Let me guess: you’ve seen those videos.
“Waking up at 5AM changed my life.”
People journaling by candlelight, making matcha, hitting the gym before sunrise — like they’ve unlocked some productivity cheat code.
So I decided to try it. Just to see what would happen.
Spoiler: it wasn’t all green juice and inner peace.
Here’s the honest, unfiltered truth about what waking up at 5AM every day for a month actually felt like — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Week 1: Pure Chaos (aka I hated everything)
The first few mornings were straight-up painful. I was groggy, irritable, and seriously questioning my life choices by 10AM.
My brain? Offline.
My body? Betraying me.
My vibe? Nonexistent.
I’d drag through the day, pounding coffee and fantasizing about naps I couldn’t take.
If you’re not going to bed by 9PM, waking up at 5AM feels like self-inflicted punishment. I was still trying to live my "normal" night owl life — Netflix till 11, scrolling in bed — but now with a 5AM alarm slapped on top. It was a mess.
Week 2: Something Shifted
Around day 9, something weird started happening: I stopped hating it.
I started waking up naturally a few minutes before my alarm. My mornings got a rhythm — meditate, move, drink water, write something.
No rush. No noise. Just me and the soft light creeping through the window.
There was peace in those early hours.
No emails. No Slack. No news cycle. Just time I never had before.
By 8AM, I’d already moved my body, journaled, and tackled a big task. It felt… powerful.
Week 3: The Productivity High
This was the peak.
I was in flow. Focused. Clear. Energized (most of the time).
Work felt lighter. Mornings became my favorite part of the day.
I felt ahead — like I had finally caught up with my life.
But let’s be real — it wasn’t perfect. I still crashed hard in the afternoons. My social life? MIA.
I turned into that person who says, “I can’t, I have to sleep by 9.”
Sexy, right?
Week 4: Is This My New Personality?
By the final week, I had to ask:
Is this who I am now? One of those 5AM people?
Kinda… but also not.
Yes, I loved the clarity and structure.
Yes, I felt more present.
Yes, my mornings felt magical.
But also: life is messy. Some nights you stay out late. Some mornings you need extra sleep. Some days, you just don’t want to sprint out of bed at dawn.
And that’s okay.
So Was It Worth It?
Absolutely. But not for the reasons I expected.
Waking up at 5AM didn’t make me a productivity robot.
It made me more intentional.
It showed me how much time I was reacting to life — instead of creating space for myself.
If you’re thinking of trying it, here’s my advice:
Don’t do it to be impressive.
Don’t do it without prioritizing sleep.
Do it to get quiet.
Do it to meet yourself in the stillness.
Whether you keep the habit or not, the clarity you gain in that quiet space? It stays with you.
TL;DR:
Waking up at 5AM didn’t change my life.
I changed my life — in the time I finally made space for.
Subscribe by Email
Follow Updates Articles from This Blog via Email
No Comments