Why I Wake up Before 5 AM

The alarm goes off at precisely 4:30 AM. I hear the familiar melody screaming at me from the hallway. Groaning, I force my bleary eyes open, one after the other. My hand reaches out for the light switch, scrambling in the dark. Bright light invades my bed and pulls my legs over the edge. All the while, the alarm continues to beat itself into my skull. I quickly stumble toward the hallway to relieve myself of this assault on my tranquility. By 4:31 I have successfully beaten both the alarm and my own propensity to stay snuggled up in a warm bed. I head to the kitchen to begin my day...

I hate waking up early. Don't get me wrong, I love my early mornings, but I dread the actual interruption of sleep. It can be painful to wake up, especially before 5 AM, but it is ultimately worth it. Here are three reasons why you should make waking up early a normal part of your routine, as well.

You can eat breakfast.

Your momma probably told you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And she's most likely right. There may be plenty of fad diet crazes that promote skipping this morning meal in order to burn more fat, but this study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition implies that skipping breakfast may reduce the flexibility of your metabolism in the long run, leading to increased inflammation, a precursor to many chronic health problems. By getting up early, you will allow yourself ample time to get ready for work. I personally get up two hours before I plan to leave, which means I do not feel pressure to cut out breakfast just because I am running a bit behind. If you begin to get up earlier than necessary, you will also be able to take your time to get dressed and still know that even if you take longer than usual, it's okay. You will have time to spare so that you don't have to sacrifice this crucial daily habit. Nutrition is such an important part of self-care, after all, so you should plan to make it a priority.

You'll get to enjoy your coffee.

Not only will getting up early allow you to cook and eat a decent meal, kickstarting your day with a healthy habit, but it will give you time to relax and truly savor each quiet moment in those first few hours of the day. I love to prelude my breakfast with a nice hot cup of fresh coffee. And I don't just drink it because I need it to wake up. Even if you are not a caffeine fiend, you could start your day with a cup of herbal tea or hot lemon water. It is not the coffee that is important, but rather the slow, daily ritual that sets you up for a calm, relaxed demeanor all day long. I like to sit in my armchair first thing, before eating, and sip slowly while I contemplate the gratitude I'm feeling for this simple daily pleasure. Gratitude brings a host of benefits to your life, so it is a good habit to practice very early on in your day. And there is no better way to meditate on gratitude than with a comforting hot drink in your hand. Get up early, and make this heaven on Earth a reality in your life, too.

You'll have time to work on personal projects.

As I said before, I get up two hours before leaving for work and plan for one hour to get ready for my day. After taking my time to drink my coffee, get ready, and eat breakfast, I use my extra time to work on my own personal objectives. What are your personal goals? What do you enjoy doing for its own sake, regardless of external rewards? What will push you forward in life, but is unrelated to your current work assignments? What have you wanted to do for weeks, maybe months, but just never got around to? This is the time to work on those things. I know that by the end of a long workday, I am exhausted. All I want is to eat dinner, unwind, and go to bed. If I save my own projects for the end of the day, I am unlikely to even start. But maybe that is not the case for you. Maybe you get energized late at night. I still think it is a good idea to save the mornings for personal goals. If you get started on something productive (that you intensely value and enjoy) an hour before bedtime, it is inevitable that you will get so excited about it you won't want to stop in time to get a good night's rest. Which leads me to my next article...

To find out how to wake up before 5 AM, please click on my profile link below, and find part 2 of the Early Mornings series.