Becoming a ‘Morning Person’ Has Valuable Benefits [PHOTOS]

I've stopped counting how many people, friends and listeners, have asked me, "What time do you have to get up in the morning?" When I tell them, "Around 4:30am," they make that scrunchy face like someone's passed gas.

With some help from Mandatory.com and ZenHabits.net., I've put together a list of five advantages for waking up "really early."

1... "The Beginning of a Brand New Day" - I love the quiet and the solitude of always waking up first thing in the morning, not to mention an occasional gorgeous sunrise. A new day signifies new possibilities and new ideas. Once I've had my coffee and maybe a Red Bull, I'm ready to go, plus it helps me interact with Lou every morning. If you're doing morning show radio, you have no choice but to be "on" at 5:30am. 

2... "Many Successful People Wake-Up Early" - Apple's, Tim Cook is always up at 4:30 to get his day started with a cup of Starbuck's coffee. I'm certainly not comparing myself to one of America's most successful CEO's, but for some, waking up early seems to breed success. One of our founding fathers', Benjamin Franklin, was an early riser. One of his favorite quotes was, "The early morning has gold in its mouth." I don't know what that means but it sounds good! Other successful people who are up at the ass-crack of dawn are, Disney CEO, Bob Iger, Virgin Atlantic tycoon and wack job, Richard Branson, and "Hair Boy," Donald Trump!

3... "Exercise" - Even though I haven't exercised regularly in quite some time due to my extreme laziness, many friends of mine who do, like to get it out of the way first thing in the morning, plus it adds that hefty shot of energy to jump start your day!

4... "Productivity" - The dawn of a new day is when I'm the most productive because I really have no choice. Once Lou and I are on the air, we need to know what people are talking about, what's trending, and then figure out how to use them on the show. Yes, it does help that I love my job.

5... "Studies Have Shown That Morning People Are Actually Happier Than Night Owls" - I'm not talking early risers are happier just in the morning, but are "happier with life." Night owl tendencies usually fade with age and the study shows that individuals who switch to a more morning-focused routine were generally more happy with their life than night owls who enjoy sleeping late into the morning.

I realize waking up early is certainly not for everyone. Did I tell you that waking up early tends to lead towards possessing more healthy character traits? Just sayin'!

Listen to Ethan Carey on the Ethan & Lou Show weekdays from 5:30-10AM on 95.1 FM. You can listen online at i95rock.com/listen-live/ or by downloading the radioPup app for your mobile device.