I Enjoy Waking Up at 7:30AM?! Why I Changed My Sleep Schedule

In the beginning of the school year, I realized pretty quickly that I would have to make some adjustments to my sleep schedule. Since coming to university, I had gone to bed at 1am or 2am every night and woken up at 9am or 10am. Sometimes I stretched this even later, often pulling all-nighters and getting minimal sleep. But this year, I realized I had early morning classes and meetings almost every day, so I’d have to learn how to wake up early. Fast forward a couple weeks, I’ve been loving going to bed at 11:30pm and waking up at 7:30am (which is CRAZY for me!) Apart from changing my sleep schedule so I could make classes on time, I decided to change my sleeping habits for a couple important reasons, which have all really payed off. 

1. I can focus better on work

Even though it may not seem very significant, changing my sleep schedule has made a huge difference in my health and happiness. First, changing my sleep schedule allows me to work much more productively. I find that when I wake up in the morning, I’m energized and ready to get things done. I also don’t have a lot on my mind, and I’m ready to absorb information and concentrate. Because of this, doing work early in the morning is always super productive for me. Waking up early allows me to do a couple of hours of work before class and get an early start on my day, which keeps me productive and positive. 

2)    I can look after my mental health In the night, going to bed early is also super good for my mental health. I don’t know about you, but for me, problems that I think about in the middle of the night often seem a lot worse, probably because I’m tired and alone. Because of this, late at night was definitely when my mental health would be worse and I would often spiral. Going to bed early allows me to avoid this entire time of the day. I can then spend my time sleeping and looking after my body, instead of staying up late and stressing myself out.  3)   I can look after my physical health Changing my sleep schedule has also ensured that I get eight hours of sleep per night. Because I’ve had to make a conscious effort to go to bed at 11:30pm, I always get to wake up at 7:30am and get a full eight hours of sleep per night. This is great for reminding me that even if I have a lot of work to do, closing the books and getting eight hours of sleep is always worth it for my health and happiness. Plus, when I’m well rested, I’m able to get much more work done the next day! 

What sleep schedule works best for you? Let me know in the comments below!