Reading a chapter in a book, meditating, exercising, taking a shower, preparing a hearty breakfast… all this before going to work or studying.
For those who don't like to wake up before the sun rises, the simple fact of suggesting waking up in the dark, by choice, seems unimaginable, especially before a mega-busy day.
However, Clube das 5 supporters argue that waking up at 5 am brings several health benefits, improves productivity and makes the day pay more! This morning practice consists of making the most of the early hours of the morning, which are usually the quietest.
In this article, we explain where the idea of ​​waking up at 5 am came from and why the practice is attracting more and more fans in Spain and around the world – and if this is really a good idea for everyone.
What is the 5 Club?
Despite its name, Clube das 5 is not exactly a club, but a group of people who follow the same philosophy: wake up at 5 am to make the most of the day and, at the same time, improve personal performance.
The proposal is to make better use of the early hours of the morning, doing some activity that contributes to individual development. So, as soon as the alarm goes off, don't stay in bed. Simply get up and turn on the light.
The habit of getting up at 5 am also provides extra motivation to carry out daily activities, since it is in these early hours of the morning that we are more rested, focused and free from distractions, such as cell phone notifications or noises around.
Robin Sharma, one of the creators of this concept, proposes a division into three parts of the first hour of the day, developing three of the main pillars of human life: body, productivity and mind.
How did Clube das 5 come about and what is it for?
This lifestyle is not exactly new, but it has been gaining strength thanks to two bestsellers by authors of motivational books – such as the aforementioned Robin Sharma, in his book “The 5 am Club”, and Hal Elrod, in "The Miracle Morning".
In “The 5 am Club”, released in 2018, Sharma presents a compilation of a series of physical and mental advantages that waking up early brings to our body, which he has been advocating for at least two decades.
He explains that waking up before the sun rises increases our concentration and raises the level of productivity. So, before the noises of the day begin, the first hour of the day, also called “The hour of victory”, should be divided into “20/20/20' – ​​20 minutes for physical exercises; 20 minutes for planning the new day and setting goals; and 20 minutes reading or delving into something new.
Hal Elrod, on the other hand, goes deeper and says that waking up early contributes to personal and professional growth, since it is in the early hours of the day that we can experience a moment of solitude and silence to take care of body and mind.
Elrod's book suggests practices similar to those of Robin Sharma, but even more rigorous. He proposes a morning routine made up of six steps: meditation, positive affirmations, visualizations, physical exercise, reading and journaling.
What are the benefits that Clube das 5 offers?
Although, at first, it seems very difficult to get up before sunrise, waking up at 5 am, or even earlier, can be a good way out for those people who never find time to organize their personal lives before others. family members wake up.
Setting aside an hour or two for your own development, whether studying, reading or exercising, can be interesting. But is the feeling of better organization when waking up earlier just a psychological factor? According to science, no.
There are several researches and studies that show that if the same people woke up after 9 am and performed the same tasks, they would not have the same performance. Among these benefits for the body and mind are:
1 – Greatest success
Those who get up earlier are closer to achieving academic and professional success. That's because those who wake up early are also usually more persistent, proactive and work better as a team.
2 – More optimism and lower risk of depression
There is also a direct relationship between sleep/wake time and pessimism. In other words, the less we sleep, or the later we sleep, the greater the incidence of negative thoughts and bad moods.
In addition, people who go to bed late as a result of insomnia are three times more likely to develop depression than those who do not suffer from insomnia.
3 – Less anxiety
Those who wake up early also tend to have a greater concern for their health and suffer less from anxiety than those who wake up later. This happens because waking up earlier reduces the level of cortisol in the body and, consequently, decreases the level of stress and irritability.
Waking up with plenty of time to start daily activities also prevents anxiety from taking over our mind, as we don't need to adapt our tasks in less time than necessary to perform them.
4 – Improved health and disposition
The followers of Clube dos 5 also enjoy better health and disposition. Generally, those who wake up earlier have more time to exercise, eat healthy and, as a bonus, it is easier to lose weight, since low cortisol levels favor weight loss.
5 – Increased productivity and less procrastination
As long as you get enough sleep at night, waking up at 5am won't make you sleepy through the day. Studies show a direct relationship between waking up time and time perception.
Those who wake up early tend to procrastinate less. So, you don't have to leave something "for later". By learning to make better use of their time, adherents of this routine have the advantage of performing each task at its own time, without doing several things in parallel.
Why join the 5 Club?
Even those who have already achieved some professional success defend that joining Clube das 5 is more than a phase; It's a lifestyle. It turns out that, in addition to the habit of waking up early, the Club's proposal is to follow a well-defined morning ritual – that is, no waking up and turning on the computer or television. The early hours of the morning are used to take care of the body and mind.
Taking advantage of the silence and calm of the morning to meditate, exercise, prepare meals and/or organize the day's agenda will make all the difference in the execution of your plans.
What are the disadvantages for Clube das 5 fans?
By joining the 5 Club just for fad, we don't pay attention to the fact that sacrificing hours of sleep can be harmful to our health. Sleeping less than necessary, in addition to making you sleepy during the day, can disrupt your concentration and memory and even increase your risk of having a stroke.
Another disadvantage is in relation to the impact on your social routine. That's because most weekend get-togethers with friends take place at night.
If these social activities are important to you, you need to consider how much it would be worth the sacrifice of moving away from your friends to join this practice.
How do I know if the practice of Clube das 5 can be useful for me?
Waking up early, by itself, is not synonymous with more organization, productivity and health. After all, getting up at 5am doesn't mean sleeping short.
Each person needs an average amount of hours a day to rest the body and mind. This amount can vary over a lifetime, but for an adult, restful sleep should last an average of 7 hours a night.
That is, if your current routine doesn't allow you to go to bed before midnight due to work, studies or family, don't blame yourself! Or if you already wake up at 5am, but need to get ready and leave the house before 6am to get to your work place located on the other side of town, you shouldn't wake up before then!
Each person has a different routine and different habits, and just because it works well for some doesn't make the 5-a-side Club a good idea for everyone. The purpose of the practice is to take advantage of a quiet time of the day, without interruptions and annoyances. Therefore, the focus is on what we are looking for, and not just on the time we wake up.
Meet the celebrities who are fans of Clube da 5
Despite being an important name, Robin Sharma did not create the Clube das 5. The habit of waking up early has been part of the routine of important and famous people for a long time.
Benjamin Franklin, born in 1706, was in the habit of waking up at 5 am and argued that the earlier a man sleeps and the earlier he wakes up, the healthier and wiser he will be.
Great entrepreneurs are also adept at this practice, such as Tim Cook (Apple CEO), Howard Schultz (Starbucks founder), Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Jorge Paulo Lemann (Ambev) and Robert Iger (Disney).
Other personalities – such as the Dalai Lama, religious leader of Tibetan Buddhism; Gisele Bündchen, model and businesswoman; and Silvio Santos, presenter and entrepreneur – also wake up at 5 am.
Tips for becoming a 5 Club fan
Curious? Did you find the proposal interesting? See, then, these tips to join the Club of 5 without suffering.
Take care of your food
When we eat well, that is, we consume healthy and fresh foods instead of foods with a low nutritional content, we have a more peaceful and restful night's sleep, and we wake up with more energy.
Set an alarm clock to go to sleep
We usually set an alarm to wake up. But if you want to wake up early, it's also important to go to bed early. The ideal would be to add an alarm on your cell phone, to remind you the exact time to go to bed.
have a purpose
There's no point in following a regimented morning routine if it doesn't make sense to you. To adopt the practice, find a motivation, a purpose, a why. This new routine needs to make sense to you, and only then will it fit into your life in a harmonious way.
Avoid artificial lights
Completely darken your bedroom before bed by turning off lights and turning off electronic devices. To get quality sleep, we need to be in a completely dark environment. Also avoid bright screens at night. As soon as the sun sets, if possible, reduce the use of cell phones, computers and television. Stay away from these devices at least two hours before going to sleep.
Turn off mobile notifications
Set the “Do Not Disturb” function or put your phone in airplane mode before going to sleep. Thus, there is no risk of you waking up when you are about to fall asleep, or that your sleep will be interrupted by some sound or light notification during the night.
Avoid stimulant substances
Avoid consuming caffeine – present in coffee, sodas, teas and energy drinks – as the night approaches. If you are very sensitive to caffeine, choose not to consume it after noon. That way, you'll be able to sleep earlier and have a more peaceful night's sleep, waking up at 5 am feeling refreshed and refreshed!
Set a night routine
Just like the morning routine, the night routine is very important for our focus and disposition. Before going to bed, sort out your clothes and prepare everything you will need for the next day. That way, you won't have to worry about making decisions as soon as you wake up.
Waking up with the day starting and getting ready for bed just after sunset has its perks. The main one is to take better advantage of the cortisol spike early in the day, when the brain has better oxygenation and performance.
However, waking up at 5 am is not the only important variable for personal and professional success. And, despite the many benefits recognized by science, the Club of 5 is not for everyone. There are those who feel more willing to work and perform tasks during the night. Just like there are those whose routine doesn't support waking up even earlier than they already wake up.
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But, if the proposal of Clube das 5 makes sense to you, there is only one way to know if it will work or not: try waking up at a time when you can enjoy the benefits of starting the day with the sunrise, but without taking away precious hours of sleep.
