I hope you were able to put last week’s tips on how to sleep better and make your night’s rest dreamier to the test with good results. This week I want to follow up on that.
When it comes to productivity and being successful, you’ve probably heard the saying, “The early bird catches the worm,” meaning of course that as a morning person, 
you get a jump on the day and achieve your goals. But what about if you are not a morning person or cannot be one because of work or simply because staying up late helps you to get things accomplished?
What is best? Rising early or working late? Here are the top benefits of each:
Rising early
Ben Franklin was said to have brought this saying into common usage: “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” It became the mantra for waking up early, though back in the 1700s when he popularized it, it said nothing about women who woke up “before bird’s wife.” The thinking behind this local saying was that the early bird was only successful because his wife woke first and helped him get started. But we are going for gender neutrality here so the benefits of being an early riser would include:
- Productivity: In general, people feel they get more accomplished with an early start. It has been argued too that getting tasks completed early in the day frees up the evenings for quality time with family and friends and of course early bedtime.
- Exercise: Exercising in the morning before breakfast is well known to have many health benefits, including activating the body’s natural ability to burn more fat. Another benefit is an increased metabolic rate throughout the day.
- Rituals: The quiet of the early morning is perfect for meditation and goal-setting particularly if you are part of a large family or if you live in a noisy area. It offers quiet time to connect with self before the day gets crazy.
- Better sleep: Chances are that if you’re waking up early, you’re going to sleep early and at a scheduled time. Having a sleep routine helps set the body’s internal clock making it easier to go to sleep and wake up at regular times.
Being a night owl
On the flip side, there are many people who function better after sundown. Notable night owls include Charles Darwin and Winston Churchill (in history) and President Barack Obama and Bob Dylan (present day). It has been said that creative people are often night owls. Here are a few benefits of burning the midnight oil:
- Flexibility: Not every job is a typical 9-5. Many professionals (such as entertainers) work well into the night. Sometimes night shifts offer higher rates of pay.
- Productivity: Night owls can put in longer hours. When early birds start drooping, a night owl can usually find a second gear to tap into.
- Networking: Night people are able to interact with others in different time zones easier than a morning person. This can also be beneficial for after-hours networking events or volunteer opportunities offered after normal business hours.
- Exercise: A good evening run, yoga, weights or a game of squash, tennis, or basketball would be ideal for expelling office stress and helping you wind down to read a book or update your blog before bed.
Get your rest
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, adequate rest is critical. A lack of sleep (or sleep deprivation) is associated with the following health risks:
– Memory issues
– Moodiness
– Depression
– Weakened immune system
– Increased susceptibility to colds and flu
– Heart disease
– Type 2 diabetes
– High blood pressure
Some people like me are early risers, while others prefer to stay up well past midnight. In either case, make sure to get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep to be at your best. Your body will thank you.
Stay tuned, friends. If you have fitness goals and need personal training or meal plans I can help! Serious enquiries only. Email now to emmersoncampbell@gmail.com or call 661-5954.
