21 Proven Benefits Of Waking Up Early

There are many benefits of waking up early. Some are logical and some are scientifically proven. In fact, there are several scientific studies that show the advantages early risers have over night owls.

Many of the world’s most successful people, entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders are known to wake up early, typically between the hours of 4 AM to 6 AM and Benjamin Franklin once said: “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” That is only one of the many motivational quotes to wake up early.

You may already have a lot of reasons to wake up early and maybe you’re looking for a bit of extra motivation. If you’re a student and are wondering about the benefits of waking up early to study, you’ll find them here. If you want to improve your health and are wondering about the benefits of waking up early to exercise, you’ll find them here. If you’re an entrepreneur and wondering how waking up early can benefit your business, you’ll find them here too.

If you want to experience a happier, healthier and more successful life then check out the benefits of waking up early below.

Proven Benefits Of Waking Up Early

1. Improved Sleep

According to studies early risers often tend to go to bed early as well, which means they are more likely to get the 7-9 hours recommended sleep for adults.

This also means that people who wake up early are more likely to have healthier sleep habits. Sleep experts say that if you go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, your body will be more in tune with the earth’s circadian rhythms, which offers more restorative sleep.

When you get yourself into a consistent cycle of rising and waking, you increase the effectiveness of the natural sleep stages your body needs to heal and promote healthy brain function. This means that you will experience a better, deeper rest.

In fact, research has repeatedly found that those who get up early set themselves up for better quality sleep when they hit the sack that night.

Other research has shown night owls are more likely to develop sleep disorders and tend to sleep less overall than the early birds. More likely to get the recommended 8 hours sleep in comparison to night owls.

“It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.”
– Aristotle

2. Better Health

Regular sleep is essential for your general health. For starters, research has found that getting plenty of sleep strengthens your immune system – which is an excellent preventive against whatever nasty bugs are going around.

Waking up early also allows you to develop regular sleep patterns which mean better sleep cycles and more REM sleep which are important to brain health.

Once you drop into deeper cycles of sleep, your blood pressure drops, breathing slows, muscles are relaxed, body temperatures drop, and the blood supply to your muscles increases. This results in tissue and bone both repair, as well as cellular corrections. Growth hormones are also released that are essential for muscle development.

The bottom line: Sleep allows your brain and body to repair and regenerate. If you wake up early, you’ll also tend to sleep early and develop good sleep habits.

3. Time To Exercise

If you’ve ever wanted to get into a regular exercise routine then waking up early is your best bet.

While I enjoy working out after work I find that I am more prone to missing sessions because something can come up during the day that I didn’t anticipate. Tiredness, work, family commitments…life happens.

If you wake up early to exercise you’re more likely to stick to it because you have all the time to yourself. One of the other benefits of waking up early to exercise is empty gyms! There are far less people in the gym in the morning than there are after work.

Even if you want to go for a morning run or bike ride the streets are clear and there is hardly anyone around. Evens still, exercising at home in the mornings means no distractions. You’re simply more likely to follow through.

Additional benefits of waking up early to exercise include elevating your heart rate and boosting endorphins which will give you more energy and make you feel better throughout the day.

As an added bonus, studies have shown that exercising in the morning can actually help improve your decision-making skills for the remainder of the day.

4. Healthier Eating

If you wake up earlier you’ll actually have time for a healthy breakfast. The problem with skipping breakfast is that it leads to poorer eating habits later in the day.

In fact, research has found that late sleepers generally consume approximately 248 more calories than those who rise early. They tend to only eat half as much fruit and vegetables and twice as much fast food as their early riser counterparts.

Additionally, a study conducted by Dr. Joerg Huber of Roehampton University in London found that “Morning people tend to be healthier and happier as well as having lower body mass indexes.”

5. Become More Attractive

Can waking up earlier make you more attractive? Well, yes, due to a number a reasons.

When you wake up earlier you have more time to spend getting ready, giving you more time to pick out the right outfit and also more time for any skincare or grooming routines.

If you wake up early to exercise then you’ll also improve your body composition and appearance. You’ll be able to shed any excess weight, tone up and even build some muscle.

People who wake up early also tend to have regular sleeping habits which means less stress and more time for your skin to rejuvenate.

Additionally, there was an interesting study from the University of Stockholm that found that those who appeared tired are also more likely to be perceived as unhealthy and less attractive.

“It’s easier to wake up early and work out than it is to look in the mirror each day and not like what you see.”
– Jayne Cox

6. Increased Energy

Better rest equals more energy. And early risers generally have better sleep patterns than night owls. Better sleep habits mean more restful sleep and deeper sleep cycles. This means you’ll be more energetic throughout the day, helping you accomplish your goals and tasks in a faster and more productive manner.

7. Become More Organized

One of the benefits of waking up early is that you will have more time to focus on your goals and plan out your day without being interrupted. Simply having some extra time in the morning allows you to get everything done in an orderly and organized manner.

8. Increased Productivity

One of the biggest benefits of waking up early is increased productivity. In fact, Most successful people report that they’re up at 5 am, or even earlier.

A 2008 study found that early risers didn’t procrastinate as much as people who stayed up later. This statement shouldn’t come as a surprise since they’re proactive and have more quiet time in the morning to complete tasks.

Additionally, not only do brains tend to be most alert in the morning, you tend to make better decisions and think more clearly in the morning than in the afternoon and evening.

9. Start A Morning Routine

One of the best benefits of waking up early is that you can create and stick to a morning routine that will allow you do focus on your mental, physical and spiratual growth.

Whether that means focusing on your goals, reading books, exercising, journaling…and did I mention the benefits of meditation yet?

Having a set morning routine allows to you focus time on the things that really matter to you in the present and the long term.

“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.”
– Lemony Snicket

10. Easier Commute

One of the benefits of waking up early is a hassle-free commute. Waking up early allows you to leave earlier and beat the traffic which will save you time. It also gives you some buffer time in case of unexpected accidents and traffic jams on days when you must be on time. It may even give you the opportunity to cycle or walk to work.

Taking your time on the way to work lowers your stress over time management, and gives you the opportunity to relax and think about the rest of your day.

11. Enjoy The Sunrise

Almost everyone gets enjoy the sunset but people who wake up late miss one of the greatest feats of nature, repeated each and every morning – the rise of the sun. Whether you’re exercising, reading or simply relaxing, experiencing it together with the sunrise is a great way to greet the day. A benefit exclusive to early risers.

12. Quiet Time

The early morning hours are so peaceful and quiet. I love waking up at 5 AM and having a few hours to myself without any distractions or interruptions. It’s a good time to think, to journal, to read, to meditate and simply have time for yourself before the world happens.

In fact, some of my favorite days are when I walk to the gym while its still dark outside, find that I have the entire gym to myself and then walk back when the sun has risen.

When you start waking up early I’m sure you’ll enjoy this time to yourself so much you’ll never go back to waking up late.

“Wake up early everyday so that while others are still dreaming, you can make your dreams come true.”
– Hal Elrod

13. More Family Time

Waking up early will give you more time to spend with those you love in a relaxed setting. You’ll have time to enjoy a family breakfast in the morning and you’ll also find that because you’ve gotten all your important work and exercise out of the way in the morning you’ll have more time to spend with you family or significant other in the evenings.

14. Better Grades

According to studies done within the US and Europe concerning university students, those who rose earlier in the morning scored significantly higher on exams, and consistently kept a higher average GPA than their night owl counterparts.

In fact, in a 2008 Texas University study, college students who identified themselves as “morning people” earned a full point higher on their GPAs than those who were “night owls” (3.5 vs. 2.5).

15. Positive Outlook

By now you know that if you wake up early you will also tend to go to bed early and far more likely to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep.

Various studies have shown that morning people exhibit character traits like optimism, being agreeable, satisfaction and conscientiousness. Night owls, while linked with creativity and intelligence, are more likely to exhibit traits like depression, pessimism and being neurotic.

In fact, a study in 2014 determined that people who go to bed later are more likely to be overwhelmed with repetitive negative thoughts.

16. More Proactive

In a study of 367 university students, biologist Christoph Randler found that what they say is true – the early bird really does get the worm.

He discovered that early risers are more proactive. They were more likely to agree with statements like “I spend time identifying long-range goals for myself” and “I feel in charge of making things happen.”

“Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them, my survey showed. They’re proactive. A number of studies have linked this trait, proactivity, with better job performance, greater career success, and higher wages.”

This makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? When you wake up at 4 AM or 5 AM it’s because you’re proactively attacking the day. You’re on offense, not defense.

“Wake up early and tackle the day before it tackles you. Be on offense, not defense.”
– Evan Carmichael

17. Solve Problems

One of the main benefits of waking up early is having more uninterrupted time to focus on your life and this gives you the opportunity to be proactive and plan ahead of time.

As Christoph Randler’s research above shows “Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them.” Another study showed that while sleep disruption leads to more pessimistic thoughts, a good night’s rest helps you deal with problems and improves problem-solving.

18. Increased Confidence

When it comes to success, confidence matters. Building skills and habits that make you feel better about yourself makes your life better in general. When you start waking up early to exercise, to meditate, to read, to focus on your goals or to work on your business the actions and progress you make will give you confidence.

On top of that, human beings are wired to compare ourselves to others. You and I both do it constantly. So, instead of doing it in a negative way why not find ways to feel like you’re better — not intrinsically, but behaviorally — than other people.

Let me tell you from experience, it’s a great feeling when I walk to the gym before the sunrise and when everyone else is still in bed. It gives me a sense that I am doing something that the majority of people aren’t and that I’m getting ahead.

19. Better Career Opportunities

Whether you’re loving your current career or desperately trying to get out of it, waking up early in the morning can help you be productive with your work. If you can just have an hour or two of complete silence to focus on your work, you will be amazed at what you can get done. This is will open the door to new projects and opportunities.

Alternatively, if you don’t love your job, you can use your best hours in the morning learning new skills, looking for other jobs or building a business.

Gary Vaynerchuck is famous for saying work on your side hustle from 7 PM to 2 AM after your job and honestly, if you want it that bad you’ll probably make it happen.

But is that practical? Is that the best time? When you’ll potentially be feeling exhausted, your will power spent for the day and have other commitments, family, kids, and all that waiting for you at home? Doesn’t it make even more sense to wake up at 4 AM or 5 AM, when you have zero distractions to focus on your side hustle when you’re full of energy and at your most alert and creative?

20. Become A Better Leader

Is it any surprise why most of the world’s greatest leaders and billionaires are early risers?

Richard Branson, Howard Schultz, Tim Cook, and Oprah Winfrey are only a few names on a long list of leaders who wake up early. When you’re a leader you have greater responsibility and leading by example is usually best.

According to Christopher Randler, a biology professor at the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany, “When it comes to business success, morning people hold the important cards.” Randler added, “Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them.”

Randler’s work also discovered that early-risers tended to be more persistent, cooperative, agreeable, and conscientious. These are all positive traits that leaders and successful possess since they make them more likable, disciplined, appreciative, and eager to learn.

“I never knew a man come to greatness or eminence who lay abed late in the morning.”
– Johnathan Swift

21. Better Mental Health

All these benefits put together lay the foundation for better mental health. Engaging in physical exercise, having confidence, decreasing your stress, and improving your sleep are all critical components to your psychological well being.

Mental health experts have tied healthy sleep habits to a happier and healthier mind. Going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier is linked to having a more stable personality while staying up late and sleeping in can lead to the development of depression.

Is waking up early for everyone?

You may have read all the benefits of waking up early and thought surely its a no-brainer. Being an early riser simply makes sense if I want to live a healthier, happier and more successful life. The health benefits of waking up early alone should make it an easy decision.

Some people will say it doesn’t matter what time you wake up or go to sleep, it only matters what do during the time you’re awake. Other research is starting to show that some people are biologically more likely to feel more alert in the morning, while others are at their best at night. Does that mean being a morning person could be genetic? Maybe, but your genes don’t determine your destiny. Your body and mind have an incredible ability to adapt.

Ultimately it comes down to what you feel is best for you and your lifestyle.

If you want to know how to become an early riser then check out my foolproof method: How To Wake Up Early.

Summary: Benefits Of Waking Up Early

The benefits of waking up early are well research and there are several studies that demonstrate the advantages that early risers have over their night owl counterparts. If you’re lacking the motivation to become a morning person then remind yourself of these benefits of waking up early:

1. Improved Sleep
2. Better Health
3. Time to exercise
4. Healthier eating
5. Become more attractive
6. Increased energy
7. Become more organized
8. Increased productivity
9. Start a morning routine
10. Easier commute
11. Enjoy the sunrise
12. Quiet time
13. More family time
14. Better grades
15. Positive outlook
16. More proactive
17. Solve problems
18. Increased confidence
19. Better career opportunities
20. Become a better leader
21. Better mental health

Are you ready to experience the benefits of waking up early?