Is Waking Up at 4 am Really Worth It?
We’ve all heard how successful people wake up early but is waking up early as good as they say it is? I’ve been waking up at 4 am for the past year and here’s what I feel.
Admit it, you’ve heard the phrase “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” a lot and by a lot I mean every day if you live with your parents. But have you ever acted on it? Of course….not!
That’s mainly because the generation of teens and young adults these days find it “uncool” to be sleeping early. Staying up late makes them think they have “insomnia” and depression. But the reality is they just can’t keep their phones and social media out of their hands and that’s a hard pill to swallow but you should.
They spend all day checking their socials although we very well know no one’s messaging or tagging us. *sad loif*
In some corner of our brain, we all think of getting our life together. And as addicted to the internet we are, we find ourselves googling “how to get my life together”. The search results give you a lot of suggestions and the most common one you get is getting up early.
I went through the same phase guys. And I’ve been waking up early for a whole year now and this is what I have to say.
1. Why do we really need to wake up at 4 am?
We all have to go to school or college or work and wake up at 7 am. That’s early, right? So why should you wake up at 4 am? That’s the point. Everyone wakes up at 7 am so how about getting ahead, making progress, and finishing stuff before more than half the world wakes up! This instantly puts you ahead of others. So, waking up 3 hours earlier than you usually do makes you proactive, you feel more in control of your time and can efficiently manage the rest of your day as well!
2. You’ll get more sleep than you used to
Well waking up early cuts out my hours, how would I be productive like this? Waking up early doesn’t mean depriving yourself of sleep. I’m not telling you to cut the sleep hours. But waking up early makes you adjust your sleep schedule. I used to go to bed at 2 am and wake up at 7 am. But now I can go to bed at 10 pm and wake up at 4 am giving me 2 extra hours to sleep! I feel more rested and I don’t have the headaches I used to experience literally every day.
3. You’ll reduce your screen time
We all know how the light from our mobile phones is destroying our eyes and health. If you start waking up early, you’ll have more time to see the world, go for a walk, see nature in its beauty early in the morning, and wouldn’t even care to check pointless emails or scroll through Kylie Jenner’s Instagram and doubt yourself. Lol.
4. Your body health will Improve
One year of waking up early has made me more active than ever before. Presently it’s Ramadan and even though I’m fasting I still have the motivation to get up and exercise. My body has never been in such good shape before.
5. You’ll get more work done
The extra 3 hours is not that much to go through all of your syllabi but they increase your productivity. Waking up fresh-minded, slightly exercising, or going for a walk, has made my metabolism better and I’m able to understand difficult medical school stuff in an hour which I used to keep trying to cram for the whole day. My mind is now more ready to accept knowledge.
6. You’ll able to plan your day
Waking up early has given me time to make a to-do list every day and organize and prioritize things. To get your life together, that’s the first thing I’d recommend to you. Plan ahead!
7. You’ll benefit from online classes
Online classes are a hot topic considering the pandemic and how people say they can’t learn well in them, I disagree. Staying at home in your room and all your focus directed towards what your Professor is teaching you is actually a lot better than trying to stay awake in class, sitting on an uncomfortable lecture hall seat, and focusing on the slides displayed so far you can’t even read them, especially if you’re me and have really bad eyesight. Waking up early makes me more refreshed and by the time my lectures start I’m in my most productive mindset. I now benefit from online classes more than I ever focused on them in class.
8. You’ll get proper breakfast
Waking up earlier has improved my health so much. The main meal of the day is breakfast and most of the people are all missing out on a proper breakfast daily, sip coffee and skedaddle. But I have time to make myself a proper meal and enjoy it peacefully. I don’t even feel hungry throughout the whole day like I used to.
9. You’ll get “me time”
It’s a joy to be hanging out with friends, interacting with colleagues, and just meeting new people. But sometimes the social life does get overwhelming and we’re left with less time to focus on ourselves, our hobbies, our passion and even on our appearance. Waking up early has made me able to do much more than just finishing my University work. I have some extra time on my hands to do what I enjoy doing. For example, reading a book (PS I’m reading the “4-Hour Workweek” these days) or reading articles on medium, and writing one myself, or working on a side gig. This is what I call me time. Just only me and my favorite things to do. If you’re an introvert and like to keep to yourself and conserve your energy for yourself, then definitely try waking up earlier. You’ll have solitude and a lot of peace of mind.
10. You’ll get to see the other side of the picture
Waking up early has made me think more about myself, the world, and life. I think more of how I am and all the actions I did the last day, before putting them into practice the next day in the same way aimlessly. It has given me a new perspective about myself as well as about the world.
11. You’ll be happier and more positive:
One thing I used to be quite ashamed of a few years ago was my negativity. I used to be an optimist and pessimist at the same time. The latter sometimes overtook. I use to be hopeless and have more anxiety. Gradually scheduling my life has benefited me a lot. I tried to wake up 10 min earlier every day and sleep 10 min earlier every night. Now that I’ve got my scheduling set, it has made me more positive and happier. Instead of feeling lagging and behind, I’m slowly moving from half-hoping to hope. I can visibly see the betterment. It’s not easy being happy but setting some realistic life goals, and living your life with some set milestones and purpose gives you happiness. Waking up early has given me a lot of time to find that purpose and I do sense a happier me these days.
Let’s face it sleep, scheduling is difficult, especially if you’re a teen and addicted to your phone. I know. It was for me too. I’m guilty of messing up my schedules during vacations as well. But gradually making an effort to a better healthier life and waking up early gives your life a lot much value. The freshness, the peace of mind, and the control you get over your life by waking up at 4 AM are unmatched, and waking up early really does all the good things you’ve been told it does.
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