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On Starting to Wake Early

For as long as I can remember I've always went to bed late and got up as late as I could. I'd estimate that my average bed time was 1 AM and I'd usually wake up around 8 AM. This wasn't too bad of a schedule but I felt tired quite a bit. So in February I decided I'd start going to bed at 10 PM and start waking up at 6 AM or earlier. The results so far have been great, but nothing has changed too dramatically.

Prior to setting the 10 PM bed time, I didn't have a strict sleeping schedule. Typically I'd just go to bed when I looked at the clock and thought, "Oh shoot, I need to get to bed!" Then in the morning, I'd wake up to the sound of an alarm. There was no set pattern, and I think my quality of sleep suffered because it. With the set bedtime it takes a lot shorter amount of time to fall asleep and I don't think I've ever had to get up in the middle of the night. Before I'd wake up in the middle of the night a couple of times a week. Now I don't wake up until it's time to get up for good, and I never have to use an alarm.

From a productivity standpoint I think things have been the same, outside of the times that I'm active. When waking up early, I usually get off to a productive start on personal things then head to work. When I get up late, I head straight to work and focus on my personal stuff late in the evening. Either way, a similar portion of things have gotten done. Waking up in the morning has been less chaotic since I'm not working hard right before bed. Another thing that is possible when going to bed early, is that I can sleep in as long as I need to and won't be late for any obligations I may have. Some days it's nice to get extra rest.

All in all, I think waking up early has been beneficial. The better quality sleep is the key selling point for me. If I can continue using this sleep pattern for a long enough time, I think the benefits could become even more pronounced. Being able to consistently get as much sleep I need and to have a well-defined schedule should have important health benefits down the road. Feeling alive and energized in the morning is a great feeling. Now I get to experience this daily. Without the set schedule I felt energized most mornings, but it wasn't every day. 6 AM used to be something I didn't look forward to, now it's one of the most pleasant times of the day.

Published on 4/17/2016 9:21:30 PM



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