Rise and shine! Sayings to help you face the morning

The early morning isn’t called «the crack of dawn» for nothing. It’s a moniker only a born night owl could’ve come up with (no, you don’t need to jump into the comments section to tell me otherwise – I’m already aware that’s not the case). They lie awake long into the night, dragging themselves tortuously out of bed a few hours later with a groan. Barely able to see through puffy eyelids, with leaden legs and hearts full of contempt towards the early hour. A new day breaks, and along with it, their will to embrace it with drive. The crack of dawn is against the night owl’s nature.

A biorhythm is a natural force that’s difficult to overcome (and isn’t always supposed to be). I myself am a total early bird; you won’t get much out of me after a certain time. It’s as if someone unplugs me in the evening, calling lights out at 9.30 p.m.

In the morning, on the other hand, I’m the best version of myself: active, mentally agile, focused, cheerful. I tidy up, do my morning journalling and savour that inimitable silence. However, on the whole, mornings have an image problem – and larks like me don’t usually make them seem more attractive to our nocturnal counterparts. (Be honest, you rolled your eyes for a moment at «morning journalling»…)

«Rise and sh …ut up». I get it. Nevertheless, the crack of dawn does have some things going for it. I’ve listed some of the best sayings and most convincing arguments for getting up early.

Where’s that worm? Performance peaks in the morning

Although chronobiology refers to morning people and evening people (or larks and owls), it really is true that most of us reach peak performance in the late morning. Our focus dips in the afternoon, with a certain sleepiness setting in at 2 p.m. That’s why science keeps advising you to exercise in the morning.

Exercising early in the day stimulates more fat burning than at any other time. This was one of the conclusions flagged during a study by Northumbria University in Newcastle. According to the researchers, you burn 20 per cent more body fat by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach.

Doing physical activity in the morning is also likely to have a positive effect when it comes to cardiovascular disease. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology demonstrated that people who exercise in the morning instead of at lunchtime have a 16 per cent reduced risk of coronary heart disease and a 17 per cent reduced risk of stroke.

Burglars and orange juice

Using health as an argument is obviously tiresome – and typical morning person behaviour. We always think we’re a cut above the rest. What’s next? Morning meditation at 4.30 a.m. to improve mindfulness, followed by overnight oats for breakfast?

As a matter of fact, a love of breakfast isn’t necessary to get you out of bed in the morning. While it may be a good incentive to drag yourself up at the crack of dawn, there’s no scientific evidence for or against having breakfast. You’ll still be able to start your day well without having a bowl of granola. Incidentally, stats say that the most popular breakfast juice is orange juice, at least in Austria.

As an Austrian, I couldn’t disagree more; the best breakfast juice is coffee. And as a morning person, allow me to reassure you: you don’t need to make it yourself. In fact, morning is the ideal time of day for unbridled to-go consumption. After all, most to-go products are sold between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. As a result, you can unashamedly order your third coffee of the day at 9 a.m. without anybody noticing. And while we’re on the subject of not noticing,

there are fewer break-ins early in the morning. That’s according to a report on break-ins, which found that most burglars don’t kick off their work day until 10 a.m. Apparently, mornings are sacred to them, too. That’s at least one thing we have in common.

Morning sayings (whether you want them or not!)

Whether you’re a morning person or not, sometimes you’ve no choice but to grit your teeth and get up early. These sayings should help you to get up without thinking wistfully of your bed, and to start off your day happily. And if that doesn’t work, maybe they’ll just make you smile.

Sayings for people who hate mornings

• I got up early this morning, but I still didn’t catch any worms.

• Too cold, too early, too Monday.

• First coffee, then the world.

• Good morning. I’m not awake, just online.

• We should all be more tolerant, but I draw the line at mornings.

• Getting up early is the first step in the wrong direction.

• Good morning! Back to the grind, you ask? I’ve put the coffee on, if that’s what you mean.

• The «H» in morning stands for «happy».

• The earlier you get up, the more time you have to nap later.

• I’ll be a coffee machine in my next life: you’re loved, you get attention all day and there’s always someone there to keep you going.

Lovely quotes for a motivated start to the day

• Start every morning with a good thought.

• Give the morning a smile and the day smiles back.

• Welcome the day warmly and make it your friend.

• Never start quitting. Never quit starting.

• Roll on today’s shenanigans.

• Your worries and sorrow will pass on the morrow, when the sun smiles anew and the sky’s unforgettably blue.

• Good morning! You’re my universe and all the beautiful things in it.

• Smile, today’s a new day.

• Some days you need to be your own sunshine.

• Out of bed and into the day!