Life tip #2: Go to bed early & wake up early
This is a tough one for me (especially when I don’t have something urgent in the early morning), but I feel so much better when I go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I feel as though the entire day is ahead of me and somehow I’m well rested almost every time. The problem is when I don’t sleep well and then I sleep in. But now that I’ve told you this, I won’t have any more excuses… it’s out in the open!
I’m no scientist, but I’m also sure that our bodies are intended to wake with the sun and sleep with the moon. This doesn’t mean I’m saying we should all wake up exactly when the sun comes out and go to sleep as soon as it gets dark (I’d have to be getting ready for bed right now if that were the case). I’m going to stick to eight hours of sleep and go to sleep as early as possible (for me that’s usually midnight these days). I’ve read so many times that it’s important to keep the same schedule so I’ll stick to this on weekends as well. I’m sure a ton of you are thinking what?! about what my sleeping must be like before this tip, but I do love my sleep… it’s up there among a few of my favorite things.
I quite like how this image came out. The original bed frame is from Shawn Lovell Metalworks and is exactly what I would love my bed to look like (maybe some day). I love bed frames that look like trees. As for the sheets, they are originally Urban Outfitters (I chose my favorite of the bedding they have available now).
31 January 2011 / Health, Misc. or Me
Tags: life tip
Comments
31 January 2011 - 10:28 pm
I’m totally like that – I feel WAY much better waking up early but I just love sleeping late too much. I tried to become a morning person and thought it was working for awhile! But alas…it wasn’t:)
1 February 2011 - 12:13 am
Rachel – That sounds a lot like me minus the getting up at 10am after being up till 3am. I used to go to sleep at 5am and get up at 10:30am. Crazy! I don’t know how I managed, ha! At least you can see the major benefits of getting up early and going to sleep early. Some days it seems like no big deal, but it definitely does take its toll! I hope you’re back onto a good sleeping schedule now!
Simone – Welcome back! Very true and thanks for commenting! 🙂
Krystal – Haha.. I’m hoping this time it sticks with me. I just get so much more done when I wake up early. I’m going to try and go to sleep earlier and earlier each day till I reach a better pattern. I used to want to get up early to read, but that would just put me back in bed, ha! I’ll always be a nightowl at heart, too.
1 February 2011 - 1:02 am
I definitely follow this advice. I’m in bed by 10pm and up by 5am every day. I love that quiet time in the morning and watching the sun light come in through the windows as I work.
1 February 2011 - 1:12 am
Wow, Brandi! 5am.. goodness gracious, ha! I’m already behind! I am heading to bed right now, I just saw your comments and wanted to reply and thank you! 🙂 That explains why your posts are some of the very first I see when I get online. I was wondering how that worked since I’m so many hours ahead of the US.
1 February 2011 - 12:26 pm
I used to be such a morning person but in winter I find it so hard to get up when the sun doesn’t start rising until 8-9am. It’s so cold and staying in bed is so inviting.
1 February 2011 - 12:48 pm
Clare – I think it’s perfectly okay to hibernate during the winter as long as that hibernation doesn’t take over your life and stay year-round, ha! At least the sun does rise for you; I’ve not see it for days here!
My mom made the comment that this bed doesn’t look like one you’d want to rise out of and I’d have to agree with her, ha! It’s be my favorite place to be.. day & night!
1 February 2011 - 7:44 pm
i really try hard to get to bed early (ie. before 2am), but it’s always a struggle. i’m a natural night owl!
1 February 2011 - 8:50 pm
Gloria – That sounds just like me, ha! 2am is always my okay.. time’s up, go to bed now mark.
2 February 2011 - 5:24 pm
This is a great tip!!! As soon as I read what it was, I was thinking, is she insane??? The earliest she gets to bed is maybe 1:00 am!!! lol But yes, I try to get up early every day!! I’m usually in bed by 11 and up by 8:00 am every morning (earlier if I have to work). But of course there are days I sleep in too!!! I hate sleeping in though. You are right, you DO feel refreshed if you wake up early and go to bed somewhat early too!! So you should try it 😉
2 February 2011 - 9:08 pm
Misty – I know, I know, but I’m really going to try! Tonight I plan on going to sleep at midnight. *crossing my fingers*
5 February 2011 - 5:16 pm
I would normally agree with you on this. But for the past week my school has been shut down due to the weather(so idk if that is caused this reaction) but I beem hanging out with friends till all hours of the morning and then getting up at, fine and rested, at 8 or 9. With the sun like you spoke of. Maybe I’m just excited to see what this next day would bring. Idk. But generally ifk its a boring work week I would need the 8. Night to sun hours to sleep.
5 February 2011 - 6:45 pm
April – I used to do that in Indiana but after a month or two I crashed and needed to take naps during the day all the time so it’s definitely not ideal. For me these days it doesn’t so much matter what time I go to sleep, but how well I sleep.. without disturbances like little cats walking around and meowing all the time, ha!
31 January 2011 - 5:58 pm
This is really hard for me, too. Since I’m teaching in the afternoon right now, I’ve been going to bed at 2 or 3am, and waking up at like 10am. NOT good for me, but it’s hard to switch your sleep schedule around. At one point over Christmas break I was sleep ALL day long and being awake ALL night. It was not fun if only for the fact that you’re basically stuck at home when you’re awake all night. No running or going anywhere, because everything is closed. Bummer.
xo,
Rachel
Grown Up Rachel