Early to Bed and Early to Rise…..A Habit Fast Fading Away

Constant snoozing of the alarm clock, kids crying, toast getting burned, cursing the traffic, stopping at red lights, blaring noise from TV or taking a quick shower is an extremely familiar scene for an average American. This is how days start! People say, breakfast is a must for staying healthy but Americans substitute hot, healthy breakfast with a star buck’s coffee and some cornflakes. The joys of having an early dinner and going to bed early is not just forgotten but if you sleep early it gets translated into you being a lazy and boring person. The beauty of the sun rising, strolling in your garden barefoot, reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee, or spending extra quality time with your loved one only happens in romantic movies. It has no place in a persons real life these days. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise”. Surely, such an intelligent and renowned individual like Benjamin Franklin would not be talking nonsense! There must be some truth in his words and experiences: • Life is a cycle. If you get up early, you will be sleepy early and vice versa. Make it a habit, and you will soon adapt to that cycle easily. • Bring back the joys of strolling across your garden barefoot while dew is still fresh. It has immense benefits including positive effect on your eyes as well as your mood. • Kick start your day by relaxing with a newspaper instead of jumping up to an alarm blaring. Try to ease into the day. • It is said; eat your breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper. • Have a nice big fresh breakfast. You will need the energy to be active throughout the day. Don’t just grab a coffee and a bagel from a fast food place. Try whole grains and fresh fruit instead! • Your day seems lengthy and very productive if you get an early start on your tasks. • You will also feel hungry by evening and it is the healthiest time to have your dinner. Automatically, you will fall asleep early. • Getting straight 8 hours of uninterrupted and peaceful sleep is pivotal. If you sleep late, you will wake up late and feeling groggy. No amount of caffeine or nicotine can help that feeling. • Promises of going for a jog or a swim after office work are prone to cancellations. Usually, promises of a morning jog, swim, or walk are kept because there tend to be fewer interruptions in the early morning. No parties, after school activities or traffic jams in the morning. “Me” time is at its prime.rnSome of the ways of the older generations are worth applying in our lives today. A person is more peaceful, calm and productive because of this beautiful habit. Studies show that exercising in the morning will produce the most results. Also, consuming a heavy early morning breakfast will never increase your weight! Well, there definitely is some truth in these sayings. Go out and party over the weekends, indulge yourself, but take out sometime during the week, inculcate this beautiful habit and rest assured, you will be wiser and healthier.