11+ Early Riser Benefits You Shouldn’t Ignore to Maximize Your Day

No one really likes getting up early if they have a choice.

It's always more enjoyable to sleep in than to get up at 5 AM to work out, relax, or learn something new.

In the end, though, ease doesn't lead to wins. Most of the time, the best things in life get to us through pain and hard work.

I once passed a very hard test by getting up every day at 4 AM to study.

Also, I went to the gym every morning at 5 AM, even in the cold winter, and lost 33 pounds in 5 months.

It's annoying to be tired, but as the saying goes, "Every cloud has a silver lining." Getting up early can help your health, mind, job, and personal growth in the long run.

So, let's talk about 11+ early riser benefits of getting up early today. Who can say for sure? Maybe this will inspire you to join the ranks of the diligent early birds!

11+ Early Riser Benefits: Why Getting Up Early is So Great

More Energy

Remember how excited you were when you were a kid and could not wait to get out of bed? Getting up early can bring that back. Your body makes cortisol at the right times when it's in sync with natural light patterns. This gives you a natural energy boost. There's no need for a third or fourth coffee. You'll be awake and full of energy all day, not just for the coffee rush after lunch. All the things you do are more efficient, interesting, and alive when you have this steady energy.

Better Mood

People say "woke up on the wrong side of the bed" for a reason. What you do first thing in the morning sets the tone for the whole day. People who get up early often say they feel better mentally and have a more positive view of life. Not just the extra time, but also the way that time is spent. The calm of the morning and exposure to natural light make your brain make more serotonin, which is the chemical that makes you feel good. If you smile first thing in the morning, it will show up in everything you do.

Easier Weight Loss

There is a fact that, who get up early often have an easier time keeping their weight in check. It's not magic. It's facts and habits. Studies have shown that people who get up early tend to eat better throughout the day. You have time for a good breakfast, which makes it less likely that you will snack on something unhealthy. Also, getting up early makes it more likely that you'll work out in the morning. These habits can help you lose weight and stay healthy in the long run.

Healthier Body

One of the early riser benefits is that you can have a healthier body. Researchers have found a link between getting up early and a lower chance of many chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. Aside from getting up early, it's more about the healthy habits that tend to follow. All of these things are good for your health: getting enough sleep, eating at normal times, and working out regularly. You can think of getting up early as putting money into your long-term health savings account every day.

Fresh Air Feels Good

Early morning, go outside and you will feel it right away: the world is different. The environment seems quieter, the air cleaner. This is therapeutic as much as poetic. Usually with less pollution, morning air is better; the calm surroundings help to greatly alleviate tension and anxiety. It's like a little meditative session bestowed upon you by the natural world. Regular morning light and air exposure can boost your mood, help with depression symptoms, and create a peaceful daily tone. 

Extra Time

One of the most obvious early riser benefits is just extra time. You have more time to commit to yourself while the world sleeps. Would like to launch that side project? Create a book? Learn a new language? Early hours offer continuous, excellent time for personal development and initiatives. It's about having more of your best time, when your mind is clear and the world is still, not only about more time.

More Focus and Productivity

The morning hours find your brain most active. Following a decent night's sleep, your prefrontal cortex - “the brain's CEO” - is rejuvenated and ready for action. These golden hours make creative thinking, complex problem-solving, and concentrated work easier. For this reason many successful people swear by their morning rituals. Imagine finishing your toughest assignments before the planet even wakes up. That is the highlighted one of the early riser benefits. 

Less Stress

Early rising helps you to control your day rather than the other way around. You have time to gently enter your morning rather than rushing through it. Plan your day, savor a slow breakfast, or just curl up with ideas. Starting this approach helps to greatly lower stress. You are guiding the day, not chasing it. Even the busiest days can seem reasonable depending on one's level of control and readiness.

Creativity Boost

The silence of the morning seems to inspire imagination. Maybe it's lack of distractions, or maybe your mind is waking after sleep. Still, many writers, artists, and inventors swear by their early morning creative sessions for whatever reason. Your best ideas could strike when your mind is free and the world is still silent. Early morning hours offer the ideal setting for your imagination to run free.

Early Wins Feel Great

Well… I have to admit that finishing things early in the day gives a remarkable psychological lift. Before your regular wake-up time, knocking out a workout, reading a chapter of a book, or clearing your email is like winning at life. These early successes establish a good tone and build motivation for the entire day. It's like starting a race with oneself ahead of others before they ever start.

Quality "Me Time"

Enjoy “me time”? If so, you should be an early bird. This is because self-care is best done in early mornings. This time is entirely yours for anything from a beauty regimen to writing to a pastime. Personal time usually gets squeezed out in the daily grind. Early morning awakening helps you give yourself first priority before the responsibilities of the outer world take hold. It's essential. It's not selfish. Your investment in yourself pays you more enjoyment and less stress all through the day.

How to Become an Early Bird (Without Feeling Like a… Zombie)

Find these early riser benefits persuasive enough? Ready to join the early risers' club? Here's how to make the change go smoothly and last:

Define Your "Why"

Yup, the first thing is to ask yourself, "Why do I want to be an early riser?" before you begin to dread the early hours of the day. Perhaps you're hoping to get in a workout before work or simply want some peace and quiet. Make sure whatever it is that motivates you to get out of bed when it's still dark outside is strong enough. Jot them down and make sure you can see them. These are the reasons you should keep going, even on the mornings when you just want to stay in bed all day. If you have a strong enough "why," forgoing the comfort of your warm blanket in favor of an early start to your day will be much easier.

Gradual Change Is Important

You won't become an early bird overnight, just like Rome wasn't built in a day. First, set your clock for 15 minutes earlier than usual. This should be done for a week. After that, move it back 15 minutes. This method helps your body get used to the change without pain. To get to your goal wake-up time, it may take a few weeks. However, making the change slowly makes it more likely to last.

Consistency

Having a habit is good for your body. No matter what day it is, try to wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. On your days off, you might want to sleep in, but sticking to a routine helps your body's sleep-wake cycle. Over time, you may start getting up early on your own, even if you don't set an alarm.

Make a Cozy Time to Go to Bed

A relaxing bedtime routine signals to your body that it's time to wind down. This could include reading a book, taking a warm bath, doing some light stretches, or practicing meditation. The key is to make it enjoyable and stick to it consistently. Over time, these activities will become cues for your body to start producing melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Doing Regular Exercise

A lot of people find that regular exercise helps them sleep better. Try to do some kind of mild exercise most days of the week for at least 30 minutes. But time is very important. You should try to work out at least a few hours before going to bed. Working out gives you energy, but if you do it too close to bedtime, it might be harder to fall asleep.

Mind Your Intake

You can't sleep as well if you drink booze or caffeine. If you can, try to stop drinking caffeine by early afternoon. It can stay in your body for up to eight hours. If you drink booze, it might make you feel sleepy at first, but it usually keeps you up all night. If you do give in, try to do it a few hours before bed.

Plan a Healthy Breakfast

The most part I want to say! It can be easier to get out of bed if you know a tasty and healthy breakfast is ready for you. Trust me, it works. Plan an easy but healthy breakfast the night before or make it the morning of. A well-balanced breakfast keeps your blood sugar level and gives you energy for the day. Plus, it's a great way to get your metabolism going.

The 'No Snooze' Challenge

The snooze button is not your friend. You might feel more sleepy after those extra nine minutes of broken sleep. Putting the alarm across the room will make you get up to turn it off. You're more likely to stay up once you get up. Some people find it useful to set a second alarm for a few minutes later, just in case.

Reward Yourself

You might feel sleepier now that you've had an extra nine minutes of sleep. If you put the alarm across the room, you'll have to get up to turn it off. Once you get up, you're more likely to stay up. Setting a second alarm for a few minutes later can be helpful for some people.

Tech Supports

Technology can be a great help on your path to rising early. To discover the app that suits you best, try out multiple different ones.
For those who are looking for a habit-tracking app that can help them get up earlier, Habitify is a great choice. Boost your early bird change with this:

Set reasonable, small goals: For example, if you want to get up early every day, use Habitify to divide your goal into manageable chunks. Start by getting up 15 minutes earlier each day and slowly add more time as you go.

Visual Progress Tracking: The app shows you your success in a way that is easy to understand. Seeing long stretches of early morning successes can be very inspiring.

Smart Reminders: Set up gentle reminders to go to bed and get up at the right times. These timed prompts can help you stay on track, especially at the start when the habit isn't fully formed.

Build a Comprehensive Routine: Use Habitify to plan and keep track of not only when you wake up but also your whole morning process. You can make a morning routine that gets you ready for the day, with things like meditation, exercise, and breakfast.

Key Takeaways

After reading about these 11+ early riser benefits, do you feel convinced to become an early bird and work towards your goals?

Here's a friendly reminder: Whether you're waking up 15 minutes or 2 hours earlier than usual, you should be proud of any small progress in changing your morning habits. Change takes time. The good news is that you're no longer seeing each day as a burden to bear, but as a chance to achieve great things.

Before I end this post, I'd like to share one of my favorite Thich Nhat Hanh quotes:

"Waking up this morning, I smile. 24 brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment".

We only have one life to live, to love, to chase our dreams, and to taste all the wonderful flavors it offers. Make the most of your time so you can live a life worth living - one that makes you proud.