Become a Morning Person Now: Hacks for Rising Earlier
Can you really become a morning person or do people just wake up early in the morning because they have to? I've never been a night owl, but then again, I've never considered myself to be a morning person until I started to wake up at 5:30 in the morning because I wanted to. Waking up early in the morning and getting my day started right away always allows me to be more productive. Today I'll be sharing my best hacks you can use to become a morning person! Let's wake up early in the morning and love it!
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Becoming a morning person can be really tough, but it is worth it! I use to never wake up at 5:30 unless I had to, but now I wake up at 5:30 and am excited for the day!
When you wake up earlier in the morning, you have more productive time to do what you want. You might still have the same amount of time in your day, but you won't be as tired because you won't be staying up half the night trying to get things done.
I'm super excited about this post because I have plenty of hacks to share with you! I use to regularly wake up sometime between 7:00 AM to 7:30 and around 8:30 on the weekends, but now I wake up at 5:30 consistently, and maybe a little later on the weekends. It's not a huge change, but I am always more productive in the morning, so this gives me more time in the day that I can use to knock my to-do list out of the park.
I tested out most of these hacks myself, to see what helps me wake up earlier in the morning, but I'm going to share a variety of tricks you can try because what works for me might not work for you. Become a morning person by testing out these hacks for yourself!
Become a Morning Person Now: Hacks for Rising Earlier
1. Figure Out What Time Your "Early" Is
So you want to become a morning person? Before you can do that, you need to figure out what is early for you. What time are you going to actually be able to consistently wake up at?
Just because I wake up at 5:30 AM, does not mean that you should wake up at 5:30 AM too. Some people wake up at 4 AM every morning, but I sure wouldn't want to do that!
Try waking up at different times and see what you like. I don't like to wake up too early in the morning because I like to go running to start my day, and I can't do that in complete darkness.
2. Figure Out How Much Sleep You Need
From what I've read, the recommended amount of sleep to get each night is around 7-9 hours. (Don't take my word for it though. I'm not a doctor or a health expert of any sort so please don't think that I am. 😂) Because this is just a range, you should figure out how many hours of sleep you need each night.
The easiest way I've found to do this is to track what time you wake up, and what time you go to bed at for at least a week. A month would be ideal. You can use this data to help you become a morning person.
Then you can add up those hours and divide it by the number of days you tracked your sleep for, and voila there is the average number of hours you sleep for. If you usually don't get enough sleep, you should try to wake up without an alarm for a few days so you can see what time you naturally wake up at.
3. Stick to Your Sleep Schedule
Now that you know how much sleep you need on average, you should try to wake up every day at the same time. Yes, even on the weekends. I know it sounds daunting, but the more you wake up at the time you want to, the easier it will be to become a morning person.
Consistency is key.
With that being said, it is important to get enough sleep. If I am going to bed at a later time than I usually do, sometimes I will not use an alarm, so I can still get my average hours of sleep. If you are going to bed an hour later than usual, you can turn your alarm on for an hour later in the morning to help compensate.
Sticking to your new sleep schedule will definitely help you become a morning person.
4. Think of Something You Are Excited For
Always have something to wake up for in the morning! I try to think of something I am excited to do the next day every night. This way in the morning, I'll want to jump out of bed in the morning so I can get started on my day.
If you can't think of anything that you are excited to do, here are some fun and productive habits you can add to your day.
5. Have a Consistent Night Routine
Tomorrow starts with today. Become a morning person by starting tonight. Set up tomorrow for success by having a consistent night routine. There are many things you can do tonight to make your day tomorrow run smoother. Here are a few ideas you can try...
- Pick Out Your Outfit
- Make a To-Do List
- Plan Your Meals for Tomorrow
For more ideas to incorporate into your night routine, you can read Why You Need to Start a Night Routine + How to Create One.
6. Have a Consistent Morning Routine
No social media in the early hours of the day! Are you really waking up an hour earlier so you can use social media for an hour longer?
I certainly hope not! There are plenty of habits you can create to improve your day, and ultimately your whole life.
If you need some ideas on how to create a morning routine, you can read Tips for Creating a Productive Morning Routine to help you become a morning person. It's easier to get out of bed in the morning and be productive when you already know what you are doing, especially if you are a little bit sleepy lol.
7. Have Tomorrow Already Planned
Don't make hard decisions in the morning, or even easy decisions if you don't have to. Honestly, who wants to wake up and get out of bed if they know they have to make a bunch of decisions early in the morning?
Add these tasks to your night routine instead, and you'll be on your way to having a more productive morning.
8. Don't Go to Bed Worried
Going to bed worried or anxious will not set you up for a good night's sleep. Instead, here are a few things you can do if you feel worried or anxious before going to bed.
- Journal - Write what you did for the day or what you are grateful for. It can be very relaxing! :)
- Meditate - Even a few minutes can be a big help!
- Brain Dump - Write whatever is on your mind. Just throw it out on the page, and you can worry about it again tomorrow.
- Listen to Calming Music
You can even do breathing exercises, yoga, or a stretching routine (This is one I like) in your bed.
9. Keep Your Alarm Across the Room
This is one of my favorite tips for getting out of bed earlier, and one I use whenever I use my alarm! I use to keep my alarm clock on my nightstand, but I would wake up when my alarm went off, and then I would turn it off, and promptly fall back asleep.
A few months ago, I moved my alarm clock across the room so I have to get out of bed and cross my room to turn it off. Yes, I have to hear the beeping for longer, but by the time I turn my alarm off, I don't feel like going back to sleep!
If you have a problem with getting out of bed in the morning, then I definitely recommend trying this, and turn the volume up on your alarm so you don't just put a pillow over your head so you can get a few more minutes of shut-eye. 😂
And just a quick note, I would also recommend not using your phone for an alarm because then you have to make the decision to not check notifications early in the morning, which can be tough.
10. Keep Your Room Darker
This is just a personal preference, but I wanted to throw this out there because it might work for you too. I find that the more light I have in my room the harder it is for me to fall asleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, this might be something you want to test out.
It's also easier to wake up to natural light, so maybe try opening a window shade right when you wake up in the morning to let in some sunshine.
11. Exercise During the Day or in the Morning
Exercising will make you tired, and when you are tired, it will be easier for you to fall asleep, so you can fall asleep quicker. This way, you can have more time to do what you want, and it will be easier for you to wake up in the morning because it won't have taken you as long to fall asleep.
You can read the post above if you have trouble finding time to exercise. With the tips in that post, I am able to find time to exercise for 2-3 hours daily!
12. Don't Press "Snooze" on Your Alarm
I've never pressed the "snooze" button on my alarm. Yep, you heard that right. I usually just turn it off, and then stay in bed if I'm super tired! 😂
It's not going to do you any good to get up earlier in the morning if you are really tired, and then you have to take a nap later in the day. It's better to simply turn your alarm off and go back to bed if you can afford that luxury.
When you press "snooze" on your alarm, you are beginning your day by procrastinating. Yeah... it's not the best way to start your day.
13. Give Yourself Time to Adjust to Your New Schedule
Give yourself some grace when you start a new sleep routine. When you start a new sleep routine, it's not going to be a lightbulb moment. In fact, you might feel tired the first week, if you try to change your sleep schedule drastically.
Instead, it's best to change your night routine by 15 minutes every few days or every week. This way, you are making a lasting change to your routine.
14. Watch What You Eat
Eating food with high levels of caffeine right before bed is not going to help you sleep, but I'm sure you already know that. Eat enough food for dinner, that you won't have to wake up for a late-night snack, and so you won't be starving in the morning.
15. Track Your Energy Levels + Mood
When do you have the most energy and when are you the most productive? If you aren't the most productive early in the morning, then maybe you shouldn't be trying to wake up super early in the morning.
If you get more done at night, then you could stay up a few hours later, and then have a super quick routine in the morning. Tracking your energy levels and your mood will help you figure out what time you should go to bed at and wake up at.
16. Don't Nap or Rest a Lot During the Day
This one is probably pretty obvious. The more you sleep during the day, the harder it is going to be to fall asleep at night, and the harder it will be to wake up early in the morning.
17. Make Your Bedroom for Sleeping
If you eat, you work, and you relax in your room, it will be harder to fall asleep at night because you might feel like eating, or working instead of sleeping. And *gasp* scrolling on your phone in your bed is definitely a big NO.
It's best to keep your room for sleeping.
18. Listen to Music in the Morning
Make a high-energy playlist of your favorite songs and turn it on in the morning when you wake up. Only do this, if you can resist checking other notifications on your phone.
Bonus points if you exercise while listening to your music playlist!
Become a Morning Person Now: Hacks for Rising Earlier
Those are my 18 hacks for rising earlier in the morning. I hope you can use these to finally become a morning person! If you already are a morning person, I would love to hear your hacks so make sure you drop them in the comments. :)
Read these posts too!
- Having Trouble Reaching Your Goals? Here's Why
- 7 Horrible Overlooked Habits You Need to Stop Now
- How to Re-Evaluate Your Yearly Goals
- How to Have a Productive Day Even When You Wake Up Late
Good luck with becoming a morning person! Don't forget to just turn your alarm off instead of hitting "snooze" tomorrow!
Pin this post so you can read it again later. :)
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