Why Waking Up Early Doesn’t Have to Mean Sleep Deprivation (And How to Make It Happen)
Our society often glorifies early risers, and honestly, it’s easy to see why.
Many of us dream of starting the day at 6 am—feeling the cool morning air while going for a jog, getting a head start on that novel we’ve always wanted to write, or stretching into a sun salutation as the sun rises.
But most of the time, that dream doesn’t match reality, especially during the dark and cold winter months when we'd much rather stay in bed for an extra hour or two.
Is Waking Up at 5am Really That Crazy?
When I think about early rising, I often picture it as a test of endurance—something only people who thrive on cold plunges, run 10ks for fun, or eat sardines for breakfast can pull off. There’s a misconception that waking up early requires grit—because you’re likely to be tired, and you’ll need to push through that fatigue every single day. But here’s the truth:
This mindset is a cognitive distortion. The idea that early rising means sacrificing sleep or pushing through exhaustion is outdated. Sure, some people may get up early out of necessity, but for the rest of us, it doesn’t have to mean sleep deprivation.
Sleep: The Foundation of Your Morning Routine
Have you ever heard of an alarm clock called The Shredder? You put a $20 bill into it the night before, and when the alarm rings in the morning, you have a short window to turn it off before it starts shredding your money. The idea is that you’re forced to wake up early, or else you lose your hard-earned cash.
While the Shredder might be a fun gimmick, it also illustrates a deeper truth: sleep is essential. In his bestselling book Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker highlights just how crucial sleep is for your overall health, productivity, and even your finances. Sleep affects every system in your body, and chronic sleep deprivation is linked to conditions like cancer, Alzheimer's, and infertility.
But here's the good news: You don’t have to skimp on sleep to wake up early. You just need to go to bed earlier.
How to Become an Early Riser Without Sacrificing Sleep
The truth is, getting up early isn’t about getting less sleep—it’s about prioritising it. If you’re struggling to wake up early, chances are you're not getting enough sleep at night. The key to waking up early without feeling groggy is to ensure you're getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
But here’s where things get tricky: to wake up earlier, you’ll need to adjust your bedtime. And that might mean giving up certain habits.
Going to Bed Earlier: What Are You Willing to Give Up?
In order to rise early, you might have to give up some of your late-night habits. For many of us, these hours between 9 pm and midnight are when we unwind—watching TV, scrolling through Instagram, or having long conversations with a partner or flatmate.
But here’s the thing: late-night activities like binge-watching shows or scrolling through social media often leave us feeling anxious and disrupt our sleep patterns. Studies show that nearly 92% of Americans scroll on their phones before bed, and this habit negatively impacts both the quality and quantity of sleep.
Instead of these habits, why not reclaim your time? Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and focus on activities that help you wind down—reading a book, journaling, or simply reflecting on your day.
Kicking the Habit of Doomscrolling
Because let’s be honest for a moment - what do you actually do between the hours of 9pm and midnight that adds any value to your life? We know that scrolling disrupts sleep, makes us feel anxious and contributes to nervous system dysregulation. And yes, it’s addictive, but maybe it’s finally time to kick the habit.
Why don’t you reclaim those hours for yourself?
Liz Gilbert and Marie Forleo on getting greedy
I recently listened to Marie Forleo interviewing the amazing Elizabeth Gilbert (it’s episode 411 of The Marie Forleo Podcast, if you’re wondering).
Gilbert talks about being "greedy"—not for material possessions, but for things that nourish the soul: solitude, quiet mornings, or uninterrupted time to work on personal projects. We often think of "greed" negatively, but it’s time to be greedy for the things that truly replenish us—like sleep. Women especially aren’t taught to be greedy, she explains. We’re trained to give and give until we literally die - so where in life, she asks, can we take some of that back?
The Joy of Sleep: Reclaiming Your Time
For me, being "greedy" for sleep means prioritising 8-9 hours of rest each night. I’m so greedy for it that I deleted instagram from my phone, I don’t own a TV, and the lighting in my apartment is so subtle you’ll probably trip over the plant pots. In fact, I'm so greedy for sleep that I go to bed at about 9pm most nights which means that by 5.30am, I've had the perfect 8.5 hours sleep, and feel well rested and ready to start the day.
It definitely does help having a partner who’s been getting up at 5am for years already. Those few first weeks together were mostly just me pattering into the kitchen after him and marvelling, bleared-eyed, at this man calmly boiling eggs under the light of the extractor fan.
What is "Revenge Bedtime Procrastination"?
One reason why many of us struggle to get up early is revenge bedtime procrastination. This term refers to staying up late to get some “me time” after a busy or stressful day, often at the cost of sleep. It’s a way of reclaiming time, but it ultimately leads to poorer sleep quality and greater fatigue.
To break this cycle, we need to address the root cause: finding joy during the day.
As Catherine Price discusses in The Power of Fun, we need to embrace true fun—activities that genuinely make us happy, not things we call fun that aren’t really fun, like hen parties and Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park (expensive, overcrowded and messy, in both cases).
Whether it's learning a new hobby, spending time with loved ones, or engaging in creative pursuits, finding joy in the day can help us unwind naturally at night, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Conclusion: Becoming an Early Riser Starts with Sleep
Becoming an early riser doesn’t necessarily require radical changes or depriving yourself of sleep. It’s about creating an evening routine that supports restful sleep and allowing yourself the time to recharge. By going to bed earlier and cutting out distractions like social media, you can wake up early without the burnout.
If you want to get up earlier, you don’t have to sacrifice your health. Embrace a sleep-first mindset, be “greedy” for rest, and watch as your mornings transform.
