If this morning you got out of bed only after hitting the snooze button on your phone several times and then could not fully wake up until you had a cup of coffee, people who get up as soon as the alarm goes off, drink fresh juices, exercise and eat breakfast before going to work probably seem as if they come from another planet.
Although all adults need around seven hours of sleep, some wake up at the last minute to avoid being late for work, so their day usually starts chaotically. Others wake up much earlier and calmly complete a series of activities before their workday begins.
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However, are so-called morning people really happier, healthier and more productive? Many scientific studies have shown that they are. Research recently published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine shows that people who wake up early are less often stressed and are happier.
It has also been proven that those who wake up early are more productive at work and, in general, do not face a drop in energy at the end of the workday. In addition, they have less need for high-calorie foods, are less irritable and have a stronger immune system. In short, there are plenty of good reasons why waking up early is worth it.
How to become a morning person?
If you have already tried waking up earlier and not hitting the snooze button on your phone, you know that this is not easy at all. You may even have managed to get up on time a few times because you were motivated to change your sleeping habits, but you quickly returned to your old routine. That is precisely why it is important to make small changes to your sleep routine so that you can stay consistent.
To begin with, it is important to stress that waking up early makes sense only if you have gotten enough sleep beforehand. This means that going to bed on time is the first step you need to take. Although this sounds easy in theory, in practice it often means you will toss and turn in bed for a long time before falling asleep. Fortunately, there are routines you can put in place to fall asleep earlier.
Our brains love routines, so putting on your pajamas and brushing your teeth at the same time every evening will be an excellent signal that it is time for sleep. Other steps you can take include eating dinner around 18:00 and not consuming food after that, avoiding caffeine during the afternoon hours, not using your phone 30 to 60 minutes before going to bed and dimming the lights in your home, because bright light can interfere with the body’s natural production of melatonin.
Avoid afternoon naps until your new sleep schedule stabilizes
If you have taken all the necessary steps but still cannot sleep, do not stay in bed tossing and turning for more than 20 minutes. After that time, get up and start an activity that will calm you down: read a book, do relaxing yoga or gently stretch your body. Do not look at your phone and do not eat, because that will wake you up even more.
Consistency is the most important thing
In this process, the most important thing is consistency. There is a good chance that in the first few nights you will have trouble sleeping, but if you do not give up on the evening routines mentioned above, your body will soon get used to the new sleep schedule. Also, do not make drastic changes. To start, move your bedtime one hour earlier, then after one or two weeks move it another hour earlier, until you reach the goal you have set for yourself. Be gentle with yourself during this process and do not blame yourself if one night you go to sleep later than you should. Remember that exceptions exist to prove the rule.
Final tip
To persevere in achieving any goal, including becoming a person who wakes up early, it is important to have a good reason and to motivate yourself regularly. Therefore, think about how your life would change if you started waking up earlier. Write down all the benefits you would have and read this list whenever you feel the urge to give up. In this way, you will motivate yourself to remain consistent in your goal.
