29 Aug Are you an early riser?

Sakhr ibn al-Ghamidi reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Allah, bless my nation in their early morning.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī]

How blessed to know that Allah’s beloved prayed for our mornings to be blessed!

Are you an early bird? If so, good for you! If you’re not, you might want to consider trying out a new schedule. There are a lot of advantages to being an early riser.

Studies show that early birds are generally more productive and healthier.

It’s a great way to live. All you have to do is get up a couple of hours earlier. The benefits are worth the momentary discomfort each morning.

Still not convinced? Read on…

See why the early bird really does get the worm:

It’s healthier. It’s been found that the sleep patterns of those that get up early are healthier. You might live longer by being an early bird. Spending less money on medical care is another bonus.
 

You’ll be at a healthier weight. On the average, early birds are leaner than night owls. Maybe it’s the late-night snacking that many night owls like to do.
 

You’re more focused. There are fewer distractions early in the morning. You can get more done by having a greater level of focus. There’s no one around to intrude on your time.
 

You can enjoy the morning. When you have a few hours before you need to leave for work, you can take your time and enjoy the morning. See the sunrise. Listen to the birds. Enjoy a cup of coffee without being rushed. Relax while everyone else is rushing to get ready for work.
 

You may get more accomplished. You could use the extra time to pray, read, write, exercise, journal, or get started on your work for the day. Studies show that early risers are significantly more productive.

You build willpower. It’s not easy to get up when you know you have time to sleep for another hour or three. It can be a bit of a challenge to get up earlier than necessary each day. However, the willpower you develop can be applied to other aspects of your life.

If you’re not someone that naturally likes to get up in the morning, there’s still hope. The key is to alter your bedtime and wake-up time a little at a time. Fifteen minutes each day is doable and sustainable. Or you could adjust by 15 minutes and keep that schedule for a week. The next week, add another 15 minutes. And so on.

Shifting your schedule to a couple hours earlier will change your life in so many positive ways.

Consider how you spend the last two hours of your evening with your current schedule. Those hours might be fun, but they’re probably not productive. Imagine adding two hours of productivity, enjoyment, and reflection into each day of your life.

There are so many advantages to being an early riser that it would likely benefit you to at least give it a try. Avoid assuming that it would never work for you. You might be pleasantly surprised!