I Woke Up Early for Two Weeks. Here’s What It Did for Me

I’ve never been a ‘morning person.’ You know the type — glowing skin by 7 a.m., green smoothie in hand, casually journaling their goals under the sunrise. Meanwhile, I was hitting snooze three times, waking up stressed and doomscrolling before brushing my teeth. 

But something shifted. I’d been feeling like life was happening to me instead of with me. So, I made a deal with myself: wake up at 5:30 a.m. for two weeks. Not to be productive. Not to hustle. Just to see what would happen if I reclaimed my mornings. 

Week 1: Groggy Starts, Small Wins 

The first few mornings were rough. My body fought it hard. I felt heavy, groggy and kind of resentful —why was I doing this again? 

But something surprising happened by the third day. I was less anxious in the mornings. Just being up before the noise of the world made me feel … ahead. I wasn’t rushing to get dressed, wasn’t checking my phone the second I opened my eyes. I had time. That alone felt like power. 

I tried two types of mornings: 

• Workout Mode: A 20 to 30 minute low-impact strength or HIIT workout. 
   

• Slow Mode: Stretching, journaling, tea, music, sometimes just sitting in silence. 
   

The workout mornings gave me a hit of dopamine. I’d walk around with a slight sweat and a big sense of smugness — like I’d already accomplished something major before 7 a.m. But it also made me feel wired. On one of those days, I crashed hard at 3 p.m. Even caffeine couldn’t save me. 

On slow mornings, though, my whole day felt softer. More intentional. I wasn’t just chasing to-dos; I was grounded. 

Wearing a Smart Ring: The Data Didn’t Lie 

I wore an Oura Ring during the experiment — mostly out of curiosity, not obsession. I didn’t want the numbers to control me, but I did want to understand what was happening under the surface. 

The ring tracked my heart rate variability (HRV), sleep quality, readiness score and stress levels. Here’s what I noticed: 

• Workout mornings raised my HRV temporarily but spiked my cortisol (that “alert” hormone), and I had lower readiness scores the next day. My ring would gently suggest I ‘take it easy.’ 
   

• Slow mornings gave me consistently better recovery scores. My HRV stayed high, my resting heart rate was lower and I actually felt more stable all day. 

Turns out, the science backs it: getting morning sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, improves cortisol regulation and even boosts serotonin — the feel-good hormone. According to the Huberman Lab, morning light exposure is one of the most effective ways to reset your internal clock and improve mental clarity. 

That said, no smart ring could track the emotional shifts that were happening. 

The Real Changes Weren’t Just Physical 

By the end of week one, I wasn’t just waking up earlier — I was thinking differently. My mornings felt like mine again. I wasn’t launching into reactive mode. I was choosing how my day started. 

And honestly? That alone lowered my stress. 

I realized I’d been waking up in crisis mode every day for years. Snoozing, rushing, skipping breakfast, checking emails in a panic then wondering why I felt so frazzled. Waking up early gave me space. And in that space, I felt a little more like myself. 

Also, my confidence went up. Not because I looked better (although I was less puffy and breaking out less), but because I was keeping a promise to myself. That built something. 

Week 2: Adjustments and Aha Moments 

In week two, I got more strategic. I alternated slow and active mornings to balance energy and recovery. I noticed I was going to bed earlier without even trying — my body was adjusting naturally. 

I also learned not to romanticize every morning. Some days, I woke up and didn’t feel like journaling or stretching or doing anything cute. I just sat in silence with my tea and stared out the window. And that was enough. 

One morning, I forgot to wear my ring. I felt this weird moment of panic — How will I know if I slept well? Then I laughed. You’ll know because you feel good. The ring was helpful, but the real proof was in my mood, my focus and how I moved through the world that day. 

That’s when I realized something important: the goal isn’t to optimize everything. It’s to feel better. 

Waking Up Early Didn’t Change Me — It Revealed Me 

Here’s what two weeks of waking up early taught me: 

• It’s not about productivity. It’s about presence. I felt more in control of my time, not just trying to “win the day.” 
   

• Cortisol isn’t bad, misplaced cortisol is. Spiking it with back-to-back alarms and email scrolls at 8 a.m. is rough on the nervous system. Letting it rise naturally with light and breath is a game-changer. 
   

• Your morning mood sets your day. Whether I worked out or journaled, taking the time to check in with myself made me more resilient. 
   

• The smart ring helped — but it didn’t define the experience. The Oura Ring gave me insight, not instruction. It reflected how I was doing; it didn’t tell me who I was. 
   

I’m not waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day now, but I’ve stuck to a 6 a.m.(ish) rhythm. More importantly, I start my day on purpose now. Whether that’s sweating or sipping, I give myself the first word in the story of my day. 

And that? That changed everything.