I’m not here to tell you whether a 5 am start is the right thing for you. For some people, it seems to be nirvana and for others, something that people say is a good idea. And for most people, I’m sure it seems horrifying!
Is a 5 am start right for you?
I’m sure you’ve seen the lists of successful people who start their day at 5 am and tell you that winners get up at 5. But inevitably, someone counters that with the names of night owls who are just as successful. In shocking news … we’re all different. When you get up doesn’t correlate to your success in life.
That said, there are plenty of advantages to getting up at 5 am. In “The 5 am Club”, Robin Sharma argues that this quiet time of day allows a productive routine. This could include exercise, planning and self-study. Sitting with a cup of tea and reading a book is as good a reason as any.
Make your own mind up whether 5 am is for you. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.”
If it is, then here we go …
Once you have decided that getting up at 5 am is the right thing for you, there’s only one thing you need to do to make it happen.
There are no miracle foods, drugs, exercises, incantations, or human sacrifices required.
Having struggled to get into a 5 am routine for over 20 years, I have focused on this one thing.
And it’s been a success for close to 2 years now. Even at the weekends. Although, I do tend to lie in because it’s a gift to myself.
So, what’s this one thing? The missing piece of the puzzle? The crux of the matter?
Go to bed early.
That’s it.
The Complete and Utter Importance of Sleep
Not getting the right amount of sleep is the only thing preventing you from getting up at 5 am every day. The importance of sleep has been studied in depth (Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker and The Sleep Revolution, Arianna Huffington). I don’t believe anyone is making the case that sleep isn’t fundamental to everything else we do. Get enough sleep and everything else falls into place.
If you’re not used to going to bed early, it may take a week or two to get used to the routine. Once you’ve figured out the sweet spot of how much sleep you need, waking up at 5 am is no different to waking up at 10 am. It’s just darker for much of the year!
Why is it so simple?
Getting the amount of sleep you need to function optimally is the key to everything else. Without the right amount of sleep, getting up at any time is going to be a struggle. It will almost certainly lead to too much caffeine. And this will still be in your system when you’re trying to go to bed early the next night.
With the right amount of sleep, you may not leap out of bed, but you’ll start waking up before your alarm, feeling refreshed.
My decision to start my days at 5 am came about when I wanted to get into shape. I found that if I didn’t work out first thing, then a myriad of excuses might end up hurtling my way — genuine or otherwise. But getting my workout done first thing in the morning means success for me. It’s done and nothing can take that away.
I had my why.
Once I’d figured out that I needed between 7.25 and 8 hours of sleep to function well, the rest began to fall into place. Everyone is different, although most people need between 7 and 9 hours.
So yes, I go to bed around 9 pm and read — yes, on my phone! I use the blueless light. All lights are off at 9:30 at the latest and 90% of the time I’m asleep within 5–10 minutes. I’ve been up since 5 am after all!
About 75% of the time, I wake up a minute or two before my alarm goes off at 5 am. I still don’t leap joyfully out of bed but I feel alive and spritely not long after. I allow 5 minutes to check my phone, so I’m up at 5.05 at the latest.
Action Plan
So, there you have it.
1. Decide whether a 5 am start is for you (and bear in mind anyone you live with is impacted too).
2. And if it is, get to bed early.
Don’t over-complicate it. See how it goes and adapt.
