Should you be waking up earlier or sleeping in more

For so long, researchers informed readers that it’s better for your health to wake up earlier rather than later. But the latest research disagrees—thankfully!

The early bird doesn't get the worm

The latest research discovered that people who tend to wake up between 5:30 am to 7:30 am experienced heightened levels of the stress hormone cortisol. You may think that waking up early gives you a chance to be productive, resulting in experiencing less stress, but maybe the combination of sleeping past 7:30 am and starting your day by working on certain tasks will really help to lower your stress. You never know!

Unfortunately, some people have to wake up for work or class—they don’t really have a choice! But if you have the choice, you might as well sleep for longer, right?

Sleeping in isn't a crime

Of course, morning people do exist, too! Some people naturally wake up early and experience more productivity while the sun rises. But this study highlights that it’s okay to sleep in (a little).

Don’t beat yourself up for accidentally sleeping too long every so often. Sometimes, staying in bed an extra hour or two is necessary to fully recover from the stress accumulated over previous days.

What else did the study find about the benefits of waking up a little later than usual? Tune into our video for more reasons why it’s okay to let your body sleep in! Warning: the symptoms of waking up early will definitely convince you to stay asleep for longer.