The Unexpected Benefits Of Waking Up At The Same Time Every Morning

According to board-certified sleep specialist Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., the most important way to ensure you're getting restorative sleep is to wake up at the same time each and every morning. And there's lots of anecdotal evidence to back him up.

Take one 2018 survey of over 1,000 people conducted by the sleep news site Mattress Inquirer that found that people with a strict wake-up time reported being more content overall in every area of their lives.

Compared to people who were looser about the time they get up each morning, people with strict wake-up times were 13% more satisfied with their personal lives, 45% more satisfied with their financial situation, and 42% more satisfied with their work-life balance.

For some, it's about getting and staying in a routine that's comfortable and reliable. Think of it like boarding a flight at a specific time: You can rely on it happening, and if it doesn't, havoc ensues.

Another possible explanation for the apparent benefits of a strict wake-up time? As an overworked society, we rely heavily on the concept of "catching up on sleep," particularly on the weekends, which can result in something even more detrimental: social jet lag.

A lot of people use weekends as the time to sleep in and make up for the hours lost during the busy week, which often leads to staying up later, thus throwing off the sleep schedule.

Knowing that you're in a routine of getting up at the exact same time every day can make the snooze button less appealing. It turns out, pressing snooze over and over again in the mornings does more harm than good, since you're not actually returning to a deep sleep in between alarms.

If you're a night owl or someone with an inconsistent daily schedule, the idea of waking up at the same time every morning no matter what happened the night prior might seem daunting. While implementing a strict sleep plan isn't always easy, small changes can create a big impact.

For starters, having a set routine to start off your day—scheduling an early spin class or just committing to a few minutes of meditation or journaling—is important. Dry brushing and then jumping in a cold shower can also help jolt the system awake in the mornings, decreasing grogginess and the urge to get back in bed.