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What kind of bird are you — «lark», «owl» or maybe «dove»? Scientists have once again proved that the former have more advantages — first of all, they have better health. So, if you are a fan of early rises, you can only be happy for you. And what about the rest of the «feathered»?
If you are a «lark», then in the mornings you feel like you can move mountains, and as the day wears on, your energy dries up. You like to go to bed early and get up with the first roosters, but the lights of the night city do not attract you at all. Whether you have a yoga class at 5:30 a.m., a meeting with a business partner at 8:00 a.m., you’re ready for anything before the alarm goes off. And how annoying are the «owls» that even a double espresso cannot wake up before noon!
You think being a lark is great. And this idea is confirmed by the results of recent studies on human chronotypes.
The longer the days at the time we were born, the more likely we are to be a morning person.
Biologists from the University of Manchester, led by Altug Didikoglu, found that our chronotype has a genetic basis. But, in addition, our preferences in the field of the daily routine can also be influenced by the time of year that our birthday falls on. It turns out that the longer the days at the time we were born, the more likely we are to be a morning person. That is, if a person was born in the northern hemisphere in June, July or August, there is a high probability that he will become a fan of early rises.
At the same time, researchers are sure that being a lark is good for health, but owls should know that there is a definite connection between “nightlife” and affective disorders, metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
The night falls, the refrigerator wakes up
Researchers believe that at night, we are much more prone to indulging in bad habits: smoking breaks, drinking alcohol. The tradition of nighttime snacking does not bring anything good either. Previously, scientists from the University of Surrey found that owls, on average, die earlier than larks.
Didikoglu and his colleagues were able to explore the relationship between chronotype, lifespan, and mental well-being in more detail. During the study, they not only learned when the participants sleep and wake up, but also took into account their eating habits, health status, and personality traits (most of the subjects provided data about themselves collected over the past 30 years).
The health of larks is an order of magnitude stronger: they move more, smoke less and take medication, sleep better
It turned out that the lovers of the dark time of the day had a more intense social life. They talked more often than others and had fun. And this is understandable: parties and dinner parties take place mainly in the evenings!
But the health of those who prefer early rises turned out to be much stronger. It turned out that in general they move more, smoke less and take medications, sleep better. But owls have a higher risk of hypertension and obesity. As for the possibility of getting sick with depression, it is about the same for both owls and larks, and for those who are “in the middle” of the scale, it is lower.
Unfortunately, we cannot change our chronotype. But it never hurts to be aware of the risks associated with the peculiarities of our sleep and wake cycles.
Most productive time of the day
There is an easy way to become a little healthier, happier and more productive. If you fill the morning with interesting and useful things, waking up earlier will become easier. In the morning, you can plan a run or a walk, any Skype lesson, time for a hobby or creativity. By the evening, we are usually very tired and, as a result, we do not learn anything new, do not improve and do not find ten minutes to write at least a few lines.
In addition, the work done in the morning gives us motivation for new achievements and strength not to stop until the evening. So, morning activity in a sense makes us optimists. Why not try a new way of being, if only for the sake of such an effect?
Laura Vanderkam, author of Magic Morning. How Starting the Day Can Change Your Life” provides tips to help you find time in the morning for any interesting activity or ritual.
1. Track how much time and what you spend
In order to change habits in the future, you need to know what they look like in the present, so keep a table in the spirit of a food diary. Record how much time in the morning you spend on hygiene, cooking, getting the children to school. Based on the information received, you can adjust your habits.
You may be taking the kids too long, looking for your daughter’s favorite dress and son’s right sneaker in the morning. By preparing their clothes in advance, you can carve out precious minutes for more pleasant things.
2. Imagine your perfect morning
Once you understand what takes time, ask yourself what you would like to change. Someone wants to spend the early hours at a leisurely breakfast with loved ones, and after everyone leaves the house, set aside 15 minutes for their blog. Someone dreams of 10 minutes of physical exercise before going to work. Some will want to take the time to find new creative ideas, knitting or brainstorming. There are many ideas — choose the one that suits your taste.
3. Consider how to implement the plan
If your time is limited in the morning, you can’t just carve out 15 minutes for a blog. This means that you will have to act on the clock — and it is desirable that all the items you need are at hand, and the likelihood of force majeure is minimized.
Consider what you will need to bring your plan to life. What time do you need to go to bed to sleep? Do you need help to clear the morning hours? Will I need to purchase a sports equipment to perform simple exercises? A good plan is half the battle.
4. Create a habit
First you have to use willpower. It takes time and an iron-clad belief that you really need it to form a habit. Laura Vanderkam advises to get used to the new regime gradually: do not immediately try to get up at 5:30 if you are used to doing it at 7:30. Set your alarm for 7:15 a.m. for a few days first. Then you can transfer it to an even earlier time.
Don’t rush, it’s best to build habits one at a time. Reward yourself with something nice: “give” yourself a movie ticket, a coveted book, or just a glass of coffee in a good coffee shop for a run or work on intricate embroidery. Later, when your habit begins to motivate you by itself (for example, you will see in the mirror the result of regular face fitness in the morning), the need for “bonuses” will disappear.
5. Adapt to the situation
Life does not stand still. Perhaps someday it will become difficult for you to run in the morning. Or your work schedule will change. This means that rituals can also change — the main thing is that you find time for them.