Waking up at five in the morning can be a mistake

Illustrative photo: Nasha Niva

With the return to daily routine after the long Christmas and New Year holidays, some succumb to the temptation of the popular social media trend of waking up at five in the morning. Especially since the example of some famous athletes and heads of global corporations seemingly attests to the strong benefits of early awakening.

However, experts interviewed by journalists from The Wall Street Journal warn: blind adherence to this trend can lead not to victories, but to chronic fatigue and depression, especially if early waking contradicts a person's individual natural rhythms.

Sleep physician Michael Breus calls the obsession with extremely early awakenings one of the most absurd ideas of recent times. He notes that for "owls" who, eager to get everything done, wake up at 5 AM, everything can end in disaster within a week, leaving only a feeling of disappointment and depression.

Sleep deprivation is becoming a real disaster today. In a Gallup poll, 57% of Americans stated they would feel better if they slept more, but stress prevents it. About 20% of respondents sleep five hours or less. Ten years ago, this figure was 14%, and in 1942, it was only 3%.

Many people sleep less than the medically recommended seven to nine hours because they want to exercise, have alone time, and get more things done.

So, what time should you wake up?

According to experts, the answer to this question depends on your habits, age, and heredity.

«Sleep is often perceived as something to be suppressed and forced into submission, when in reality it should be loved and hugged like a teddy bear» —

the publication quotes Russell Foster, a professor of neurobiology at Oxford University, who studies human circadian rhythms. Research has shown that lack of sleep can lead to heart problems, weakened immunity, depression, and the risk of developing dementia.

Foster is not a fan of waking up at 5 AM unless it happens naturally. He believes that the answers to these questions will show whether you are waking up too early:

• Do you need a lot of time to wake up?
• Do you feel like you can immediately get to work?
• Do you need coffee to maintain energy?
• Do you sleep longer on weekends?

Scientists emphasize that the ideal wake-up time is linked to chronotype — a genetic predisposition to wake up at a specific time.

About 55-65% of people belong to the "bear" chronotype, whose peak productivity occurs between 10 AM and 2 PM.

Approximately 15-20% of the population are "larks," who naturally wake up between 6:00 and 6:30 AM. Only a very small fraction of them are true "five AM" people. The remaining 15-20% are "night owls."

It is entirely possible, and often necessary, to go against your chronotype for work or to care for loved ones. The main thing here is consistency. If you get up at five on weekdays, but sleep until eight on weekends, you will experience a feeling similar to jet lag.

Tips for easy waking

In addition to maintaining a stable schedule, doctors advise the following:

Seek morning sunlight. It signals the brain to stop producing melatonin. The first rays also activate the internal timer for the next production of this hormone in 14 hours.

Use light devices. If it's too dark in the morning, especially in winter, use light panels or alarm clocks that gradually increase brightness, gently rousing you from sleep.

Limit coffee and alcohol. Both drinks disrupt sleep. It's best to drink coffee only until 2 PM, and alcohol no later than three hours before bedtime. The same applies to using gadgets before sleep.

Aim to exercise in the morning. Physical exercise raises body temperature, which is good for waking up, but harmful before sleep: for the body to start falling asleep, its temperature must decrease.

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