While most college students pull random all-nighters to study for tests or spend all of Friday night to Saturday morning out and about with friends at a party, I'm always enjoying my sleep in bed. It seems kind of odd, maybe even counterintuitive to the years we are presumed to spend partying and living life to the fullest. But, I think life is way more fun with a solid seven to eight hours of sleep.
What are the benefits of a bedtime? Well, if I get to sleep by 10 or 11 p.m., I can get up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. and still have gotten a full seven or eight hours of sleep! Plus, mornings on a college campus are quiet. You can get things done, you can go for a run and not see anyone and you have time to make a great breakfast. (Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!)
You also get the benefit of having more daylight hours to help regulate your circadian rhythm. Maybe you don't exactly know what that does, but it essentially tells your body when to be tired, when to be awake, when it's time to eat or do anything at all, really. Having a normal wake and sleep time really helps enforce that daily schedule your body creates for you.
I'm a morning person who doesn't really need extra caffeine, but I love it. I love to have an extra few minutes every morning to sit and enjoy my coffee, maybe catch up on the news or do some reading. Sometimes during the school year, I used this to get ahead on studying or homework. But, I try to get that all done during the day, so I can keep my morning time relaxed.
Waking up early also gives the benefit of an emptier gym. Everyone and their sister likes to go to the gym at 8 or 9 a.m. Let me tell you though, at 6:45, the squat rack is always empty! You also don't have to wait around for machines or to use the pull-up bar. The real benefit can be not having to share a lane when I swim in the pool.
But for me, the best benefit is being able to have a schedule, one where I'm not in a rush to get out the door. It gives me time to relax in the morning and enjoy the quiet serenity and smells of my coffee; it gives me a time when nobody is around to truly enjoy my workout without feeling pressured to go faster on a machine or say good morning to 20 people out on my run; it gives me a full night's rest every day, which helps me attack my goals day in and day out. And, for me, getting that sleep helps keep me focused and driven, and it helps me take time for myself, while still having enough time to ensure that everything gets done. So, maybe you should find a time that works for you and make yourself a new sleep schedule--just find what works for you!
