As the years pile on, sleep begins to play tricks on an old man. It shrinks, it shifts, it arrives earlier and leaves sooner than anyone asked it to. Back in the day, I could sleep through a thunderstorm, a marching band, or a toddler’s tantrum. Now, the slightest creak of a floorboard at what used to be the ungodly hour of 3 in the morning has me wide awake and staring at the ceiling. And so begins another day before the world has decided to join me.
Waking early when you’re older doesn’t just affect your routine; it becomes the routine. Let me share some thoughts from my pre-dawn adventures.
The Clock That No Longer Listens
Once upon a time, the alarm clock was the boss. It demanded to be respected. Now, I’m awake long before it rings, glaring at its smug little face as it ticks away the minutes of my prematurely started day. Why does this happen? Science offers a few clues.
- Age and circadian rhythms: As people age, their circadian rhythms—the internal body clock that regulates sleep—begin to shift. This often results in feeling sleepy earlier in the evening and waking up earlier in the morning. Melatonin production, which helps regulate sleep, declines with age, leaving the body less able to sustain long stretches of rest.
- Fragmented sleep patterns: Older adults often experience fragmented sleep due to lighter sleep stages, more frequent awakenings, or underlying health conditions like arthritis or sleep apnea.
- The mind’s chatter: In the quiet of the early morning hours, unresolved thoughts from the day or life’s ongoing worries become magnified, creating an unwelcome wake-up call.
You wake at 2:35 a.m. and think, “Maybe if I just roll over…” Fifteen minutes later, you’re mentally revisiting last week’s grocery list.
You get up, thinking a drink of water will help. It doesn’t, but now you’re too awake to even pretend to go back to bed.
By 3:30 a.m., you’re on the couch, flipping through old photo albums, wishing for the days when eight hours of sleep wasn’t a luxury.
Pre-Dawn Wanderings
When you’ve been up for hours before the sun decides to make an appearance, you find yourself doing things you wouldn’t have dreamed of in younger years. These early hours are oddly productive, though not always intentionally so.
- Sorting through clutter: That stack of mail you’ve been ignoring suddenly seems like a good idea to tackle. You’re halfway through organizing it when you realize you’ve created five new piles of indecision.
- Rearranging furniture: A chair here, a lamp there. By 6:00 a.m., the living room looks entirely different, though you’re not sure it’s better.
- Learning obscure facts: You pick up an old magazine and read an article about a species of bird you’ll never see. Fascinating at the time, forgotten by noon.
At 4:00 a.m., you’re cleaning out the junk drawer, discovering expired coupons and mysterious screws.
By 5:00 a.m., you’ve decided to mend a torn shirt, despite having no idea where the sewing kit might be.
Somewhere around 5:45 a.m., you’re dusting the baseboards, thinking, “Who’ll notice this anyway?”
Make Use of Early Morning Media
One of the surprising habits I’ve developed in the quiet early hours is turning to various forms of media—books, television, and of course, the radio. There’s a comfort in filling the stillness with voices and stories that don’t require much effort to follow.
- Reading books or magazines: Often, I’ll reach for an old favorite or something light and entertaining. It’s not unusual to find myself thumbing through a gardening guide at 3:00 a.m., even though I’ve never planted a seed in my life.
- Watching television: Early-morning TV can be a peculiar experience. Programs aimed at insomniacs or night owls range from infomercials selling miracle kitchen gadgets to reruns of classic sitcoms.
- Listening to the radio: Talk radio and late-night DJs have their own appeal, offering a strange sense of connection in the solitude. Occasionally, I’ll find a station playing music from my younger years, and for a moment, it’s like being back in the 1960s.
Settling into an armchair with a book you’ve read a dozen times before but still enjoy.
Watching a cooking show at dawn, marveling at the dishes you’ll never attempt to recreate.
Listening to a late-night radio host discussing topics ranging from conspiracy theories to old love songs.
Solitary Creativity
The early hours often stir a curious form of creativity. With the house silent and distractions minimal, I find myself trying my hand at activities that I might shy away from during the day.
- Sketching or doodling: I’m no artist, but sometimes I’ll grab a pencil and paper and let my hand wander. The results might not win any prizes, but they’re strangely satisfying.
- Writing down memories: Journaling in the stillness brings back vivid recollections of times long past. The stories flow, unencumbered by the noise of daily life.
- Experimenting in the kitchen: Occasionally, I’ll wander into the kitchen and decide to try a new recipe. These experiments are often simple—scrambled eggs with an unexpected twist or a cup of coffee flavored with cinnamon—but they feel adventurous in the moment.
Filling a page with sketches of trees, animals, or simply abstract shapes.
Writing about a summer afternoon from your childhood, recalling every detail as though it happened yesterday.
Standing in your kitchen at 5:00 a.m., mixing ingredients for pancakes that end up looking more like scrambled dough but tasting just fine.
Watching the World Wake Up
Being awake so early has its moments. The stillness, the clarity, and the gradual unfolding of the day create a unique atmosphere. Science, too, has insights into why these quiet hours feel so different.
- Increased alpha brain waves: The early morning often brings a state of relaxed alertness. Alpha brain waves, which are linked to creativity and calm focus, may be heightened during this time.
- Uninterrupted time: There’s no noise from traffic, emails, or phone calls. This uninterrupted quiet can help the mind roam freely.
- Connection to nature’s rhythms: Early risers often notice changes in light and sound that come with dawn. This connection to the natural world can have calming effects on the nervous system.
Sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee, wrapped in an old sweater, listening to the faint rustling of leaves.
Watching the stars fade, one by one, as the sun begins to paint the sky.
Spotting the first neighbor to venture outside, waving as they pick up their paper or take out the trash.
The Day Stretched Too Long
The downside to waking so early is that the day feels like it stretches on forever. This can create fatigue, but it’s also a curious phenomenon of aging: a full day lived before most have had their morning coffee.
- Running out of steam: You start a project mid-morning, only to abandon it by 2:00 p.m. because you’re too tired to keep going.
- Losing track of time: Afternoon naps are tempting, but they disrupt what little remains of your routine.
- Feeling disconnected: While everyone else is starting their day, you’ve already done three loads of laundry and solved half the crossword puzzle.
At 11:00 a.m., you’re watching a movie, thinking it’s late enough for lunch.
By 3:00 p.m., you’re staring at the clock, wondering how it’s not dinnertime yet.
At 8:00 p.m., you’re crawling into bed, promising yourself you’ll sleep later tomorrow—knowing full well you won’t.
Reflections on Early Rising
Waking at 24 or 5 to 3. It's a frustrating time, definitely. But the early hours have also given me a different perspective. Science helps explain it, but the experience itself reveals something unique. Watching the world in its quietest hours, tackling odd tasks, and learning to live with the quirks of age—these have become my new normal. Still, if I could trade a morning’s solitude for an uninterrupted night’s rest, I wouldn’t hesitate.
