Ever wonder why yoga classes so often start out with sun salutations? Because traditionally, when yoga is done early in the mornings these asanas (Sanskrit for poses) are performed to welcome the sun at or just before sunrise. They move your body in all directions, which yogis believe helps balance your energy pathways for the day ahead, and it allows you to set your intentions.
Before that comes the Brahma Muhurta Sandhya – the time before 4 am and 6 am that the ancients deemed the most opportune time to meditate. This is when the mind is the calmest, when there are the least distractions, and you’re most able to access higher dimensions.
Noticing a pattern? According to yoga philosophy, engaging in mindfulness practice and yoga early in the morning not only sets you up for a better, more balanced day ahead, but allows you to reach consciousness you otherwise may not have.
But the idea that waking up early benefits your health both physically and mentally isn’t just based in tradition – it’s based in science as well. And we’ve got the studies to prove it.
Early risers are happier
We know, it’s not fair to shame night owls for their tendency to stay up into the wee hours of the morning, but for early risers, the science really is on their side. A study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital instructor Jacqueline Lane studied 700,000 people across the US and the UK through DNA sharing sites like 23andMe to see how their genes affect their circadian rhythm.
The results were shocking – even to her, she says. She found that those who woke early are at a genetically lower risk of developing depression and chronic illness and those who habitually sleep in.
You’ll procrastinate less
People who go to sleep late at night may argue that everyone has the same amount of time to get things done throughout the day – it just differs on when you choose to do those tasks. But a 2008 study found that people who wake up early actually are more productive and less likely to procrastinate.
The act of waking up and propelling into your day puts your body and mind in the right mode to get things done, as opposed to trying to finish your work while your body is winding down at the end of the day.
You’ll exercise more – and better
Consistently waking up early makes it much easier to create time to exercise and take care of your body. First thing in the morning, it’s unlikely that anyone else is going to bombard you with questions, requests or tasks for the day, which means you can exercise and focus on mindfulness without the added distractions.
How to actually get out of bed
We know, the idea of getting up early in the morning is easier said than done. But we have a few tips to get you started.
Set a bedtime. Then set a pre-bedtime.
For most people, choosing a time to go to bed isn’t the problem. The problem comes when, 5 minutes before your new bedtime, you’re suddenly rushing to cram your entire nighttime routine into just a few minutes. That leads to one of two things: either it takes you longer than you expected, and suddenly you’ve missed your bedtime by 20, 30 minutes – maybe even an hour – or you get it all done so quickly that the sudden burst of adrenaline needed to complete the tasks has you staring at the ceiling wide awake.
Setting aside 30 minutes as a pre-bedtime to wind down – whether that means going through your entire nighttime skincare routine or just reading a book – can help you keep those early bedtime goals.
Level with yourself.
Very few people open their eyes first thing in the morning ready to bound straight out of bed, and setting 15 alarms at 3-minute intervals won’t help. Instead, tell yourself that if you can get out of bed right now for just 20 minutes, you can go right on back to sleep if it doesn’t work out – and mean it. Know that if in 20 minutes you’re still ready to fall asleep at any moment, you can crawl back into bed without judgment.
More than likely, though, find yourself awake and alert and ready to start the day by that time. Getting out of bed the first time really is the hardest part. And if you aren’t fully awake yet, take that as a sign that your body needs a bit more sleep, and that’s okay.
Find your own sweet spot
You don’t have to wake up at 5 am every day just because it sounds impressive. Everybody’s body works differently, which means that no matter how much sleep you get, sometimes your circadian rhythm doesn’t work for a certain time. There are people who feel great when they wake up any time before 6:30 am or after 8 am, but anything between the hours of 7 – 8 am are a no-go, no matter what time they fell asleep. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your body.