Getting Up Early vs. Getting Enough Sleep

In our endless pursuit of productivity we often tend to focus on what will help us get the most done, as opposed to what will help us feel our best. Nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to sleep. Odds are you don’t need any statistics to come to the conclusion that generally speaking, we, as a society, don’t get enough sleep. It’s only natural, of course, when trying to get as much done as possible, sleep tends to be the first thing to be sacrificed. Such is the case when it comes to waking up early to get a productive day started.

We’ve long heard that “the early bird gets the worm,” and really, there’s a number of advantages to getting up early in order to get a productive day started. Waking up early, especially when done consistently, is a great way to get into a productive morning routine, to exercise before the start of a work day, or even just to take some time for ourselves. But do all of these advantages outweigh the benefits of a solid 7-8 hours of sleep?

The fact of the matter is that insufficient sleep can lead to serious cognitive decline. Insufficient sleep can impact our ability to form new memories, can have adverse effects on concentration, and can even increase the risk of certain diseases, including heart disease. It’s ultimately up to you to decide what’s best for your body, but when it comes to getting up early vs. getting enough sleep, odds are even your body will tell you to favor sleep at some point or another.

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Easy Steps to a Healthier Routine

Most of us have a routine that revolves around work or school, and oftentimes it’s far too easy to let that routine get a little unbalanced or completely out of control. Hectic schedules and stressful days can have a negative impact on our health, so here are three easy steps to achieve a healthier daily routine.

Wake up at the same time every morning. Our bodies function on a circadian rhythm that sets our sleep cycles, waking up at the same time every morning regardless of what time we go to bed may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually helps regulate sleep and prevent those sleepless nights.

Plan out meals for the week. It may be difficult to find the time to cook every day, but fast food and vending machine snacks certainly don’t do us any favors. Batch cooking is a great way to ensure healthy meals all throughout the week, and packing some fruits and vegetables to replace salty and sugary snacks will go a long way to help overall health.

Keep work at work. If you work a 9-5, try to make sure you only work from 9 to 5, and when you punch the clock, try to leave anything work-related behind you. Work can be a major source of stress, and taking that stress home with us at the end of the day never helps. Consider a reset, perhaps a good audiobook on the commute home!

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