Corinne Carlson, a Yardley native and student-athlete, has had to make significant changes to her lifestyle and sleeping patterns after she took up rowing at Temple, writes Julianne Kotch for WHYY.

When she first started rowing, Carlson was shocked when she realized how early her practices were. Since then, she has started going to bed at 10 p.m. and waking up at 4:45 a.m. every morning.

So to ensure that she sticks to her schedule, she plans out her entire day in advance.

“I know that if I don’t get enough sleep, I’m not going to perform well the next day whether that’s athletically, academically, cognitively,” said Carlson, who rowed for three years at Temple and is spending her last year rowing at the University of Delaware.

Her sleep schedule cuts into her social life, as she often has to cut her outings short to get to bed.

Practice often begins while it’s still dark outside due to the early hour.

“It’s just funny,” she said. “We’re halfway through practice, and it’s still dark. And I’m like, I know all my friends are still asleep.”

Read more about the significant changes Corinne Carlson made to her lifestyle and sleeping patterns after she took up rowing in WHYY.