a clever dude with a knack for pithy truisms came up with this one - "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise". well health, wealth and wisdom cannot be obtained just by sleeping and waking up before the crack of dawn. but yes, a well rested individual is better equipped to face the challenges of the approaching day.
waking up from an eight hour slumber at dawn leaves you steeped to the gills with joie de vivre - the body feels rejuvenated and there is a pronounced spring in the step; you are at your best to welcome the new day. but, on the other hand, try getting up late into the morning after putting in the same number of hours, you shall know the difference instanter. both you and your bowels will feel lethargic and reluctant to leave (the bed and body in that order).
getting up late neither leaves room for any exercise or for a healthy breakfast. the former leads to low metabolism and the latter to uncontrollable episodes of binge eating which in turn lead to unhealthy eating habits and loss of appetite. weight gain and stress related ailments follow suit. also loss of sleep releases some hormones that severely affect the normal functioning of the body.
in my experience, too much exposure to blue light before bedtime leads to sleep deprivation. i usually turn-off all my gadgets an hour before hitting the sack. nine-to-five desk job leaves one mentally exhausted but for getting adequate sleep, physical exertion is must. light exercise, usually walking, at regular intervals during the day tires me just enough to feel sleepy at around eleven pm. bathing and brushing teeth before turning in also help relax the body and soothe the mind.
i try to turn in before eleven-thirty because after that hour every trace of sleep disappears and i begin to feel as fresh as morning dew. last night i was busy setting up this blog. the longer i sat before my mac tweaking the blog, the more invigorated i began to feel. as a result, i had a most restless last night which left me sleep-deprived during the productive hours at my day job.
never treat sleep as an impediment but as a friend that recharges you both physically and mentally.