‘Waking up at 5 am isn’t an achievement’: Gurgaon CEO’s post sparks debate

A recent post by Gurgaon-based entrepreneur Jasveer Singh on X has sparked debate over the notion that waking up early automatically signifies discipline and success. Singh questioned why individuals who sleep until 9 am are often perceived as lazy or unmotivated. He argued that Indian society has "turned sleep into a character flaw" while treating an early start as an achievement in itself.

Singh pointed out that a child sleeping until 9 am may be immediately labelled as lazy or lacking discipline, despite the same person only having slept for five hours. He challenged the idea that waking up at 5 AM is an achievement, stating that "nothing" is accomplished by doing so.

According to Singh, this attitude towards sleep is formed early in life, with parents and teachers associating early rising with discipline and success. He recalled hearing phrases like "Jo sota hai, woh khota hai" in his upbringing. Singh criticized the focus on the time someone wakes up rather than whether they have had enough rest.

He emphasized the importance of quality sleep for concentration, memory, mood, recovery, metabolism, and overall health. "Your body has its own sleep clock. Once it has had enough sleep, you naturally wake up," Singh wrote, adding that disturbing someone's sleep is a common practice in Indian households, even among children.

Singh concluded by urging Indian parents to stop treating sleep as a crime. His post received mixed reactions from users on X, with some agreeing that society places too much importance on waking up early. Others felt his argument overlooked the benefits of an early start, such as having a quiet window for exercise, studying, or work without distractions.

Singh maintained that there is no one-size-fits-all schedule, and individuals should structure their day based on what works best for them, as long as they get enough sleep.