Early Mornings vs Late Nights

By: Kara Joy Bragg

October 01, 2018

Category: Personal Goals

Mark 1:35, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.”

In the past, I have definitely had my share of late nights. Just a couple of years ago, I would’ve told you that my go-to time to get things done would be somewhere between 9:30pm and 1am. But as I’ve matured, I have come to realize that the best time to be proactive in getting things done is in the morning. Although staying up late is convenient, waking up early is better because your brain is able to function at its best after a good nights rest, and the mornings are a perfect time to mentally prepare for the day ahead.

Staying up late is a super easy habit to fall into. As a student with so many distractions in my life, I know how easy can be to and allow yourself to trade in your sleep time in order to get work done. I can’t count how many times in my life I’ve said, “Oh, I’ll just do that tonight when I get home”. But what about the times when I don’t get home until 9:30? I would argue that using the time in your day that should be designated for rest to get work done is detrimental to your health in the long run. Yes of course, sometimes you can’t help it, but I would encourage people to try and not make a habit of it.

Of course there is always the other side of this, where you may be staying up late for non-work related reasons. You may enjoy spending your nights mindlessly scrolling through social media, or binge-watching Netflix. I know I’ve been there. But once again, I would argue that spending your nights forcing your brain to work, especially when it doesn’t have to, is only going to hurt yourself. Your body needs rest, and by making a habit of depriving your body of that rest, you are keeping your body from being able to reach its full potential. I urge you to show your body the love and respect that it requires and deserves.

Mornings are a wonderful time to take initiative and get things done. It is after a full nights rest, that your brain is most ready to work and take on tasks. Not only that, but is much easier on yourself to get the bulk of your work done at the start of your day, that way you can allow your self to be lazy in the afternoon when you may no longer be in a productive mood. Now in no way am I promoting putting off your work until the morning before you need it to be done, this method of waking up early definitely requires you to plan ahead. Once you get that part down, then you will start to notice a difference in your stress level.

Mornings certainly aren’t just for getting work done though. They are also the perfect time to reflect and prepare for the day ahead. When my work schedule allows it, I like to spend my mornings journaling, meal prepping, stretching, or even cleaning. But most importantly, I like to use my mornings in prayer and spending time in God’s word. Whether I’m at my desk studying my bible, or taking a walk and listening to a podcast, the time that I get to spend alone with God in the morning is the most perfect way I can think of to start my day. It always leaves me refreshed and with a better perspective on my life and the spiritual goals that I have for each day.

At the moment, becoming a consistent morning person is one of the biggest goals that I have in my life. Of course, I am definitely still working on this and am in no way an expert at it. But based on the experiences I have had with waking up early, I can honestly say that I have never once regretted it, and my days have always gone better because of it.