The sky is awake, so I'm awake -- yep, that is me. I am very much a morning person and my friends constantly tell me that I'm crazy because of it. I don't even require coffee to get myself going. So how do I do it?
There are probably a million articles on the internet that could teach you how to train yourself to become a morning person, but I'm here to share what works for me.
Go to bed when you're feeling tired.
If you've had a long day and are tired at 8PM, listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. In a perfect world, you would want to sleep 7-8 hours, so aim for that. There really is no shame in calling it a early night - I'm usually up no later than 10PM and am usually fully functioning the next day.
Create a bedtime routine.
Shower at night. Brush your teeth. Burn a candle (but make sure to blow it out before you go to sleep). Meditate. My bedtime routine might be different than yours, but these small steps prepare my mind for sleep.
Avoid scrolling on your phone or watching tv in the bedroom.
You've probably heard from the internet that most technology will emit blue light which can make it harder for your brain to shut off. While some people claim that this helps them fall asleep, most of the time, you lose track of time and end of scrolling or binge watching for hours. This can result in a less than ideal quality and quantity of sleep.
Get a good sleep mask.
If you've seen my apartment, you know that I get amazing natural light. I wouldn't want to block that out with dark curtains, so I invested in an amazing silk sleep mask. It really does help me fall asleep and I usually end up taking it off in the middle of the night, so I can wake up to the sun coming through my windows.
Wake up to an upbeat song.
Why wake up to an annoying alarm noise when you could wake up to a song that pumps you up? I've listed a few of my favorites here.
Circle of Life - The Lion King
Good Morning Beautiful - Jim Brickman
Rather Be - Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Best Day Of My Life - American Authors
Honestly, there are tons of playlists available on Spotify, so find one that speaks to you.
Don't press snooze.
Try your hardest to wake up during your first alarm. You don't necessarily have to get out of bed right away, but don't fall back asleep. This has taken me a lot of willpower but now I have myself trained to wake up, stretch, listen to the radio, and mentally prepare for my day before getting out of bed.
Turn on the light.
If you don't have natural sunlight to wake you up (or it's dark outside), waking up might be a struggle. I know I've dealt with this. Force yourself to turn on the light, or have it set on a timer. Having the light on will encourage you to actually get out of bed, I've learned from experience.
Immediately drink a glass of cold water.
It is a common misconception that when you wake up, you're hungry. Before doing anything else, drink some water, and that feeling may pass. While you're asleep for 7-8 hours, your body is not hydrating itself. The cold water will help stimulate your brain and nourish your body.
Eat breakfast.
It's the most important meal of the day! If you're going to have a cheat meal, let it be breakfast. That way, your body has the entire day to burn it off. Personally, I like eating all of the fruit. Sometimes, I'll throw a hard boiled egg or croissant in the mix. If you don't eat breakfast, how else do you expect to have enough energy to tackle your day?
Go be productive.
Time to do all the things. I've found that if I crawl back into bed or sit on the couch, that I'm more likely to be a bum, so I do my best to be as dynamic as I can first thing in the morning. Keeping yourself active and engaged will wake up your mind and body quicker. It definitely gets easier over time.
There are probably a million articles on the internet that could teach you how to train yourself to become a morning person, but I'm here to share what works for me.
Go to bed when you're feeling tired.
If you've had a long day and are tired at 8PM, listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. In a perfect world, you would want to sleep 7-8 hours, so aim for that. There really is no shame in calling it a early night - I'm usually up no later than 10PM and am usually fully functioning the next day.
Create a bedtime routine.
Shower at night. Brush your teeth. Burn a candle (but make sure to blow it out before you go to sleep). Meditate. My bedtime routine might be different than yours, but these small steps prepare my mind for sleep.
Avoid scrolling on your phone or watching tv in the bedroom.
You've probably heard from the internet that most technology will emit blue light which can make it harder for your brain to shut off. While some people claim that this helps them fall asleep, most of the time, you lose track of time and end of scrolling or binge watching for hours. This can result in a less than ideal quality and quantity of sleep.
Get a good sleep mask.
If you've seen my apartment, you know that I get amazing natural light. I wouldn't want to block that out with dark curtains, so I invested in an amazing silk sleep mask. It really does help me fall asleep and I usually end up taking it off in the middle of the night, so I can wake up to the sun coming through my windows.
Wake up to an upbeat song.
Why wake up to an annoying alarm noise when you could wake up to a song that pumps you up? I've listed a few of my favorites here.
Circle of Life - The Lion King
Good Morning Beautiful - Jim Brickman
Rather Be - Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
Best Day Of My Life - American Authors
Honestly, there are tons of playlists available on Spotify, so find one that speaks to you.
Don't press snooze.
Try your hardest to wake up during your first alarm. You don't necessarily have to get out of bed right away, but don't fall back asleep. This has taken me a lot of willpower but now I have myself trained to wake up, stretch, listen to the radio, and mentally prepare for my day before getting out of bed.
Turn on the light.
If you don't have natural sunlight to wake you up (or it's dark outside), waking up might be a struggle. I know I've dealt with this. Force yourself to turn on the light, or have it set on a timer. Having the light on will encourage you to actually get out of bed, I've learned from experience.
Immediately drink a glass of cold water.
It is a common misconception that when you wake up, you're hungry. Before doing anything else, drink some water, and that feeling may pass. While you're asleep for 7-8 hours, your body is not hydrating itself. The cold water will help stimulate your brain and nourish your body.
Eat breakfast.
It's the most important meal of the day! If you're going to have a cheat meal, let it be breakfast. That way, your body has the entire day to burn it off. Personally, I like eating all of the fruit. Sometimes, I'll throw a hard boiled egg or croissant in the mix. If you don't eat breakfast, how else do you expect to have enough energy to tackle your day?
Go be productive.
Time to do all the things. I've found that if I crawl back into bed or sit on the couch, that I'm more likely to be a bum, so I do my best to be as dynamic as I can first thing in the morning. Keeping yourself active and engaged will wake up your mind and body quicker. It definitely gets easier over time.
I'll be honest, some days these strategies work, but some days, I still don't want to get out of bed. And it's perfectly ok to have a slow morning. Drink your coffee and tackle your to do list at your own pace, you got this.
Do you have any advice on how to become a morning person? I'm always looking at how to make my mornings more efficient, so leave me a comment and I may try your tips!
I was recently diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome, which unfortunately means my body is... basically nocturnal. That means that I feel super tired during the day, but come 8pm or so, I am WIDE AWAKE & ready to go. I would work out & run all my errands at 11pm, if that were feasible! I'm forever trying to become a morning person, & while I have a feeling it's never fully going to happen, I do always appreciate tips & tricks to get better.
ReplyDeleteI, for one, don't have any interest in becoming a morning person but I can't deny that you did give some great tips in this blog. I always eat breakfast -- even though I am not a morning person.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! x
Michelle
dressingwithstyle-s.com
I am so not a morning person. I've been trying to change it for years, but it hasn't been going well. These are great tips! I really need to stop scrolling my phone before I go to bed...
ReplyDeleteI’m the worst at staying up to late and hitting snooze! I definitely need to follow these tips.
ReplyDelete