Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The joy of waking up early.


Are you a morning person?

I know that for some of you, waking up early is such a struggle. But the morning tug-of-war begins with turning in late at night. That said, maybe it helps to sleep early. I am aware though that for most of us, the bulk of our relaxation time comes in during late evenings after work, or when the kids are already in bed. We unwind by going on the net, having late dinners with the spouse, a movie before bedtime, etc.

Waking up early before everybody does has its plus though, and it’s worth the try! Check out what i have enjoyed:

Enjoy quiet time with myself. While the sunlight is slowly streaming through the windows, I can have a cup of coffee or tea and just sit quietly on the couch, not thinking of anything at all, just enjoying the calming bliss of that moment. Connecting with myself first thing in the morning can be refreshing.

Calm my nerves. Getting out of bed is typically followed by my routine of heating water, taking a shower, dressing up, feeding the cats, rushing to work. Damn, it feels connecting the dots under time pressure! This time though, I have been able to pace the chores in a gentle manner. There is no need to panic as there is more than enough time for me to get everything together.

Eat a good breakfast. Instead of eating breakfast at work, or worse, skipping the meal (like I always do), I am able to prepare a healthy, filling morning meal. Better yet, I am able to enjoy every morsel of it. No quick munches on food, no big gulps of water to wash it down. It was a breakfast date with myself that I thoroughly enjoy.

However, the school break and my wrecked laptop at the office which had me writing post at night, had sent me back to my old ways. My mornings were panicky again and I completely forgot about the beauty of those morning moments with myself.

And then I stumbled upon a post in Zen Habits called 10 Benefits of Rising Early and How to Do It. The entry talked of how getting up earlier is good for us, and shared tips on how to achieve that morning nirvana. While reading it, the memory of that early morning sunlight came back to me, and I resolved to greet the morning earlier than usual again.

It starts tomorrow.

Are you a morning person? Do you enjoy quiet times in the morning?

14 comments:

ADMIN said...

I am a morning person. I just naturally wake up at about 4 am every day.

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

Mimi,
Even during school break? And what do you do then?
xoxoxo

ADMIN said...

I still wake up at 4 am, have coffee, check emails, blog a little,read, sit outside, relax, and listen to the birds chirp around 5 am, and do some housework and laundry, go for a walk, water the flowers, just relaxing little things. It is annoying because there is no place open and I can't really do any errands or go anyplace. If that were different, I'd really enjoy getting everything done early.I do enjoy the quiet, though. I know, it's not the norm but it's my internal alarm and I feel better not fighting it. I always wanted to be a night owl, but it's just not me.

MEDICALBOOBOOS said...

What you describe sounds awesome, alas I am a night person. I love the nights and stay up way to late. How I wish I could be an early riser, although winter makes it hard, the warmth of my bed, and electric blanket is just to tempting!!!
Love
Kirst
xoxox

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

Kirst,
actually, after the boys had left for school, i will still find myself with an hour to kill. so i will head back to bed and watch the early morning news, and in so doing i would doze off again!!
it seems everytime my back touches the bed, my mind would automatically shut off, hahaha!

Tracey said...

I'm a morning person, & a night person, sleep is for sissies! LOL
xxxxxxxxxx

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

Tracey,
NOOO, sleep is bliss!!! i wonder if you grow fangs at night... *teeth clicking*
hahahah!
xoxoxoxo

Tracey said...

Paul calls me a bat!!!!! xxx

Angry American said...

Getting up early is only good for those of you who's biological clock is set to get you up early. For night owls like myself, sticking with the body clock my genes have set for me is healthier.

There were finally studies that have shown there are two groups who are naturally hardwired one way or the other: Morning people and night people. So far, neither one has been shown to be more "healthy" than the other.

If anything, those who have to keep up with the mind numbing, nurve frazzling insanity of things like rush hour traffic are much more stressed out and in need of down time each night. Most of my jobs were 2nd shift, or started in the afternoons ever since high school.

Nothing is more relaxing to me after punching out at work (sometimes wishing it was a boss or co-worker I had punched out) than driving home at night. I don't have all the retards driving around like Taz, cutting people off and almost causing accidents. All this just so they can get home in a hurry to watch Oprah or Dr. Phil or some other garbage like that.

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

AA,
I only rush home during the american idol season - does that count???
i know your a nucturial sleeper, you sleep in the morning and is fully awake all evening. maybe you can stand in for Stich to keep tracey company! but you will wake up the people in the house with your crazy laughter!!!
xoxoxoxo

Sid Brechin said...

Usually if I am up very early it is really a case being up to late to go to bed now. After most of my working life being on Afternoon shifts which ended at 2AM or the Night shift which ended at 7AM I am not an anything person. Sleep where you fall was almost a way of life in the Infantry Rank doesn't mean much when you have a command because you are always with your men.

However two excellent ways to wake suddenly bright eyed and busy tailed is to have a Sergent Major screaming at you in Basic Training or Explosives going off on Exercise. I had two friends both also Lieutenants and Platoon Commanders ( same rank and job as me ) who had a habit of waking taking two tablespoons of instant coffee and washing them down with warm water from their canteens. More wound up then a Mongose on Meth.
I went to the site you recommended and downloaded several of his articles. They are keepers. You write ponderers, or ones that make you think. Mine are mostly of the warning do not drink coffee while reading kind. I wrote 2 today the second is an inspiration to all with disabilities scroll down as that is my 3rd story on Rick

bubble said...

NOOO...i am not a morning person. I can sleep for hours but as i said before i have trouble going to sleep so therefore i am up late and i guess the morphine and other meds dont help so i would sleep all day if i could lol!

hope your ok, i will catch up with you on that imvu thing soon.

Amy xxxxxxxx

Odette Bautista Mikolai said...

Sid,
you can sleep as long as you want, when you want. retirement gives you pleasure to do as you pleased. but think of waking up to the chirping of the birds and the cool sea breeze... only in the phil!!
xoxoxoxo

Mar G said...

Hey Odette :-)
Thanks for all your lovely comments!
I'm a bit of a night & morning person just now...I'm getting a bit like Tracey the bat ;-) Lol
Before my surgery I was sleeping constantly due to all the medication I was taking...After surgery I am only sleeping for 4 hours at a time, as I waken up & need to change position or go to the loo :-/ I am however falling asleep now on my own (not drug induced) & I am getting up earlier & feeling brighter in the mornings!

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