Right from childhood, we have been hearing – ‘Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,’ but this eternal truth has lost its acceptability in today’s lifestyles. Earlier it was the TV that used to keep us awake till late, and now it is the mobile phone which has made its way into our lives so integrally that till late into the night we are entangled in it, and so when we sleep late, we rise only after sunrise.
Early rising had disappeared from the daily routine of a significant population. Of late, though, people have begun to understand problems associated with lifestyle disorders and the importance of waking up early. The importance of rising before sunrise has been extolled in our scriptures. The early hours of the day are called ‘Brahma Muhurta’ and are described as the best time of the day. While the whole of nature is asleep, the life element rises to its most conscious state. This is considered the best time to leave the bed. Rishis have said that waking up at this time enhances a person’s strength, intellect, knowledge, and beauty.
Brahma Muhurta is the time about one and half hours before sunrise. There is new vitality and freshness all around, while the whole environment is quiet and in a calm state. After a good night’s sleep and rest, our minds and brains are in the most active phase as well. This is the best time for a promising start to the daily routine. All wise people make the best use of these hours. There is indeed no better time than this for carrying out spiritual practices because our minds go into a natural meditative state in this period.
It is no surprise that the vital role of rising in the early hours can be seen in the daily routine of every successful person. Though there are also some people who work till late hours of the day, finish their tasks, and then sleep free from worries, but in most instances, people who wake up early are found to be more active and creative. The benefits of rising early are numerous. In the early hours of the day, all living beings and the entire nature are asleep. As a result, disturbances are very less. The brain works in its best capacity at this time, and so it becomes easy to complete tasks efficiently.
When we finish many tasks of the day before the world wakes up, it gives a great sense of accomplishment. From the point of view of life management, completing all essential tasks related to body, mind, and soul in the early morning leads to an auspicious start to an active day, which keeps us energized the whole day. In addition to planning the events for the entire day, important activities like meditation, exercises, and other intellectual tasks can be completed in this period. Furthermore, taking early morning walks in fresh air and exercising is also very beneficial for health.
At this time, all activities get accomplished playfully and joyfully. After completing activities, eating a balanced and nutritious breakfast creates a sound base for the daily routine. In this way, waking up in the morning is beneficial for the body, mind, and complete health. When the daily routine gets well organized, all the activities of the day get completed in a timely and satisfactory manner, and it becomes possible to go to bed on time at night. Good sleep at night ensure good mental health. Rising early, we can save ourselves from all the stress that originates from a disorganized routine and all the resultinginefficiencies and difficultsituations. In addition, we can spare our time for the family.
Research studies have established that people who rise early are more active and positive. As a result, they can anticipate future challenges and problems better and remain prepared for timely action. On the whole, early risers are more energetic, happy, and content, and whatever be their field of work, they are found to be more successful.
Waking up early gives a fantastic experience. It feels as if we have got two days instead of one. From early hours to the time to leave for office, so many tasks get finished that it feels as if one full day’s work is already done. Despite realizing the advantages of early rising, if the daily routine remains disturbed and the habit of sleeping late in the night continues, it becomes difficult to get up early. It becomes essential to fight ourselves for a few days willfully and with a solid resolve to break this habit. The indispensable condition for enabling waking up early is to sleep early.
If we have to get up at 4 or 5 AM, we have to go to sleep by 9 or 10 PM. It is not a good idea to try significant changes in our routine in one go. Instead of a revolutionary change, it is better to take small planned steps one at a time. For example, if we are used to waking up at 8 AM, we can start waking up slightly earlier in a planned manner. In the first week, waking up time could be advanced to 7 AM, in the next week to 6 AM, and 5 AM in the following week, and so on. In the beginning, our body may disapprove and may even revolt, but if we stay with our resolve steadfastly, then as time progresses, the body will get adjusted to the new daily routine. It is better to prepare for this right from the time we go to bed. The dinner should be light and sattvic. Stay away from social media an hour or two before and keep away from mobile and TV. Go to bed at a fixed time after the light reading of good literature, doing self-introspection, and practicing the discipline of tatva bodh. Keep the alarm clock and mobile away from the bed. Whenever sleep ends in the morning, get up quickly from the bed. To encourage and motivate, plan an exciting activity or some important task in the morning. After all, rising early only has numerous benefitsand no loss of any kind.
If rising early is not in our habit, we must look at all the benefits Brahma muhurta offers and make a firm resolve. Then, we must put in sustained, sincere efforts to make this habit a part of our lives. Waking up early can open doors to happiness by offering several new possibilities in our lives.
Akhand Jyoti Magazine 2021 Nov -Dec