Health & Fitness

Early to Rise Equals Less Stress

Becoming an early-bird can be good for your health

By Wellness Matters /

Set your alarm an hour earlier to avoid stressful mornings

Do you routinely feel rushed in the morning?

Do you skip breakfast, run around to get ready and then trudge out the door feeling stressed before the day even begins? Try becoming an early bird.


It’s well known that stress affects digestion, weakens the immune system, increases the risk of heart disease and promotes anxiety. By setting your alarm one hour earlier in the morning, you create a window of time to start the day in a healthier and stress-free way.

What You Can Do with More Morning Time

  • Eat at a relaxed breakfast

  • Prepare a healthy lunch

  • Meditate or do yoga

  • Go for a jog or walk


How to Become an Early Bird


  • Slowly reset your internal clock by going to bed and getting up a little earlier each week
  • Use positive self-talk to coax yourself out of bed upon waking
  • Keep your home dim in the evening and very bright in the morning

  • Maintain good sleep hygiene, such as avoiding caffeine after noon and maintaining a serene sleep environment
  • Stay hydrated to stave off morning headaches
  • Avoid the snooze button. Uninterrupted, quality sleep is better than a lengthier period of disrupted rest.

Originally published in Wellness Matters, Canada Wide Media’s quarterly newsletter on health and wellness.