“It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.” – Aristotle

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining me on Day #82 in A Year of Positivity! Today’s quote is coming in early, and it comes from one of the most well-known Greek philosophers named Aristotle, “It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.”

I absolutely love this quote because it makes me feel even more empowered to wake up early. Every morning, one of the first few things I do is grab my laptop and turn it on for a new amazing lesson in personal growth with MindValley. It really helps me set the tone for the rest of my day.

Currently, I’m able to wake up consistently at 5:30 in the morning, and while it’s not quite enough time for me to do everything I want (because my grandma gets up at 6:30, and sometimes needs my help with certain things), I’m happy to be waking up this early, at least for now. I’m aiming to wake up consistently at 4:30 AM, but it’s taking me a bit to do so (depends on how late I’m up, and I haven’t been able to get to bed as early as I’d like). However, I’m still accomplishing some peace and quiet and devoting it entirely to personal growth.

Did you know that there are 21 proven benefits of waking up early? I’m so excited to share them with you, and honestly, I feel like I’m tapping into the secrets behind waking up so early. Ready to read this? Some of this might really surprise you, as I know it was for me! According to Succeed Feed, the 21 proven benefits to waking up early are:

1. Improved sleep. When you get yourself into a consistent cycle of rising and waking, you increase the effectiveness of the natural sleep stages your body needs to heal and promote healthy brain function. This means that you will experience a better, deeper rest. Other research has shown night owls are more likely to develop sleep disorders and tend to sleep less overall than the early birds.
   
   
2. Better health. Waking up early also allows you to develop regular sleep patterns which mean better sleep cycles and more REM sleep which are important to brain health. Once you drop into deeper cycles of sleep, your blood pressure drops, breathing slows, muscles are relaxed, body temperatures drop, and the blood supply to your muscles increases. This results in tissue and bone both repair, and cellular corrections. Growth hormones are also released that are essential for muscle development.
   
   
3. Time to exercise. If you wake up early to exercise, you’re more likely to stick to it because you have all the time to yourself. Additional benefits of waking up early to exercise include elevating your heart rate and boosting endorphins which will give you more energy and make you feel better throughout the day. As an added bonus, studies have shown that exercising in the morning can actually help improve your decision-making skills for the remainder of the day.
   
   
4. Healthier eating. Research has found that late sleepers generally consume approximately 248 more calories than those who rise early. They tend to only eat half as much fruit and vegetables and twice as much fast food as their early riser counterparts. Additionally, a study conducted by Dr. Joerg Huber of Roehampton University in London found that “Morning people tend to be healthier and happier as well as having lower body mass indexes.”
   
   
5. Become more attractive. When you wake up earlier you have more time to spend getting ready, giving you more time to pick out the right outfit and also more time for any skincare or grooming routines. If you wake up early to exercise, then you’ll also improve your body composition and appearance. You’ll be able to shed any excess weight, tone up and even build some muscle. People who wake up early also tend to have regular sleeping habits which means less stress and more time for your skin to rejuvenate.
   
   
6. Increased energy. Better rest equals more energy. And early risers generally have better sleep patterns than night owls. Better sleep habits mean more restful sleep and deeper sleep cycles. This means you’ll be more energetic throughout the day, helping you accomplish your goals and tasks in a faster and more productive manner.
   
   
7. Become more organized. One of the benefits of waking up early is that you will have more time to focus on your goals and plan out your day without being interrupted. Simply having some extra time in the morning allows you to get everything done in an orderly and organized manner.
   
   
8. Increased productivity. Most successful people report that they’re up at 5 am, or even earlier. A 2008 study found that early risers didn’t procrastinate as much as people who stayed up later. This statement shouldn’t come as a surprise since they’re proactive and have more quiet time in the morning to complete tasks. Additionally, not only do brains tend to be most alert in the morning, you tend to make better decisions and think more clearly in the morning than in the afternoon and evening.
   
   
9. Start a morning routine. One of the best benefits of waking up early is that you can create and stick to a morning routine that will allow you do focus on your mental, physical and spiritual growth. Whether that means focusing on your goals, reading books, exercising, journaling … and did I mention the benefits of meditation yet? Having a set morning routine allows to you focus time on the things that really matter to you in the present and the long term.
   
   
10. Easier commute. Waking up early allows you to leave earlier and beat the traffic which will save you time. It also gives you some buffer time in case of unexpected accidents and traffic jams on days when you must be on time. It may even give you the opportunity to cycle or walk to work. Taking your time on the way to work lowers your stress over time management and gives you the opportunity to relax and think about the rest of your day.
    
    
11. Enjoy the sunrise. Almost everyone gets to enjoy the sunset but people who wake up late miss one of the greatest feats of nature, repeated each and every morning – the rise of the sun. Whether you’re exercising, reading or simply relaxing, experiencing it together with the sunrise is a great way to greet the day. A benefit exclusive to early risers.
    
    
12. Quiet time. The early morning hours are so peaceful and quiet. It’s a good time to think, to journal, to read, to meditate and simply have time for yourself before the world happens.
    
    
13. More family time. Waking up early will give you more time to spend with those you love in a relaxed setting. You’ll have time to enjoy a family breakfast in the morning and you’ll also find that because you’ve gotten all your important work and exercise out of the way in the morning, you’ll have more time to spend with your family and/or significant other in the evenings.
    
    
14. Better grades. According to studies done within the US and Europe concerning university students, those who rose earlier in the morning scored significantly higher on exams, and consistently kept a higher average GPA than their night owl counterparts. In fact, in a 2008 Texas University study, college students who identified themselves as “morning people” earned a full point higher on their GPAs than those who were “night owls.”
    
    
15. Positive outlook. Various studies have shown that morning people exhibit character traits like optimism, being agreeable, satisfaction and conscientiousness. Night owls, while linked with creativity and intelligence, are more likely to exhibit traits like depression, pessimism and being neurotic. In fact, a study in 2014 determined that people who go to bed later are more likely to be overwhelmed with repetitive negative thoughts.
    
    
16. More proactive. In a study of 367 university students, biologist Christoph Randler found that what they say is true – the early bird really does get the worm. He discovered that early risers are more proactive.
    
    They were more likely to agree with statements like, “I spend time identifying long-range goals for myself” and, “I feel in charge of making things happen.”
    
    “Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them, my survey showed. They’re proactive. A number of studies have linked this trait, proactivity, with better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.”
    
    
17. Solve problems. One of the main benefits of waking up early is having more uninterrupted time to focus on your life and this gives you the opportunity to be proactive and plan ahead of time.
    
    
18. Increased confidence. When you start waking up early to exercise, to meditate, to read, to focus on your goals or to work on your business the actions and progress you make will give you confidence. On top of that, human beings are wired to compare ourselves to others. You and I both do it constantly. So, instead of doing it in a negative way why not find ways to feel like you’re better — not intrinsically, but behaviorally — than other people.
    
    
19. Better career opportunities. Waking up early in the morning can help you be productive with your work. If you can just have an hour or two of complete silence to focus on your work, you will be amazed at what you can get done. This is will open the door to new projects and opportunities. Alternatively, if you don’t love your job, you can use your best hours in the morning learning new skills, looking for other jobs or building a business.
    
    
20. Become a better leader. Is it any surprise why most of the world’s greatest leaders and billionaires are early risers? According to Christopher Randler, “When it comes to business success, morning people hold the important cards.” Randler added, “Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them.”
    
    Randler’s work also discovered that early risers tended to be more persistent, cooperative, agreeable, and conscientious. These are all positive traits that leaders and successful possess since they make them more likable, disciplined, appreciative, and eager to learn.
    
    
21. Better mental health. All these benefits put together lay the foundation for better mental health. Engaging in physical exercise, having confidence, decreasing your stress, and improving your sleep are all critical components to your psychological well being. Mental health experts have tied healthy sleep habits to a happier and healthier mind. Going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier is linked to having a more stable personality while staying up late and sleeping in can lead to the development of depression.

Wow! Who knew that getting up so early in the morning could be so beneficial? Also, when I came across this article, I noticed under benefit #1 that they used exactly the same quote I chose for today’s dose of positivity! I just knew the quote I selected was perfect for today. It was exactly right for me, and if you are someone who’s been struggling with staying motivated to wake up so early (as I do sometimes), then this quote might just be the thing for you too.

As soon as I feel ready to, I’ll transition myself to start waking up an hour earlier, so that I have even more time in my morning to keep working proactively on the things I need and want to get done ahead of time. As someone who has been waking up early, I can definitely attest to some of these proven benefits above. Also, I noticed I don’t need as much caffeine in the morning as opposed to when I’ve woken up later in the day. I’ve seen that elsewhere on the web that early morning risers, overall, tend to not really need the caffeine, or just not need it as much as most people, though this doesn’t apply to all early risers.

So, how about you? Having read this post, are you now more inclined to start waking up earlier? You can’t go wrong with giving it a try! You know how the old saying goes, right? “The early bird gets the worm!”

Day 81 | Day 82 | Day 83
Year of Positivity