It can seem sometimes that waking up in the morning is the absolute worst part of the day, leaving us sleepy and groggy-eyed as we try to meet the coming day. While it is true that a person’s productivity increases exponentially when they wake at an early hour after a fitful sleep, that just isn’t a good enough reason for many of us to rise with the sun. There are many great benefits to waking early in the day and I’m going to share six of my favorites.

1.       Quiet Time

We all crave it but many of us are able to get it only on rare occasions and rising early is a perfect way to be sure that you have a few quiet moments to yourself before you attack your day. Setting your alarm for an early hour guarantees that children are still sleeping, electronics are still turned off and your environment is basically distraction free, if only for a few moments.

2.       Power Breakfast

We’ve all heard it said a hundred times or more: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown over and over how the brain simply functions much better when you give your body fuel in the morning. In today’s fast-paced society far too many people skip breakfast altogether, leaving their bodies running on empty. Getting up early ensures that you’ll have time to eat a healthy breakfast every morning, helping you to feel more balanced and productive throughout your day.

3.       Get a Head Start

Have a busy day ahead? Wake up early get a head start! You’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish first thing in the morning when the mind and body are fresh and you might just get enough done that you can take an early day by completing your tasks sooner than usual.

4.       Get Pumped

Early mornings are an excellent time to exercise, practice yoga and meditate in solace, giving you a head start on your day and getting the task of working out completed. Simply waking up 30 minutes earlier than usual and committing the time to gradually stretching and training will make a huge difference to the way you feel, and the way you look!

5.       Plan & Create Your Day

If you have a busy day ahead of you, plan to rise early and put pen to paper in setting goals, planning a schedule and getting a head start where possible. Be mindful of the experiences that you would like to have as you go through the day and prepare yourself for all possibilities and situations. This type of planning will help you to tackle the day with ease, taking things in stride while being as productive as possible.

6.       The Sunrise

Watching the sun rise over the horizon and lazily make its way across the sky in the morning is as thrilling an experience as you’ll ever have. Rising early allows you to step outside and truly enjoy and appreciate the rising of the sun and gives you the opportunity to greet the day in its purest and most stunning form.

photo by neloqua

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