My 3 A.M. Experiment

[Ralphiej]

Last week I tried a productivity experiment that went really well. I woke up at 3 a.m. to write, work on my website and to have some prayer time in the morning. It was an amazing difference! I wrote a post about it and I'm still planning on waking up early so I can report the results to my readers.

If you haven't tried this, you should! I actually ran out of things to do by the end of the week. It was crazy!

Now I'm trying to find out what the next step is and how I can up my effectiveness and creativity. If you get a chance, check out my post and tell me what you think. You should definitely try this!

[alekseykravtsun]

good job, I also start with 4.00am 20 days ago, and these hours in the morning are best for a whole day, actually I am spending this time for gym, shower and early arrival to work. Try time boxing (if not yet) works excellent for me.

[Ralphiej]

Thanks! It really is the best time to be awake and active.

[AndrewDSteele]

Could you explain this experiment to me? It sounds interesting.

[dnd980]

When do you go to sleep/ how much sleep can you possibly get waking up that early in the morning

[toasterwater]

Sounds fun!

A couple questions:

How much sleep are you getting total, and if you feel tired during the day, what do you do to combat that?

Keep up the good work!

[stripysweatergirl]

You know, the time people are getting up is getting earlier and earlier. Eventually we'll be right back where we started.

I know that if I got up at 3am, I'd be uselessly tired. I get up at 5.30am to get to work early, I'm still in a stupor but my commute wakes me up by the time I get there. I would prefer to get up when the sun rises, as I don't like waking up in the dark.

Why is it that people feel the need to get up ever earlier? Are they trying to outdo each other? What is so special about those early hours that magically makes you more productive than if you got up later? Surely you could simply apply the same time management/motivational techniques to the later hours and see the same results?

Besides, TV is better late at night

[Ralphiej]

Thanks everyone!
The experiment started when I realized that my life was all work. I once worked 12 hours on a Saturday and 14 on a Sunday and still, not caught up. I write for my blog and I'm a monthly writer for two other popular blogs so I was writing and researching constantly. Add a day job and a startup on the way...

@AndrewDSteele I wondered, "how early could I wake up, get work done, and still have enough energy to make it through the day without being so sleepy that I fall asleep on the at the wheel?" The experiment was to first see if I could find a way to enjoy waking up earlier and then to see if I could use the extra time to do something productive. I was already waking up early but it was just to get ready for the day and to do unimportant tasks like checking stats and stuff.

In the post I explain how I found activities that helped me enjoy waking up early then I moved the most important tasks to the morning instead of after work. Made a huge difference!

@dnd980 I would go to sleep at about 9 and I would wake up between 3-330 depending on the activity that is scheduled for that morning. I used to think that I needed 81/2 hours but during the week I was getting 6-61/2 and I felt more energized than I did when I was getting much more sleep.

3 am is a little extreme but I did it for two reasons,
1) If I can wake up at 3 and not hate it, then if I were to go back to waking up at 5:30, it would be a walk in the park.

2) I like to write continuously for a few hours instead of little by little so I would have a large block of time to do it

@toasterwater It was crazy but I was not tired at all. I figured if I got tired during the experiment, I could take a power nap during lunch.

[polsky]

According to Ancient Indian Shastras, Brahma muhurta is (approximately) 1.5 hours before sun rise.

The ideal time for engaging oneself in meditation is Brahma Muhurtham, that is, the period commencing at 3 a.m. and ending with 6 a.m. early in the morning. Brahma Muhurtham literally means the time of Brahman. You must choose a fixed time for meditation during the Brahma Muhurtham and meditate regularly at the same time every day.

A period of the day is called by the ancient Rishis as the “Hour of Brahman” -- Brahma muhurtha. In the early hours of the morning sandhya, the sky emits a pale bluish light or halo in the east. These Bluish rays coming from the east contain subtle awakening magnetism(Akarshana Shakthi), which affects the brain. These dawn rays of a bluish hue have also got a soothing effect on the body. Also, the morning air is fully charged with Prana or vital energy( less pollutants in the air). This living electricity is what the body cells require for sustaining good health. This Prana is what the Yogi requires for charging his six Yogic centers during the Sandhya Vandana of Gayathri.

- This might explain why you must have felt productive especially during the first part of day before the sun arises.I know that it's the best time for performing meditation.Even dedicated work is considered to be a form of Yoga (Karma Yoga).

Apologizes if I am trying to bring the topic of Yoga here.

[emeadow]

I have considered doing this in the past. I tend to wake up many nights at around 3 am and feel wide awake. I have also heard folks like Dr Wayne Dyer state that this is a time when you are most receptive and open to connecting with your higher self. Well, technically I think he said the time varies around 3 am, but if you wake up at a particular time most nights on your own over and over, that is the best time to just get up. Best time for writing, meditating, intuitive thinking, so on.

Interesting, I might have to give this more thought to try it down the road.

[ghozt]

Originally Posted by emeadow

I have considered doing this in the past. I tend to wake up many nights at around 3 am and feel wide awake. I have also heard folks like Dr Wayne Dyer state that this is a time when you are most receptive and open to connecting with your higher self. Well, technically I think he said the time varies around 3 am, but if you wake up at a particular time most nights on your own over and over, that is the best time to just get up. Best time for writing, meditating, intuitive thinking, so on.

Interesting, I might have to give this more thought to try it down the road.

wow, i think I had better try this, maybe i will go for 4:00 instead of 3:00...

[CoolBee]

I go to bed at 3am - does that count?
My most productive and creative hours are around 10pm - 2am.
When I was working a standard job and had to get up 530-6am, I used to be completely zomboid by midday.

[Wildside]

Interesting thread. I almost always wake up between 3 and 4am...it's very weird. Then I usually end up laying there trying to get back to sleep, I usually do around 5am or so then get woken up by the alarm at 7am to get up for work, and end up feeling really bagged all day. Two days ago after waking up around 4am or so I was laying there and not able to get back to sleep, so I got up. I walked around my place for a bit and wondered what the heck I was doing up lol. It was about 5am by that time, I considered going back to bed but decided instead to go for a walk. So I went for a walk...it was dark but very peaceful, we have a nice seawall in the downtown area of Vancouver that is nice to walk on, I walked for an hour. I got home and didn't know what else to do so I ended up laying back down in bed and then got up at 7am and got ready for work. I had the best energy day I have had in a long time. it was really great! so today I tried it again, I got up at 4:30am and did the same thing. I don't feel quite as energetic as I did yesterday but I still feel pretty good. I am going to continue this for a while and see how it turns out, will let you know.

[hydroxide]

Originally Posted by CoolBee

I go to bed at 3am - does that count?
My most productive and creative hours are around 10pm - 2am.
When I was working a standard job and had to get up 530-6am, I used to be completely zomboid by midday.

Yes, me too, I also go to bed at 3 am and I'm most productive around the same time (late at night). I tend to be very sluggish in the afternoon until I eat lunch, so I figure if I kept a "normal" sleep time I would have very few productive hours in the day.

[findinginspiration]

This is an interesting post. I've tried to wake up at 6am each morning, but it didnt last long because I didn't really commit myself to it. I may try and schedule myself to get exactly 6 hours of sleep each night, regardless of what time I get to bed. We'll see what happens!!

[Ralphiej]

Let me know what happens. I would love to see if you are able to do it. If you are, it will change your life for the better!

[paperyoga]

I wish to wake up at 3, but I cannot change my habit... I still can find sleep only at 1 and if I sleep 2 hours it is not healthy and I will get sleepy all day unless I sleep in the afternoon... but that sounds unhealthy too

[AttackLife]

I worked as a general laborer the past two summers and I always woke up at 3:00 M-Thr even though I had to be in at work at 6. I would get up, do P90x Stretch X, do the three s's, and eat some cold cuts and some fruit. Then I would either read or write for the remaining time period just to relax before work. I was very productive during my 10 hour work day and I always felt like waking up at 3 am gave me an edge. I usually got anywhere between 4-8 hours of sleep a night.

I would like to get back to that, but it's extremely difficult when I'm at college. All my friends stay up late, my classes begin at 11 AM, and my weekend lifestyle doesn't mesh all that well with waking up a 3 am. I'm planning on waking up at 3 am one day a week until Christmas recess. From there I'll try this experiment over the course of break (it's around 3 weeks).

[supertom]

Originally Posted by polsky

According to Ancient Indian Shastras, Brahma muhurta is (approximately) 1.5 hours before sun rise.

The ideal time for engaging oneself in meditation is Brahma Muhurtham, that is, the period commencing at 3 a.m. and ending with 6 a.m. early in the morning. Brahma Muhurtham literally means the time of Brahman. You must choose a fixed time for meditation during the Brahma Muhurtham and meditate regularly at the same time every day.

A period of the day is called by the ancient Rishis as the “Hour of Brahman” -- Brahma muhurtha. In the early hours of the morning sandhya, the sky emits a pale bluish light or halo in the east. These Bluish rays coming from the east contain subtle awakening magnetism(Akarshana Shakthi), which affects the brain. These dawn rays of a bluish hue have also got a soothing effect on the body. Also, the morning air is fully charged with Prana or vital energy( less pollutants in the air). This living electricity is what the body cells require for sustaining good health. This Prana is what the Yogi requires for charging his six Yogic centers during the Sandhya Vandana of Gayathri.

- This might explain why you must have felt productive especially during the first part of day before the sun arises.I know that it's the best time for performing meditation.Even dedicated work is considered to be a form of Yoga (Karma Yoga).

Apologizes if I am trying to bring the topic of Yoga here.

To me getting up early in the morning does actually feel spiritual It feels like i am totally in tune with myself, before the noise of the world grabs my attention.

[Guru Shakti]

Hi Everyone! I have some fun information for all of you to better explain why it's such a powerful time to get up at 4am! It's considered a sacred time.

During what are called the “ambrosial hours” (the two and a half hours just before sunrise), when the sun is at a sixty-degree angle to the earth, the energy you put into any creative task gets maximum results. Your world is quieter. There is much less going on because everyone is asleep, your clarity is much clearer. It’s easier to meditate and concentrate before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.

Wayne Dyer says, "The morning air has secrets to tell." But you won't hear those secrets if you're asleep.

Hope you enjoy this information!

[PerDev]

Waking Early if my Next Priority ... As I need lot more sleep then others, It might get difficult for me.
But I am increading my energy level by improving my diet and then i will have 30 day trial.