What will happen to your body if you get up early in the morning: scientists reveal the striking effect

The thought of waking up and getting up at 5 a.m. is daunting for many people. However, contrary to the beliefs of most "owls", waking up early can be beneficial for mental activity, body, and overall well-being.

Domino writes about this. The publication has collected the opinions of leading sleep experts.

According to Benjamin Smarr, a professor of bioengineering and a member of Reverie's Sleep Advisory Board, your body is wired to prefer certain sleep patterns. Everyone is born with a specific chronotype that determines your schedule and the amount of sleep you need. So, if you've ever wondered why your partner only needs six hours of sleep to recover and you need much more, it could be because of your chronotype.

Simply changing the time on your alarm clock won't magically change your life overnight, especially if you're a natural night owl. But there is plenty of evidence that it can be beneficial.

Here's what you can expect if you get up at 5 a.m.:

After one day of early rising

The first day of waking up early won't be particularly easy or enjoyable.

"It can take a few days to feel good after waking up earlier in the morning because it takes time for your internal clock to adjust to the new sleep and wake hours," explained Kasey Nichols, ND, Naturopathic Doctor of Medicine and Sleep, RAVE Reviews.

"It can be difficult for 'owls' to go to bed earlier at first, so they may not stay awake as many hours as their bodies need. And everyone knows what happens when we don't get enough sleep.

"REM sleep is important for restoring your memory and emotional energy for the day. If you interrupt it too early, say, at 5 a.m., you will feel tired and irritable," Smarr said.

Even if you get a good night's sleep, you may feel exhausted by the end of the day.

"At the end of the day, you may feel a little sluggish and physically tired. This is normal, try going to bed a few hours earlier," says Dr. David A. Greuner of NYC Surgical Associates.

After one week of getting up early

You may not be a true early riser after one week, but you will be on your way to becoming one. Simply put, this process takes time.

"After the first week, you'll start to get used to waking up at 5 a.m. Your body and muscles will start to follow the flow of your sleep cycle," Greuner explains.

Smarr adds that the time your body may need to adjust to the new wake-up time depends on your personal biological clock. Waking up an hour or two earlier may be easy; however, a drastic change in sleep schedule may take longer. That being said, you may start to notice some changes in your mood and appetite.

According to Kasey Nichols, waking up early can affect two of your body's natural hormones: cortisol and melatonin.

"Waking up with the sunrise is a natural process because sunlight, or lack thereof, affects melatonin production and the internal regulatory clock. This is one of the reasons why some people get depressed and sleep more during the winter months when daylight hours are shorter," he explained.

Thus, waking up in the early hours of sunlight can improve your mood. It can also help regulate cortisol levels, which are known to control blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and support your metabolism.

After one month of early rising

"If you wake up at 5 a.m. for a month straight, you should start to see the benefits of how your productivity has increased," Greuner says.

People who get up early are more proactive and can identify and deal with potential problems faster and more effectively. They are generally happier and have a more positive outlook on life.

However, it is important that waking up early does not sacrifice sleep, the scientists emphasize.

"You should always try to get at least seven hours of sleep. Anything less can negatively affect your health and productivity," Greuner says.

After six months of getting up early

When you reach the six-month mark of waking up early, you can officially call yourself an "early bird."

"Six months after starting this process, you'll be able to look back and see a significant increase in the productivity of your daily schedule since you started. This is also the time when the alarm clock ringing at 5 a.m. will become your normal routine. Your body will start waking up at this time without an alarm," Greuner says.

But if waking up early still feels like hard work, it may be time to go back to a later wake-up time.

"After a few months, you'll either recover and adjust, or you'll be completely miserable. If your body can do it, six months is much more than it needs," Greuner adds.

So if you're still feeling tired and irritable after six months of waking up early, go back to your normal sleep schedule. After all, prolonged sleep deprivation is associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even early mortality. Listen to your body and you will understand which sleep schedule is best for you.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA spoke about an interesting method that will ensure fast falling asleep and healthy sleep.

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