The Best Tips and Secrets to Becoming a Morning Person
I never thought I’d ever consider myself a morning person. I’ve tried and tried over the years to get myself into the habit to no avail. At some point, I decided that I was just never going to be the type of person to wake up early in the morning. Once I hit 30 I decided to give it a shot again. I was working full-time and wanted more time to myself.
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So I started examining my current routine and brainstorming ways to set myself up for success. Eventually, with lots of trial and error, I discovered a routine that worked for me. Eventually waking up in the morning became easier and easier. Before long I started to enjoy and look forward to my morning routine. These are the tips and habits that worked for me.
Every Morning Person Knows That Morning Starts at Night
If you want to make it easier to get out of bed bright and early, it is essential to get not just enough sleep but quality sleep. That starts the night before.
Go to Bed Early
Obviously, if you want to get up early, you must go to bed early. The average adult needs at least 7 hours of sleep, but obviously, it varies from person to person. I am at my best at 8 to 9 hours. So if I want to be up at 5, I need to be in bed around nine at the latest. Once you start getting up earlier your melatonin window will naturally shift to help you feel tired earlier. But if you find yourself needing a little extra help natural supplements like melatonin are helpful (But avoid taking it on a regular basis as overuse of melatonin has the opposite effect).
Have a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
Check Out: Bedtime Routine: The Sleep Secret to a Better You
In order to prepare yourself to get not only a full night’s sleep but quality sleep, it’s important to unwind and relax. Your body and brain cannot go directly from work mode to sleep mode. You have to transition your body and mind into sleep by engaging in relaxing activities such as:
- Yoga (4 Yoga Videos You Should Do Before Bed for Great Sleep)
- A Bath
- Sleep Meditation
- Journaling
Lay your Clothes Out the Night Before
Every notice morning people seem to have it all together. One way to make getting up early easier is to set yourself up for success. Laying out your clothes is one less thing you have to worry about in the morning especially if you’re planning on going to the gym or exercising. But why stop there? Prepare your coffee the night before so you can spend more of your morning working on you!
Charge Your Phone Away Out of Arm’s Reach
How many of us wake up in the middle of the night and grab our phones without thinking? Or look at our phone before we go to sleep? Before you know it you’ve been scrolling on TikTok or Instagram for 45 minutes. This was me about every night before I finally put my foot down and started charging my phone far away from my bed (well far enough that I’d have to leave it). Now not only do I fall asleep easier, but I often wake up less often during the night.
Have Simple Breakfasts On Hand
Although I love breakfast, I HATE making breakfast in the morning. I will never be that person who makes a huge breakfast at 6 am. The simpler the better. I love to make overnight oats or chia seed pudding for a quick grab-and-go breakfast. Other suggestions are low-sugar cereals or a bagel with Almond Butter. Or if you’re a person who has to have those classic breakfast foods, consider freezing a huge batch on the weekends to eat throughout the week (I do this with breakfast burritos sometimes).
Use A Sunrise Alarm Clock
There’s nothing more jarring than being jolted out of a deep sleep by the buzz of your alarm. A sunrise alarm clock slowly wakes you up slowly and gradually through artificial light about 20 minutes before the alarm is set to go off. There are many times I am awakened fully by the light alone. It’s a much gentler and more natural way to wake up in the mornings.
This is the one I use: https://shopstyle.it/l/bXRpt
Gradually Shift Your Wake Up Time
If you’re looking to wake up earlier you can’t expect it to happen overnight (no pun intended). Trying to do so will just make you tired and cranky. You’ll also be far less likely to stick with it. Start week by week slowly setting your alarm a half hour earlier until you are waking up at your desired time.
Avoid Caffeine After Noon
I know that the last thing that sounds appealing with you’re thinking about getting up early is cutting back on coffee. I’ll be honest with you the first few days are rough. But eventually, you get used to it. You will start to have higher-quality sleep making it easier to go without that afternoon cup of coffee.
Get Moving
One thing that really helps me get out of bed is doing a workout I love. Working out makes me feel so good and I feel so much more energetic throughout the day. I also am better able to concentrate at work and I get so much more work done on days that I went to the gym that morning. A great workout also helps you fall asleep easier and sleep more soundly. You don’t have to go all out at first. Maybe you start with a 20-minute yoga flow or a morning walk.
