Waking up early in the morning when you have never been a morning person can be very challenging. Even when you set up multiple alarms, you always hit the snooze button until you have to rush preparing for the day.
It makes you wonder how people who wake up hours before they have to go to work manage to be all calm and cheerful while you can’t even bear to give a smile.
But it turns out there are some hacks that can help you get used to waking up early. Here, we gathered the best tips and tricks that you can use to train yourself to wake up early in the morning.
1. Shift to an earlier wakeup call gradually.
It is easier to cement a new routine if it happens gradually. This gives your body enough time to adapt to the changes you want to make.
So, do not do drastic changes to your schedule right away like waking up from 8 AM to 6 AM. Start the adjustment 15 to 30 minutes earlier each week until you reach your target wake-up time.
2. Make sure you get enough sleep.
Even if you do get to wake up when you set your alarm early, you will still feel groggy and exhausted if you do not get enough hours of sleep. Remember that adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep for the body to rejuvenate.
If you want to wake up early, you have to sleep early. So, make sure that you adjust your sleeping and waking time accordingly.
3. Stop using gadgets 30 minutes before your bedtime.
Screen time and the use of digital technology can affect your sleep quality. The blue light emitted from screens makes it difficult for you to fall asleep because it alters your natural melatonin levels.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that you should stop using gadgets like your smartphone, tablet, laptop, kindle, gaming devices, or TV at least 30 minutes before your bedtime. It is best that you store your gadgets in a place where you cannot easily reach them, like a desk across the room.
4. Be more conscious of what you eat before bedtime.
Heartburn and indigestion can interrupt your sleep so you have to pay attention to what you eat before you sleep. It is best that you do not eat snacks after dinner time to avoid acid reflux.
Also, stay away from late-night drinks so you do not have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Do this consistently and you will realize that you will have better sleep quality.
This means you won’t feel like you have not gotten enough sleep when you wake up early. Save your appetite for breakfast instead!
5. Avoid doing all-nighters.
A recent study proved that someone who goes a night without sleep has the same cognitive impairment as someone who drank to the legal limit.
Lack of sleep will not only stop your body from functioning properly but also will make you feel exhausted the whole day.
As much as possible, avoid procrastinating so you do not have to pull an all-nighter to finish your work. You may be able to beat your deadline. But you can also mess up your work for the next day because you lack sleep.
6. Create a relaxing evening routine.
If you are overstimulated or you find yourself thinking of a lot of things before bedtime, you will have difficulty sleeping early. You need to create a relaxing evening routine to help you relax and fall asleep. Try taking a soak in the tub, meditating, journaling, skin care, or reading.
7. Lower your alcohol intake.
One drink before bedtime is not a big deal. In fact, a glass of wine is advised for those who have a hard time sleeping when it is cold. But drinking more than one glass can affect your sleep quality.
Those who drink alcohol before bedtime usually have sleep-disordered breathing, snoring, and silent acid reflux. Plus, just one night of excessive drinking can affect your sleep quality for two to three nights after.
So, if you want to transform into an early bird, lower your alcohol intake.
8. Place your alarm clock across the room.
People ideally place their alarm clocks on their nightstands. But if you have a habit of hitting the snooze button, you should put your alarm clock across the room.
This way, you will be forced to get up from bed and walk across the room to turn it off. By the time you reach the alarm clock, your body will be alert enough to recognize that it is time to wake up.
9. Use lights to wake you up.
When you wake up in a dark room, it becomes more difficult for you to get up from bed. Your body will think that it is still nighttime. But if your room lights up during your target wake-up time, your body can easily acknowledge that it is time to get up from bed.
10. Go to the bathroom.
As soon as you wake up, the best thing to do is avoid going back to bed. One thing to ensure this is to go to the bathroom. Wash your face, brush your teeth, and do your business in the toilet.
By the time you are done, your body will already be awake and alert. You can now start doing your morning routine.
11. Exercise in the morning.
It helps to squeeze in a few minutes of exercise when you wake up early in the morning. Getting your body moving trains your body clock that it is time to be alert and awake. You can go for a morning run, do some stretches in the bedroom, do some yoga, or simply do some dancing.
12. Plan a morning activity to look forward to.
One way to motivate you to wake up early consistently is to do a morning routine that you are excited about. It could be a stop at your favorite cafe, a quick jog at the beach, or joining an early yoga class with some friends.
Make sure it is something you are looking forward to. Do something that feels more like a reward than work.
13. Play upbeat music when you wake up.
Make a playlist of upbeat music that makes you feel good and play it every morning as soon as you wake up. Play it while you are doing your morning routine, having your breakfast, and preparing for the day. You will find yourself starting the day in a good mood.
14. Take a cold shower.
Another way to make you feel more alive and alert early in the morning is to take a cold shower. The cold water will send a lot of electrical impulses to your brain that will jolt your energy levels and make you more focused.
This will also release endorphins – the happy hormones. You would step out of the shower in a generally good mood, ready to take on the day.
15. Have a consistent sleeping and waking time.
When you have a consistent sleeping and waking time, your body’s internal clock will recognize and get used to your routine. And once your body clock adjusts to your schedule, you will find that you will have an easier time waking up early in the morning.
16. Get professional help.
If you have tried all the tips above but you still have difficulty sleeping and waking up early, you should consider seeing a sleep specialist for help. There may be other factors that get in the way of your ability to have an ideal sleep routine and a professional is the only way to help you figure it out.
A sleep specialist can also help you get back on the right track. So, if you need one, don’t hesitate.
Waking up early is a challenge at first. Then later it becomes second nature.
Waking up early in the morning comes with a lot of positive benefits such as better concentration throughout the day, long-lasting energy, productivity, and many more. It takes a lot of discipline and commitment to transform yourself into an early bird but that does not mean it is not possible.
As you can see from the tips and tricks above, training yourself to wake up early in the morning is possible. You just have to do several lifestyle changes and be consistent with your new schedule.
Before you know it, you can be up early enough to even start your own morning routine!
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