Wasting early morning hours can add a lot of stress, disorganization and problems in your life. Some people hate getting up in the cold or dark, because it’s a workday or school day, or they are not morning people. Learning to love and use the morning hours can greatly improve both your health and success.
Benjamin Franklin’s familiar quote, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,” seems to be true for many people. Night owls can be at a big disadvantage when they must compete with others during the day. One study showed that morning people’s athletic strength tends to remain constant throughout the day, but night owls have peak performance in the evening.
Another study showed that staying up late night after night can add heart risks, even when the night owls got enough sleep. Many people who stay up late at night are sitting in front of a TV or computer or reading. Some night owls also snack on high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar foods. Others might smoke, drink, or inhale secondhand smoke in bars.
The quiet hours in the early morning can be used to do most home tasks. Some people claim they stay up late when they are finally alone and can get things done.
Other people claim they wake up late because they are so tired and need more sleep. It is true that lack of sleep is harmful to the heart, blood pressure and energy level. However, many people find that by going to bed earlier, they can get far more sleep and still wake up earlier to do enjoyable or needed tasks.
After a good night’s sleep, the body can be energized to tackle jobs that are often put off at night. After a long, tiring day, many people are exhausted. They often don’t feel like exercising, practicing or reading items for work or school.
Your best hour of the day could be the hour before the time you are currently getting out of bed. Improving your morning ritual can really improve your day. Exercise in the morning can help you control your weight and sleep better.
Mature adults often wake up early in the morning and then toss and turn. They might not need as much sleep as they did in their youth. Starting the day earlier can be less frustrating than trying to go back to sleep after waking.
What you should do
Don’t start your day so that you have just enough time to get to work or school on time. Give yourself far more time to get dressed, help other family members, and arrive in plenty of time. More planning and time will help you avoid the stress of complications such as lost keys, trains or other upsetting events.
Start making your mornings better by using your evenings more wisely. Decide if it is really important to stay up late. Set your own curfew. Record, TiVo or view your favorite programs at another time. Make tomorrow’s to-do and appointment list. Program your thermostat to turn on winter heat 30 minutes before wakeup times. Set an earlier alarm.
Avoid morning panics by setting out needed items at night — clothing, breakfast items, children’s signed paperwork, lunches, etc. Encourage family members to do the same. Create an exit readiness area near the door where keys, shoes, backpacks and work items are kept. This avoids stressful gathering of items and searching in the morning.
Stop what is keeping you up at night. Darken your bedroom. Avoid caffeinated sodas, coffee, and tea starting at noon. Don’t drink more than one alcoholic drink. Eat earlier and less to avoid a stuffed feeling or acid reflux in bed.
Don’t hit the snooze button. When the alarm goes off an hour earlier, get your feet on the floor. Flood your rooms with light to wake up and stay up. Stretching exercises are also great ways to wake your body up.
Look forward to the early hours by planning something enjoyable. Plan something other than work. For example, if you like to exercise outdoors in the summer, a 6 a.m. run is a lot more comfortable than in 95-degree midday heat. Look forward to a nice breakfast, perhaps a fruit salad with yogurt, a smoothie or healthy muffins made the night before. Plan quality morning hours to make up for lost time with a small child who must go to bed very early at night.
Exercise. Mornings are a great time to exercise, since you are likely to bathe in the mornings anyway. Exercise at home or elsewhere. Walk the dog.
Use mornings to think things through. Morning thinking helps you succeed by giving you quiet, focused time to organize, take control of your life, and reduce stress. Mornings are also good times to meditate or read.
Use mornings for tasks that can be done early in the day before your energy leaves you. Plan to do what you want to do — like get rid of old e-mails, do a load of laundry, or work out. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast.
Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep. Make a commitment to go to bed earlier to get the restful sleep you need. Set an alarm on your watch, phone or other device to remind you at night when it is time to prepare for bed.
Space out your morning caffeine. A small cup every few hours is better than an early jolt of a 14-ounce mug.
For more information
Visit webmd.com/balance/ features/13-healthy-habits-to-improve-your-life and pickthebrain.com/blog/morning-routine.
Better Health: Take Charge! is provided by the Healthy Memphis Common Table: .healthymemphis.org. This article supports the care and advice of your doctor.
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