IS WAKING UP AT 5 AM HEALTHY? THE ANSWER MAY SURPRISE YOU…

It’s no surprise that you’re wondering, “Is waking up at 5 AM healthy?”

After all, there are hundreds of interviews with highly successful people, millionaires, and CEOs that include mention of “waking up early”. Some of these people wake up as early as 4 AM or operate on 4-5 hours of sleep per night. So it stands to reason that if you did the same, you could probably get more done during the day.

But I’m glad you took the time to ask “Is waking up at 5 AM healthy?” because the truth is that the benefits don’t necessarily outweigh the risks.

That’s right: there are health risks to waking up TOO early, just like there are risks of sleeping in too late.

Below, I want to take the time to look at both the arguments for and against waking up at 5 AM. We’ll look at the scientific data to get a clearer picture of just how good (or bad) an idea it is to wake up so early.

Is Waking Up At 5 AM Healthy? The Pros:

• You have time for exercise first thing in the morning. Exercising right after waking up can rev up your metabolism and activate your natural fat-burning mechanisms, helping your body to more effective regulate fat absorption and storage throughout the day. A faster metabolism first thing in the morning can also burn through your breakfast quickly and give you more energy through lunch time. Pair it with a quick power nap during your lunch break, and you’ve got the recipe for a productive day.

• Less stress first thing in the morning. If you wake up late, you often feel the urge to rush out the door because you have too little time to do everything you need to. High levels of stress will elevate your cortisol levels, which will translate into higher blood pressure, lower immunity, and widespread inflammation—all nasty side effects. Less stress, especially first thing in the morning, is always a good thing!

• You’ll train your body to a sleep schedule.  Because you’re waking up at the same time every day, you’ll adapt your body to a specific sleep schedule, which will help it to fall asleep and wake up more efficiently over time. It may not be an easy schedule to stick to at first, but once your body is trained, you will have far less trouble waking up early.

• More quiet, less noise. First thing in the morning, the world is quieter, so you can enjoy being outdoors with less noise pollution to elevate your stress levels. Whether you run, train at the gym, walk in the park, or just sit on your porch with a cup of coffee, reduced noise pollution in the early morning is excellent for your cognitive and endocrine health.

• No traffic. Very few people are out on the streets at 5 AM, so you’ll find that you can enjoy a calm, relaxing drive on very empty streets. Find yourself a gym near your office, and you’ve got the recipe for the perfect active morning. Plus, with fewer cars out and about, there’s less vehicle pollution and smog to fill your lungs.

• More time to plan and prepare. Waking up at 5 AM gives you an extra hour or two every morning to plan for your day and make any necessary preparations. Whether for work or your home life, that additional time is absolutely valuable, and well worth the discomfort of waking up early.

Is Waking Up At 5 AM Healthy? The Cons

• May decrease happiness. In one Gallup poll, it was discovered that “getting enough sleep” was linked to happiness. People who lacked sleep were most prone to being unhappy. If your trying to wake up earlier interferes with your sleep quality, the result could be decreased happiness.

• May impair productivity.  If you’re tired, your concentration suffers and your brain has a harder time being creative, focusing, and making decisions. For the time it takes you to train your body to wake up earlier, you may find you are less productive because of how tired you are.

• May go against your natural body clock.  Not everyone is created to wake up early. Everyone has a “chronotype” that dictates how their bodies regulate their sleep/wake cycle. Some people tend to rise with the sun, while others are more productive at night. For these people, waking up at 5 AM will go against their nature and could interfere with their ability to sleep.

• May increase sleep difficulties. People who suffer from insomnia or sleep disturbances may find it hardest to fall asleep at night, but sleep best during the early hours of the morning. This isn’t always the case, but sleep difficulties can make any sleep challenging. If you take away another hour of precious sleep, it could exacerbate any existing problems.

Is Waking Up at 5 AM Healthy: The Answer

The truth is that there is no “one size fits all” answer to sleep problems. Some people will have no trouble adjusting their schedules to wake up an hour earlier, provided they fall asleep an hour earlier, too. Others will struggle and never truly adapt, no matter how hard they try.

In the end, it comes down to what feels right for you. Give it a try and see how you feel after 3-4 weeks of going to bed and waking up earlier. Use that extra hour of morning to be productive or fit in a workout, and monitor your body for any changes—positive or negative.

It takes time to develop (or change) sleep habits, so you need to be patient. Around the 1-month mark, that’s when you’ll get a better sense for how effective waking up at 5 AM feels for you.

And, of course, if you need a helping hand falling asleep or staying asleep at night, PureSleep can be the solution you need. The organic supplement contains all-natural ingredients that will help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply throughout the night—ultimately leading you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead!