No surprise here, but securing that extra bit of sleep — instead of laying in bed freaking out about how late it was getting — helped me feel more refreshed in the mornings. While I didn't jump right out of bed when my alarm went off at 7:30 or 8 (I've never been a morning person), I did have an easier time prying myself out from under the covers. It was incredible the difference those 30 or 40 minutes of extra sleep made.
That energy lasted throughout the day, too. I was eager to get to my work space and tackle the day, and found that I was more productive once I got there. I no longer experienced an afternoon slump or needed that extra shot of java.