The early bird gets the worm, or so they say. While night owls will typically argue that the time you wake up doesn’t matter as long as you’re getting the same amount of sleep in and staying productive equally as long throughout the day, morning birds will usually then counter that argument with something as simple as: “No, it does make a difference.”
Everyone needs sleep in order to function properly—that’s never been disputed—but as someone whose prone to getting their sleep schedule thrown off with just one night, as well as someone who’s worked worked at restaurants and bartended at a nightclub in the past (think late nights, not leaving until 2 A.M, unwinding, and not getting in bed until close to four), I can confirm that waking up early does make all the difference. I speak from experience when I say this, as I’ve always been a bit of a night owl and a morning person, definitely leaning towards the former in the past (thanks to work and my sleep schedule). Waking up early has made me happier, more productive, and has given me the chance to enjoy the day longer—something that comes in handy in both the winter and summer, since daylight is fleeting in the wintertime and I love soaking up the sun when it’s warm out.
So maybe you’re not a morning person, or maybe you are and have trouble getting to bed and waking up early, either way, I’m here to tell you that yes, you can turn yourself into a morning person and enjoy the added benefits of it, all it takes is a little time, dedication, and patience; here’s how to do it.
How to turn yourself into a morning person:
1. You snooze, you lose
If you hit the snooze button over and over and over again, you’re never going to get out of bed. If you’re serious about getting up early, stop using the snooze button right now. I’ve personally noticed that hitting the snooze button makes me more groggy and I have more difficulty getting out of bed. If you’re truly worried about falling back asleep after your alarm goes off, set a backup alarm for fifteen minutes later. This will not only make it so you have to set your first alarm at a decent time, it’ll make you more determined to get out of bed right away. Plus, it’ll give you some added reassurance at bedtime, because who can’t use that when they’re falling asleep?
2. Keep your phone out of reach
Instead of keeping your phone close to you, place it in a spot you can’t reach when you’re laying in bed. This will force you to actually get up and out of bed when you have to shut your alarm off.
3. Get out of bed right away
Don’t let yourself lay around in the morning, get up and out of bed right away. Staying in bed and “waking up” will be prolonged if you’re still wrapped up in your sheets. You’re more likely to fall back asleep when you lay in bed, and it’s going to, again, be harder to wake yourself up. Force yourself to get out of bed and get your body moving, this will wake you up both mentally and physically. I myself have always done this and am amazed at how much faster I wake up than others around me. It’s going to be hard at first, yes, but if you stick with it, it’ll become second nature in no time.
4. Avoid electronics
Looking at your phone or a computer immediately after you roll out of bed will make it more difficult for your mind to wake up, and also make you more liable to distractions. If you have to have your caffeine fix first thing in the morning, try having that while looking out the window and admiring the view, reminding yourself of all the things you should be grateful for, or pick up a good book or magazine to read.
5. Try an early morning sweat sesh
Additionally, you can also try a morning workout. Not only do morning workouts have amazing benefits, you’ll wake yourself up and start off your day on a positive note. This is what I personally recommend; in the past I’d wake up early and have my little dose of caffeine while reading before working out, as opposed to now, which is that I get up, change, and go straight to the treadmill right away. I wake up faster and more efficiently, I’m more productive and happier throughout the day, and I feel better about myself.
6. Baby steps
You can’t run before you walk, so you can’t wake up at 10:00 everyday and expect to magically start waking up at 7 A.M consistently, that just won’t happen. Instead, get up at 9:00 every day for one week, then move it back to 8:45 or 8:30 the following week, and so on and so forth. Each week, set your alarm 15-30 minutes earlier until you’ve reached your goal.
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7. Make a schedule and stick to it
This is huge if you’re serious about becoming a morning person. Pick out the time you want to wake up and stick to it, regardless of what time you go to bed or fall asleep the night before. Sure, you’ll probably be a little tired or dragging through the next day, but that fatigue will make you get to bed earlier that night. Waking up at the same time consistently will also help your body clock change naturally.
8. Don’t let the weekends throw you off
I mentioned in the beginning that I’m someone who’s prone to disruption in their sleep schedule over anything. If I stay up late on a Saturday night and sleep in later on Sunday, you can bet that I’m not falling asleep early Sunday night. When this happens to me, I still make myself get up at the same Monday morning, but I really try to avoid this by making myself get up at a decent time on Sunday. Whatever you do, don’t let the weekends throw you off from the progress you’ve made.
9. Pick up healthy habits for a good night’s sleep
Getting a good night’s rest will be helpful in becoming a morning person, but to ensure that you get the best sleep possible, try picking up some healthy habits at bedtime. This includes staying off your phone for at least an hour before you go to bed (my phone keeps me wired, anyone else?). Try reading when you get into bed, or meditating before you fall asleep. You can also try unwinding with crystals through meditation, chakra points, and cleansing your aura.
10. Positive mindset
Morning time sets the tone for the rest of the day, so its important to make a conscious effort to start it off on a positive note. Get excited for what’s to come, take the time to appreciate nature or sunshine, take a minute to yourself, to be still. Mentally list three-five things you’re grateful for, or even write them down. Say a morning prayer. The mornings are a great time for reflection. Don’t allow yourself to get down or annoyed because you’re tired or something from the previous day is weighing on your mind, remind yourself that it’s a brand new day, a chance to start over. At the end of the day, it’s all about mindset, and making an effort to appreciate simplicity, stillness, the beauty around you will be helpful in your transformation into a morning person.
