wellness
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
A study published in the Journal of Applied
Social Psychology says that morning people
are more proactive than people with an
evening-based chronotype. Rising at 4.30am
allows you even more time to make use of
that productive energy.
Every day, Joy Fairhall, psychologist and
founder of Mind, Body, Joy in Melbourne, gets
up at 3am and has done for over 20 years.
Her early starts came about because she was
naturally waking at that time and figured it
was better to go with her own body clock than
adhere to a social norm that didn’t work for
her. But is 3am a bit too early?
Bedtime for Fairhall is between 9 and 10pm
which means she gets around 6 hours’ sleep a
night. But if you pushed that alarm call back an
hour and a half to 4.30am, you’d be spot on for
the recommended 7.5 hours sleep a night.YOU’LL FEEL BETTER
“Research shows rising early causes people to
develop less mental health issues,” says Julie
Sweet, clinical counsellor and psychotherapist
at Seaway Counselling in Bondi Junction. “It’s
not a quick fix for treating depression and
anxiety, but it is a protective factor and has a
relevant causal link that can’t be ignored.”
“When some people hear 4.30am they
shriek, yet early rising can be attained,” says
Sweet. “It’s something that can be taught and
become part of our conditioning.” Kylie Jenner
and Jennifer Aniston are both said to rise at
4.30am to meditate, and Michelle Obama is up
at that time sweating it out at the gym, so if you
reset your alarm you’ll be in good company.
Evenif youhavea familyandbusyworklife,
it’spossible.Andthebenefitsaretangible.NODISTRACTIONS
VictoriaJacono-Gilmovich,founderofthe
InnerWestInstituteofMusic,getsupat
4.30ameverydayandlovesit.“Asa business
ownerandmotheroftwothisgivesmetimeto
exercise,practiseviolinandprepmealsby5.30
or6amwhentherestofmyfamilyrises.”What
Jacono-Gilmovichlovesisthatherearlystarts
don’tcutintotherestofherday.Instead,it
allowshertobeaspresentaspossibleforher
familyduringtheirwakinghours.
Whatdoessheloveaboutit?“Thereareno
distractionssuchasincomingmessagesfromclients, conversations and also no kids
running around. The house is silent which
helps me focus so much easier,” she says.FROM OWL TO LARK
For many, waking that early only occurs
when you’re jetlagged or consumed with
worrying thoughts. But what if choosing to
get up earlier made you less likely to worry?
One of the largest ever studies by University
of Exeter in UK found that people with a
morning tendency have a lower risk of
depression. And even if your tendency is to
stay up late it is possible to reboot your
sleep cycles and reap the benefits – but give
it time. Just like when you travel to another
timezone, there will be a natural adjustment
period of around 3-10 days.
Sweet encourages many of her patients
to rise at 4.30am because she knows the
mental health benefits. “So many of my
clients repeatedly talk of how they need
independence, how they never get a chance
to stop, how they are desperately wanting
‘me time’. But when you wake up early, you
can have just that – uninterrupted time.”DAMN EARLY DAYS
If you’re serious about getting up with the
birds but feel unsure about doing it solo,
Damn Early Days (DED) is an online course
and community that helps to wake up the
morning mogul within you. For $US21
(approx. $AU30) per month it’s a great way
to kickstart your new habit. The aim of DED
is to use those early hours for productivity.
OnMondaytoFridayyou’llgetsenta daily
check-inreminderthathelpsyoustay
accountabletothegoalsyou’veset.Withan
extra4.5hoursupyoursleeve– assuming
youstartworkat9am– imaginewhatyou
couldachieve.
Fairhallsuggeststhebestthingyoucan
dowhenyousetyouralarmearlierisdoall
thethingsyousayyoudon’thavetimefor.
“Byrisingearlyyou’llhaveextrapersonal
timeandmorequalitysleep.”Forstarters,
youcouldsqueezeinthatworkout.Andthat
courseyou’vebeentalkingaboutstudying
orbookyousayyouwanttowrite?You’llbe
pleasedtoknow,a studypublishedinthe
JournalofPhysiologystatesthatourbrains
areattheirmostcreativeuponwaking.While early
risers will gain
extra hours in
the day they
need to adjust
their bedtime to
ensure they’re
getting optimal
sleep.IT’SNOTABOUTLESSSLEEP
Resettingyourbedtimeisjustasbeneficialaschoosingtoriseearlier.If you’rea nightowl,
Fairhalladvisesyouadjustyourbodyclockinsmallincrements,startingwithanearlier
bedtime.“Thebestwayistotrygoingtobed 15 minutesearlier,”shesays.“So,insteadof
goingtobedat11.30pm,gotobedat11.15pm.”Sheaddsthatif youdothatforoneweek,
continuallyreducingyourbedtimeby 15 minutes,you’llfindrisingearlierwillbecome
easierand“willsoonbecomea habit”.Withallthatextratimeupyoursleeve,youwon’tfeel
asrushed– orstressed.Sowhynotmakea pactwithyourselftotryit foroneweek.50%
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