The more I go to bed early, the more I realize how important sleep is in our lives. Every night I like to crawl into my bed around 7, 8 or 9 PM. This allows me to get a sufficient amount of sleep and wake up early in the morning. Recently I’ve been waking up around 4-5AM each day full of energy. This gives myself time to think and do creative work before the sun rises.
Set your circadian rhythm
Our circadian rhythm is our biological clock that determines the way our body functions and sets our sleep cycle. When the sun rises I like to go outside immediately and allow the sun to kiss my skin and enter my eyes. I typically stand topless somewhere in a pool of light and meditate for a half hour while I drink a liter of water. This fills my body with energy as I bask in the glory of the sun and allows me to start my day off on a good note.
Cold showers and hot baths
I believe that cold showers are a good way to boost my energy before hitting the gym. After the cold shower, I like to take insanely hot baths. I also do this routine before bed. It will give you a blissful feeling and put you right to sleep.
The problem
Why do people stay up so late?
Typically to watch the latest Netflix series, TV, social, media, news, etc. I find that this is the worst way to spend your evening.
What is my antidote?
Turn off all of your lights in your home around 5:30 PM whenever the sun is fully set and you finish eating. Sit on the floor in darkness with your iPad set to the lowest brightness and do a mundane task like culling through your photos. Meditate and find your body wind down through a hot shower or a hot bath. Stretch, do yoga, drink some water, and fall asleep as early as humanly possible. Without sleep, we cannot function properly the next day. Become more selfish. Focus on your physiology first! When you wake up extremely early the next day, you will be able to find time to do all sorts of creative tasks and weightlifting before the day begins. There’s really no excuse. Anybody can find time to make photographs and exercise. The early morning might even be a more interesting time to photograph because of the lighting conditions and the atmosphere it provides. Just get out there and conquer!