Women Who Wake Up Naturally Before 6 AM As They Get Older Usually Have These 11 Reasons
PeopleImages | Shutterstock Alongside hormonal changes and shifting sleep patterns, many people tend to wake up early naturally as they get older, according to experts from UCLA Health. For some, it's even a lifestyle change — they're more protective of their personal time and wellness and appreciate the slowness of early mornings to set the tone for their day. Women who wake up naturally before 6 AM as they get older usually have these reasons, even if they spent the majority of their lives as "night owls."
Of course, night owl behaviors and routines tend to harm mental health for people of all ages, but especially for aging women who experience shifts in sleep hormones, so going to bed early is a ritual that pays off in a number of ways. From protecting their physical health to boosting mood, and even prompting better relationship satisfaction, natural early wake-ups are worth leaning into.
Women who wake up naturally before 6 AM as they get older usually have these 11 reasons
1. They appreciate slow, intentional mornings
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Especially in a world where women are held to so many unrealistic expectations and responsibilities, carving out time just for themselves is an important act of self-care. Especially as they get older, and their bodies wake up naturally earlier, the soft slowness of early mornings is the perfect time for them to cultivate healthy alone time.
Whether it's sipping coffee on the couch, going out for a walk, or simply enjoying a natural wake-up from their bed, it's these slow mornings that are typically the reason women tend to prioritize waking up before 6 AM with their natural sleep cycles.
2. Their sleep hormones are shifting
While some women may experience better sleep duration as they age, others struggle to find the right routine, but one thing remains the same: as they get older, the time they fall asleep and wake up in the morning gets earlier. They find themselves more tired in the early evening and more bright-eyed in the early morning than they might have just a few years before.
So, women who wake up before 6 AM as they get older may not even be choosing to do it intentionally, but simply rolling with hormonal changes and sleep pattern shifts that allows them to get up without snoozing an alarm over and over again.
3. They're managing a lot of stress and anxiety
Whether it's anxiety without a clear cause or a general stress about the following day's responsibilities, women who wake up naturally before 6 AM may have an overactive brain — ringing the anxiety alarm bells before they have a chance to naturally wake up.
Of course, their bedtime habits often have a lot to do with this sleep cycle. If they're avoiding de-stressing routines like making a to-do list for the next day or doomscrolling on their phone, of course they're going to wake up more anxious than they realize.
However, if they lean into an early bedtime and a nighttime ritual that allows them to cope with all that pent-up stress, waking up naturally at 6 AM can feel empowering, rather than emotionally overwhelming.
4. They crave stillness
After years of managing household labor, emotional work in their relationships, childcare, and personal growth, women who wake up naturally before 6 AM as they get older may simply be craving more stillness. If the early morning hours and a grounding morning routine are how they prioritize that regulating stillness, chances are their bodies and brains will seek it out — even without an alarm.
While natural wake-ups can sometimes spike cortisol levels, particularly affecting women's stress levels, having self-soothing, still routines for the morning allows them to return to a regulated place, without grappling with anxiety or the immediate burden of work.
5. They feel responsible for other people
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According to psychotherapist Nancy Colier, many women experience a ton of guilt in their lives — not just because of stereotypical gender roles, but because of the responsibilities and expectations they're held to cling to their high levels of empathy. They feel pressure to show up for everyone and to drop their own needs consistently, even if it urges them to show up as a less grounded, regulated version of themselves every time.
When they find themselves waking up earlier at 6 AM or before the sun rises, it's because they can subconsciously feel the pressure. They feel pressure to put their morning rituals and routines on hold to show up for everyone else.
6. They connect with their intuition best before sunrise
According to a study from BMJ Mental Health, for most people, mornings make everything seem better. We're often in a better mood, feeling more regulated after a good night of rest, and especially excited about the day, especially if we have good habits for preparation and planning.
Women who wake up naturally before 6 AM as they get older connect with their intuition in the morning from this place, and really appreciate the goodness their mornings bring. They feel drawn to the goodness of morning and often lean into habits subconsciously — like intuitive habits and rituals — that amplify that positive energy.
Especially because women's brains are naturally wired to appreciate and indulge in intuitive habits, according to psychiatrist Judith Orloff, it's important for them to find this space to practice it.
7. They feel guilty wasting their mornings
Women who wake up naturally before the sun rises may subconsciously feel guilty for "wasting time." If they're carving into their rest and sleeping time by waking up early, obviously there's a contradiction here, but if they're simply going to bed earlier to ensure they have time to maximize their mornings, it can also be empowering.
While these women may have experienced a growth in self-esteem as they've grown older, crafting space for themselves with intention and dealing with their internalized shame is still a challenge — as it is for everyone, regardless of their age. But waking up naturally before 6 AM might offer both pressure and ease, prompted by a desire to make the most of their time.
8. They're creative in the morning
According to a study from Personality and Individual Differences, creativity tends to thrive in different spaces depending on the kind of sleeping habits a person finds grounding. For night owls, they tend to wake up feeling tired and uninspired, but for early-rising women, creativity thrives in the early waking hours before the sun comes up.
They love the quiet and calm energy of the morning, and often thrive creatively by leaning into this time.
9. They have goals they really care about
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After their kids leave the house, they start to reconnect with themselves and find the courage to put their own needs first, so waking up early may feel empowering for these women. These women finally have the courage to craft goals for themselves and get excited about waking up and pursuing things that add value to their lives.
Their bodies are naturally wired to lean into the regulation, empowerment, and grounded energy of the morning, because they have things to truly look forward to.
10. Their bodies crave movement
Especially if they're still trying to figure out their sleep schedule and lean into an earlier bedtime, waking up naturally early in the morning may be in response to inner restlessness. Their bodies are craving an earlier morning and the activity that comes from getting up before the sun.
From dealing with aches and restlessness in bed to feeling anxiety, women who wake up naturally before 6 AM as they get older may be drawn to natural movement.
11. They're worried about time moving too fast
As they get older and hold onto more memories of the past, time becomes more precious for these aging women. They start to live in the present, soaking up all the experiences of their life, and grasping onto moments of intentionality that add meaning to their lives.
According to psychology professor Steve Taylor, it's not uncommon for people to feel a shift in the progress of time as they get older — it feels like it's moving faster than it did just a decade ago. So, women who wake up naturally before 6 AM are either consciously or subconsciously yearning to appreciate that time.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
