Do you struggle to wake up on your first morning alarm? Do you instead prefer to take a few more minutes of sleep after snoozing the alarm? And do you feel irritated for a few hours after waking up? Then these are the signs you aren’t a morning person.
Now do you want to adopt a healthy lifestyle? Then the first thing you need to do is to try to become a better morning person. We have tips for you that can help you with this goal.
You may be wondering why it’s so important to become a morning person. Then here’s why you should try to adopt this habit:
- Early birds tend to be proactive
- It boosts your mood and improves your mental health
- Morning people usually stick to routines
- It’s easier to be consistent with exercise and improve your mental health
- It reduces the risk of type II diabetes
- You can maintain optimal BMI
- Morning people are safe drivers since they feel fresh when driving to morning duties
- You will have more time for yourself and your family
- You can develop self-discipline by being a morning person
It can be difficult to be a good morning person. If you have a job that starts in the morning, you may struggle to wake up on time and not feel cranky throughout the day due to the lack of sleep. But it’s even more difficult to adopt this habit if you’re self-employed or don’t have a morning job to report to.
But no matter how challenging it seems, you can build this habit.
So, ready to learn how to become a morning person? Then we have some tried and tested tips to help you develop this habit.
Stay Away from Your Phone Before Bedtime
You’re ready to sleep early and go to bed on time after your nighttime routine. But the moment you close your eyes, you hear a notification sound. What would you do?
Don’t give in to the temptation to check incoming messages or scroll social media once more. Before you know it, you will have spent hours on your phone and would end up ruining your sleep. Remember you can always use your phone tomorrow. What’s important is to prioritize sleep on time.
I know it’s easier said than done. You may not be able to stay away from your phone for too long. Heck, you may even break your promise to go to sleep on time. It’s fine to occasionally stay awake when you have something important to do. But don’t make this a habit.
Keep trying and you’ll eventually be able to meet your goal!
Improve Quality of Sleep
You can wake up with a fresh mind when you enjoy quality sleep at night. So, address the things that can tamper with your sleep.
Make sure your mattress is comfortable. The same goes for pillows and bedsheets. Also, drink a glass of warm milk before bed to improve sleep quality.
With comfortable sleep, you’ll find it easier to wake up early in the morning and have a good mood.
Create an Early Morning Routine
If you are not a morning person, the idea of waking up early won’t excite you. But you can choose a morning routine or ritual that you love so you look forward to waking up early.
Some people choose exercise or meditation as a morning ritual. But I know it’s not something everyone loves. So, pick something you enjoy. For instance, introverts like me prefer to have a cup of coffee with 20 minutes of reading in a comfortable environment. Or you may want to take a warm shower.
Choose something you enjoy. This way, you’ll look forward to your morning routine and won’t sleep in.
Don’t Stay in Bed After Waking Up
When your alarm goes off, you may want to snooze it and stay in bed for a few more minutes. You may want to close your eyes for a few more minutes. But trust me, this sleep of extra few minutes makes it difficult for you to become a morning person.
Thus, don’t be lazy. Get up and don’t stay in your bed for too long.
No, I don’t mean that you should jump out of bed the moment you open your eyes. In fact, it can lead to brain damage when you get older. You should stay in bed for a minute. Then sit on the bed for another half minute. Lastly, get out of your bed and stretch to get ready for a new day.
It’s a good idea to get sunlight soon after waking up. You can remove window blinds to get vitamin D from sunlight.
Never Skip Breakfast
When you’re trying becoming a morning person, you may not always want to have breakfast. Whether it’s because of running late or feeling groggy due to waking up earlier than usual, you may want to skip breakfast.
But it’s never a good idea to skip breakfast during the initial days of transition regardless of how tired you are. Otherwise, you won’t have the energy to go about your day.
When tired, you can opt for easy-to-make breakfast options. It’s easy to get readymade breakfast for such days. Or you can just eat cereal with a glass of fruit juice.
A nutrition-rich breakfast is essential for health. And it can help you become a better morning person too.
Plan Your Workout in the Morning
No one hates the idea of working out in the morning more than a night owl!
In the morning, you may want to rest since you’re quite sleepy. But an exercise routine works as a charm to help you get fresh. Also, it gives you the energy you would need throughout the day.
So, choose a workout period that you think will work for you. Then test it out for a few days to ensure it’s the perfect fit. But make sure you stick with your workout routine and exercise even when you don’t want to.
It’s ideal to exercise outdoors where you can get fresh air and sunlight. But you can work out indoors too if it’s not feasible. You can try a walk, strength training, aerobics, or Zumba – whatever your preference may be.
Don’t Let Weekend Fun Ruin Your Morning Routine
Weekends are for unwinding and relaxing after a busy week.
You may want to go out partying with your partner or close friends. And it’s your right to have fun. But don’t let this weekend fun ruin your plans to become a morning person.
Don’t stay awake till too late. On weekends, you may go to bed later than weekdays. But make sure you still wake up at your usual time. Then you can take a power nap after lunch if you’re too sleepy during the day.
By following your morning routine on weekends too, you won’t have trouble waking up on time on weekdays for work.
Manage Naps and Caffeine Intake
Do you want to know how to be a better morning person? Then you need to take control of your caffeine intake and naps.
If you take long naps during the day, you may struggle to fall asleep on time at night. As a result, you won’t be able to wake up early. So, plan your naps better.
You can opt for power naps of 20 minutes in the afternoon when you feel too sleepy. But ensure not to nap late in the evening. Or else, it’ll mess up your night’s sleep.
Also, avoid caffeine intake after dinner. You can instead take green tea to relax and get better sleep.
Are you motivated to become a better morning person who doesn’t get irritated due to lack of sleep? Are you ready for a head start by waking up early and working toward your goals? Then the above tips will be helpful for you!