Early rising as an intervention to alleviate anxiety and enhance self-efficacy among college students

As anxiety levels continue to rise among college students, identifying effective mitigation strategies has become crucial. Given the limitations in accessibility and applicability of existing interventions, this study investigates whether early rising can serve as a simple and non-invasive intervention. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, the research examines the impact of early rising on self-efficacy and anxiety levels through a cross-sectional survey and a four-week field experiment conducted at a university campus in Beijing, China. The survey, which garnered 148 valid responses (23.65% male, 76.35% female; Mage = 19.75, SD = 0.95), revealed that despite a tendency towards late nights and late get-ups, students generally agree on the importance of early rising. The self-reported average number of early rising per week demonstrates a significant negative correlation with anxiety and a significant positive correlation with self-efficacy. Subsequently, the field experiment involved 158 undergraduate students (24.68% male, 75.32% female; Mage = 20.20, SD = 0.79) who neither had existing early-rising habits nor made a conscious effort to rise early. The result further confirmed that college students who rise early exhibit lower anxiety. Self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between early rising and anxiety reduction. The findings demonstrate that even minor adjustments to daily habits can lead to positive mental health outcomes. The study also offers practical insights for university mental health professionals and students alike, suggesting that promoting early rising could be a viable strategy for enhancing mental well-being on campus.