Getting up really early, say, 5 am, is thought to be a positive way to start your day, along with checking into your Fair Go casino login and there is often a lot of pressure to do so. But for many of us who are more inclined to start the day a little later, it may have the effect of making you feel a little lazy.
The current trend on TikTok is to have an early start and the popular phrase has become “five-to-nine before the nine-to-five” and includes videos showing early workout routines and early morning self-affirmations as the perfect way to begin and plan out the day. The growing pressure to conform to this new trend can be a little intimidating and leave some of us feeling sheepishly lazy.
Samantha Snowden, a mindfulness teacher at Headspace says “The pressure to be a morning person is pretty intense.” So what is all the commotion about?
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How does waking at 5 am. affect your day?
Let’s see what the experts say about this….
Some experts say that rising early in the morning can actually improve confidence. According to Snowden it may boost confidence because getting up at that time may feel like an accomplishment. For those of us who wake up later, we may feel rushed and stressed which is not particularly good for our physical or mental well-being.
When referring to the typical morning workday, Psychiatrist and medical director of behavioral health at Included Health, Dr, Nicole-Benders-Hadi says “It’s like always feeling like you are behind in a race you can’t possibly win, which isn’t useful for motivation or positivity.”
According to Snowden, a slower pace is healthier for our nervous system and keeps our thoughts regulated. It could be that those extra hours in the early morning can be used to do things for yourself, and, therefore, leave you feeling more relaxed and prepared for the day ahead. You’ll likely be calmer and get more done during the day without feeling completely worn out by the end of the day.
However, if you do plan to start your day before the sun is up, there are a number of things you should consider.
Don’t skimp on sleep
Getting up earlier shouldn’t mean getting less sleep. If you are depriving yourself of sleep, it could lead to mental health problems like anxiety and depression and sometimes cause chronic health issues, like heart problems.
Snowden says “Everyone has a different kind of job with different kinds of demands, and a lack of sleep can present many challenges for us, as far as emotion regulation and our ability to focus.” She goes on to say “These are big capacities that we need to get through the day, to be productive and do our jobs well, and to be present for our loved ones.”
Seven hours of sleep per night is recommended by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Surveys show that more than a third of all Americans do not sleep the recommended amount. Making sure you sleep well should be a priority and this includes waking up at roughly the same time every day. Watching TV and computer use should be limited before retiring and also the consumption of alcohol and caffeine during the evening hours.
Benders-Hadi stresses the point that “If getting up at 5 am every morning creates a barrier to you getting enough restful sleep, don’t do it.”
Maybe it’s possible to reduce the rush and pressure in the morning without getting up at 5 am?
Getting up at 5 am does help reduce the feeling of being rushed in the morning. But perhaps there are other ways of achieving this. According to Benders-Hadi there are other measures that can help to create a more relaxed feeling in the mornings without going without sleep.
Reducing the number of things needed to be decided on each morning can bring down stress levels. Benders-Hadi says “Think about reorganizing your morning routine so you have less to do, for example. Prep your breakfast and lunch meals to-go ahead of time, and do the same thing for any family members you may be caring for.”
According to Snowden even spending an extra 10 minutes just going slower, not looking at your emails straight away and taking a little longer in the shower will be helpful. Giving yourself some good messages, like “may my day be filled with ease, may I see possibility today, may I enter my first meeting with an optimistic attitude.” She says “You’re checking in with your body sensations, your mood that morning, and you’re observing it with non-judgement, with openness. That sets the tone, that sets the rhythm, the speed and the pace of your morning.”
Be conscious of your strengths and weaknesses.
For Benders-Hadi it is important that we be truthful to ourselves when deciding whether a couple of extra hours in the morning will really be of benefit to us. If you are someone who works without distractions in a quiet environment is a real benefit and those extra hours increase your feelings of productivity then getting up early may be good for you.
She says “You should also take into consideration whether the change in their routine will lead to improved productivity, or whether they will just be stuffing more into their day. Regarding work, for example, do you have a set amount of work you need to accomplish each day, where starting earlier enables you to finish earlier, or will getting up earlier simply add more to your plate?”
Adjusting to the change takes time
It will take a little time to adjust to getting up earlier. Your body needs time to get used to the new routine. Snowden says you need to be patient with yourself and feel proud of yourself for wanting to make a positive change.
Keep motivated
There will always be times when getting out of bed is difficult. It is at these times when you need to go back to your original intention of starting your day earlier. Maybe it was to work out or to have time to eat a healthy breakfast. Talking with others who also start their day early can also be motivating.
Snowden says “You’re going to kind of need to connect back to your motivation. What is driving this for you? And what do you imagine to be the benefits that you’re really personally going to enjoy and get from this?”
