The struggle to get out of bed is real for most of us. However, many fitness experts and several studies explain how waking up early can change your life.
For Tamara Hill-Norton, founder and creative director of Sweaty Betty, starting the day off right with a homemade smoothie and five-mile cycle ride to work helps her get through the rest of the day. "Getting up early makes me feel like I'm ready to tackle the day," she told a news portal.
Waking up early for Eric Posner, co-founder of NYC-based spin studio Swerve Fitness, helps to put him in a healthy state of mind. "I am noticeably happier, sharper, and more focused on the things I want to do and accomplish,"he told a news portal.
But you don't have to be obsessed with fitness to reap the rewards of waking up early. Multiples studies have found the body is designed to function in the morning. We all have a biological clock that lets us know when it's time to get a move on and get enough daylight to keep vitamin D deficiency, obesity and other health conditions at bay.
"Humans are diurnal beings," Mike Varshavski, D.O. practising family medicine at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, told a news portal. Adding,"That means we are most tired at 2 a.m. and 2 p.m."
Today's hectic lifestyle, however, throws our internal clock out of whack. "Things like night shifts, social media, noisy neighbours, demanding bosses, and late-night TV often keep you awake, not your natural rhythm," Varshavski told a news portal.
Getting into the habit of waking up early can help get you into the flow of things the right way and research backs up this claim. A study conducted by a team from the University of London found participants who woke up by 7 a.m. were less likely to become obese or suffer from depression and stress. A Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine study also found people who liked being outdoors in the morning had lower body mass index (BMI) compared to those who stepped out in the second half of the day.
Even though the benefits are immense, putting this is into practice is easier said than done. However, you shouldn't give up. "I still struggle with it, but I never regret waking up early," Posner, told a news portal. Adding, "It takes time to get into the routine, but once you're there, you're golden, because you know how much better you'll feel all day."
Varshavski agrees with Posner and further noted: "Creating a stable rhythm is the most important step." Adding, "A common mistake is trying to 'catch up' on sleep during the weekend. If you don't follow a pattern to your sleep habits your body cannot adapt properly, and it will be detrimental to your morning routine."
