plan for what you’re going to use the time for.

As you commit to this new way of life, you’ll find the rewards far outweigh the difficulty and that 30 minutes becomes an hour or two.

Within a couple weeks, you’ll be well on your way to a more productive, healthier, and happier life.

If you feel inspired, consider doing these 3 things:

1. Leave a comment below and tell me if you already wake up early or are going to try waking up earlier.
2. Subscribe to my newsletter so you get more content just like this delivered right to you. I hate spam more than you do (if you can believe it!) so I’ve made my newsletter a 1-click unsubscribe at any time you change your mind. It costs you nothing to be encouraged and well-informed.
3. Share this message with your social network, friends, or family. All of us can become more productive, healthier, and happier by waking up early.

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