Hey Moms,

I recently started waking up an hour earlier than my toddler. Prior to motherhood, you never would have caught me voluntarily choosing to wake up before the sun set. Throughout all of my 20s I would happily sleep until 11am on a weekend and scroll social media until noon. However, now that I am a mom, I am starting to see the appeal of having one solid hour of alone time before the rest of my family wakes up. I have heard many mothers debate the importance of a morning routine, with some saying it is never worth the price of losing that extra hour of sleep, and others swearing by the benefits of waking up early.

For 7 days, I decided to test the benefits of a morning routine by waking up one-hour earlier than every other member of my family. Here are the results of my experiment:

Benefits:

1: my productivity increased

Between 6:30am - 7:30am, I meditated, journaled, got dressed, went for a one mile run, stretched, took a shower, brushed my teeth, oil pulled my gums, did my skincare routine, fixed my hair and makeup, made breakfast, and reviewed emails. Honestly, I was shocked at how productive I could be within such a short timeframe. This had emotional benefits too. Enhancing my productivity made me feel more confident and secure throughout my day.

2: I felt more energized

I expected getting up 60 minutes earlier than normal would result in me feeling tired, but what I found was that I actually felt more energized than before. By the time my daughter woke up, I had already accomplished so much. That feeling of accomplishment was accompanied by heightened energy levels. Furthermore, since I was running or moving every morning, I experienced a post-workout high that often lasted until noon or later.

3: I lost weight

This is easily the most shocking result for me. As a hashimoto's patient, I have had a very difficult time losing my postpartum weight gain. I have spent months incorporating different diets, like raw vegan and soy-free, in an effort to overcome my hashimotos symptoms. Prior to starting this experiment, I was already working out daily and incorporating cardio into my weekly routines. I had no idea that changing the time of my workout would help me lose weight. A quick google search found that I was not alone.

4: I felt calmer

The biggest advantage to the addition of this morning routine was the sense of peace I gained throughout the rest of my day. I found myself less reactive to my toddler’s big emotions and was better able to soothe her feelings. It also made nap time a breeze, since I was not rushing to get a workout in while my child napped. Having already completed a run that morning, I was able to relax and recuperate or complete household chores while my child dozed off in her crib.

Procedural Considerations:

While incorporating a morning routine absolutely has some advantages for moms, there are a few variables to consider before deciding to implement the new habit, such as:

1: Your child’s sleeping habits:

My toddler has always been a good sleeper. She has slept consistently throughout the night since she was 12 weeks old! I wish I had a miracle tip or solution that I could share with you to explain how or why she sleeps so well, but the reality is I think my husband and I just got lucky. That being said, incorporating a morning routine was relatively easy for me due to my child’s persistent sleep patterns. I knew that my child would most likely wake up sometime between 7:30am - 8am each day, so I could plan my morning routine accordingly. If I had a toddler that was not so gracious with her sleep habits, or routinely woke up throughout the night, I most likely would not choose to start a morning routine. In that instance, I believe good quality sleep far outweighs any benefit a morning routine could bring for a mama.

2: Your work schedule/field of study:

Prior to our child being born, my husband once worked second and third shift. This meant he was up and working at all hours of the night, and often would not complete work until 4am. The job was also fairly laborious as he spent most of his time on his feet. When weekends came around, he was so exhausted from working the night shift that he would often sleep until noon or later the following day and struggled to reset his circadian rhythm on weekends.

If you are someone like my husband who works non traditional or unpredictable hours and/or has a laborious position, I would not recommend you attempt a morning routine. Your body needs time to regulate itself back into its natural sleep cycle, and forcing yourself to wake up early may dysregulate your system even further.

Conclusion

Overall, I loved waking up early in the morning! I felt confident and more energized than I did prior to building this routine. I became more productive and even reaped physical benefits from the new habit. I will absolutely be continuing to wake up early, even if my 20 year old self would have absolutely judged me for it.

Sincerely,

Gabrielle Bosnic, CYT - 200

Owner + Founder of Serene Moms, LLC.