Should I Wake Up Earlier - Say 5am?

Many people including athletes, business people and myself included wake up at around 5am. However, just because one person does it doesn't mean you should too. People metabolism, sleep and eating habits are all different. So what is right for you? Below are some excerpts from a recent article in the Wall St. Journal written by Julie Jargon.

If you're a night owl and want to get stuff done and you try waking up at 5am you will be dog tired, depressed and self defeated. Each year more and more people are getting less sleep. Maybe it's because of social media, the numerous texts and emails and got to have it now mentality. According to a recent Gallop Poll last year, 20% of respondents said they get less than 5 hours of sleep a night. A decade ago it was 14% and back in 1942 it was just 3%. The ideal number of hours you need per night is 7-9 hours.

So what time should you wake up? There are a few factors to consider. Here are some questions to ask yourself;

1. Does it take a long time to wake up?

2. Do you feel you can get going immediately?

3. Do you need coffee or a soda to sustain your energy?

4. Do you sleep later on weekends?

Your ideal rise time is connected to your chronotype, your genetic predisposition to waking at a certain time. There are morning people and night people. 55-65% of people are "bears" or late morning people whose peak performance fall between 10am and 2pm. Approximately 15%-20% of the population are early birds - aka "larks" who naturally wake up between 6am and 6:30am. A small subset of larks are true 5am people. The other 15%-20% are "night owls".

It is possible, and often necessary to override your chronotype and other factors in order to perform caregiving duties or to get to work on time. The key is consistency. If you get up at 5am on weekdays and sleep in to 8am on weekends, you end up with a feeling akin to jet lag says Doug Kirsch, a North Carolina hospital medical director and past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

So tips to ensure an easy wake-up

1. Get morning sunlight exposure in the morning signals the brain to suppress melatonin and helps you feel awake. The first light also sets an internal timer for melatonin to be produced 14 hours later.

2. Consider a light gadget. If it's too dark when you get up, use a light box or an alarm clock that can increase light intensity as the morning unfolds.

3. Aim for morning workouts. Exercise increases your core body temperature, which is great for helping you wake up, but bad for getting to sleep; Your body temperature needs to drop for the sleep hormone melatonin to be produced.

So - be consistent in your bed time and wake time and aim for 7-9 hours.