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A blog for Catholic men that seeks to encourage virtue, the pursuit of holiness and the art of true masculinity.
“Daybreak is a never-ending glory, getting out of bed is a never-ending nuisance.”
– G.K. Chesterton
For the past year or so, I’ve been getting out of bed earlier than I ever have. Don’t get me wrong, it can be hard, and I still hit the snooze button more often than I’d like, but I find that waking up really early is tremendously helpful.
Today, I’d like to share five reasons I think every man should get up early in the morning.
1. Quietness – The world is filled with noise in the form of busyness and media stimulation. We rush around frantically, and when we aren’t busy, our downtime is filled with the glow of electronic screens. I was recently at gas station, and even the gas pump had a built in TV flashing news headlines and advertisements. Apparently filling up without a TV screen is too much to ask.
In contrast, getting up early provides some much needed quiet space. It might even be the only time of day when you’re not distracted by something, and having those few moments of peace can make a big difference in your stress levels.
2. Time with our Lord – Do you feel you don’t have time to pray? Do you want to spend some time in Scripture or the writings of the saints, but you find yourself too busy? Just as it makes space for silence, getting up early can provide much needed time for prayer, Scripture reading, meditating on the truths of the faith, or just resting in God’s presence.
In Psalm 5, David says, “O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.” God blesses those who rise early to praise him.
Even if you begin to get up a half hour earlier than you normally do, you will find that it’s plenty of time to read a chapter of the Gospels and pray for strength for the day. In my experience, I find this simple activity sets the tone for the rest of the day. If I miss it, I am stressed out and more irritable. When I make time for it, though, I am more peaceful and mindful of God’s presence.
3. It builds discipline – Getting up is hard. When you’re tucked between warm sheets and resting on a comfortable pillow, prolonging the comfort becomes very important. Because it’s so comfortable, getting out of bed can be an excellent exercise in self-mastery—and the saints tell us that conquering ourselves is necessary for any kind of holiness.
St. Josemaria Escriva once said that getting out of bed early is hard enough that it makes for an excellent penance—especially if you leap out of bed the minute your alarm goes off. If you really want to show God you are sorry for your sins, pry yourself out of bed and spend some time with him in prayer.
4. Sunrises – When’s the last time you saw a sunrise? If you haven’t seen one recently, you really should. They are one of the glories of God’s creation. The problem is, sunrises don’t wait for you to wake up. They happen pretty early. So get out of bed and watch one! You won’t regret it.
5. Creativity – Most of my blog posts are written in the early morning (if there’s typos, it’s probably because I’m not quite awake yet!). Once I’ve shaken off the drowsiness, I find I am actually quite creative in the morning. The silence I mentioned earlier makes it easier to focus, and there is a certain mental freshness that accompanies a new day after a good night’s sleep.
There you have it. Waking up early can be hard, but it is definitely worth it. It gives you much needed space for important things like prayer and silence, and it builds your muscles of self-discipline.
Now, I will add that if you’ve read the above points and they’ve inspired you to wake up earlier than you normally do, you should probably ease into things. Don’t set your alarm for 4:30 a.m. if you’re used to getting up at 6:30 a.m.! It will be too much of a shock, you’ll fail, and you’ll get frustrated. Instead, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than normal until it’s no longer a shock. Then, work your way back to your desired wake up time.
Happy early rising!
PS: A great cup of coffee makes the morning routine both a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable. If you’re looking for some delicious, manly brew to help you get up early, you’ll want to check out brand new Catholic Gentleman Coffee! We’re currently offering two blends: The Gentleman’s Blend and The Mustache Blend. Click through to learn more about these delicious, “infallibly roasted” coffees!
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Soul Device says
You had me at Mustache.
Great post – something I keep thinking I should do.
The Catholic Gentleman says
Let us know how it goes!
Mary says
Except that research shows people with higher iqs tend to stay up later & sleep later. Maybe it works for you but that doesn’t mean it’s beneficial to everyone. I find I prefer quiet late at night.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200911/intelligence-the-evolution-night-owls
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/smart-people-sleep-late-82486792.html
Rob says
In your second link it noted:
2008 study by psychologist Marina Giamnietro and colleagues indicates evening-types tend to be less reliable, less emotionally stable and more apt to suffer from depression, addictions and eating disorders.
Karen says
That’s the price of a high IQ. 😉
smartard says
You’re retarded. Tons of pot heads say what you just said to make themselves feel better. They are worthless and a burden on society.
smartard says
That was in response to Mary’s post
Mauricio Ledesma says
A father said me one time : “we are creatures of light not of the darkness”
Hubert Zajma says
In Poland we have a proverb: “Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje” which translated means “Who gets up in the morning is gifted by God” 🙂
Free by Forty!!! says
Yes, very true indeed. I have been waking at 4am for years now. It allows me time to reflect on God, it allows me time to write (and I too find myself to be more creative early in the day as I cannot function past 8pm!!!), and it simply allows a little peace and time to prepare properly for the day. And, every once in a while, I allow myself to sleep in to like 6:30 or 7 and man does it feel good!
Great post!
FBF
The Catholic Gentleman says
Wow, 4 AM! You put me to shame. Maybe someday I’ll be that amazing. 🙂
Free by Forty!!! says
It’s not easy and I do hit the snooze often. But it is the best time of the day.
Enjoy your Sunday sir!
FBF
Jacek says
Very good post, I would add this tip : to have a good wake-up in the morning, man should have a good & calm night before 🙂
Rafael says
The morning is really awesome. I naturally stay up super late so wake up in the morning is almost impossible but I decided to change my habits. So after dinner I feel really asleep and sometimes I take a “killing nap”, that make me stay up until 4-5 a.m. What I’m doing now is pushing myself with coffee or walks during the day, specially after lunch so I can force myself to sleep only at night. This way I’m always up in the morning, even if I take a nap from 7-8 p.m. til midnight.
Mauricio Ledesma says
so so true: I used to wake up early in the morning, praying the breasplate of St. Patrick, and then the rosary while seems like the entire world are sleeping, i usually ended the rosary with the sunrise, feels like a monk in the silence of a medieval abbey, refreshing.
http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/st-patricks-breastplate.html