Most people tend to hate the "early risers", or those rare individuals who already at sunrise appear inexplicably happy, productive and full of energy, while the rest of the world is preparing to postpone the sound of the alarm. But secretly, they all dream of becoming one of them. The transition from "nocturnal animal" to an early riser full of enthusiasm and energy is not easy at all, but there are some simple tricks that can make it less torturous. Continue reading the article and find out how you can fully enjoy your mornings without having to sacrifice the necessary hours of sleep.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Establish an Evening Routine
Step 1. Get more sleep on a more regular basis
Many of us could easily become early risers if only we allowed ourselves the opportunity to sleep more during the night. Getting enough sleep while respecting your sleep needs allows you to wake up feeling energized, fit and motivated to tackle your daily tasks.
- Although around 7-9 hours of sleep is normally recommended for adults, we are all different when it comes to sleep. One way to calculate your body's sleep needs is to not use your alarm clock for a whole week (for example, during holidays). Go to bed at the same time each night and note the time you naturally wake up in the morning, then calculate the average hours of sleep each day.
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, both on weekdays and on weekends. In the absence of work or personal commitments, it is easy to fall into the temptation to stay up late at night or laze in bed until late in the morning, but to properly train your body to become an early riser you need to maintain a sleep routine as stable as possible.
- Shorten your days by an hour. The goal is not to pretend that it is eleven in the evening when in reality it is only ten, but to carve out an hour of free time in anticipation of sleep. So avoid planning any kind of activity during the last hour of the day, your body needs to relax to be able to sleep properly.
Step 2. Go to sleep first
To anticipate the time of awakening, you must necessarily go to sleep earlier. For those who are used to taking advantage of the last hours of the day to read, write and watch TV, this may not be an easy change.
- Try changing your habits gradually. Start by anticipating your sleep time by just 15 minutes, with the expectation of getting up 15 minutes earlier, then gradually increase the time interval to half an hour and finally an hour. If done with the right gradualness, this process will ensure that the body and mind have the time necessary to change their biological clocks, also giving you the opportunity to find a correct personal balance between too soon and too late.
- When it is an hour before bedtime, turn down the intensity of the lights to facilitate the release of melatonin and start feeling sleepy. An ambient temperature between 18 and 20.5 ° C will further promote sleep. Instead, avoid stimulating the body with bright lights, caffeine, or alcohol.
- During the time of preparation for sleep, do not use any electronic devices with a bright screen (TV, computer, etc.). Even what you consider a relaxing TV show is actually a stimulus and hinders being able to fall asleep.
- If you wish, you can read in bed. Reading is a relaxing activity that often induces sleep when performed in a reclined position. It is not necessary to choose a tedious reading, however the more complex and suspenseful pages will be reserved for a different time of day.
- If you live with a "nocturnal animal" who has no interest in changing his habits, ask him to be respectful and quiet when he joins you in the bedroom.
Step 3. Choose the appropriate alarm clock and place it wisely
While it is important to learn to get up early with your own willpower, your alarm clock will prove to be your best ally in trying to permanently change your sleep routine.
- Some people will have better results using a loud, annoying ringtone, while others will enjoy a pleasant, gradual sound. Experiment with different options and find out which one works best for you.
- Place the alarm away from the bed so you will have to get up to turn it off. The effort made to get out of bed will be enough to wake you up.
Step 4. Prepare for sleep and awakening
In addition to following the advice given so far, such as not to use devices with light screens before going to sleep, to become a morning person it is essential to establish a regular sleep routine.
- First, try never to go to sleep feeling too full or hungry. Both conditions prevent you from falling asleep easily.
- Start your morning prep the previous evening. Prepare your school or work bag, decide which clothes to wear and prepare breakfast. In this way you will be able to freely dispose of part of the new morning time gained.
- If possible, take a warm bath or shower before going to sleep. When you are done, you will notice a drop in body temperature which will make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Step 5. Think about what motivates you to be an early riser
Being mentally motivated to get up early will help you make no excuses not to get up. Before falling asleep each night, create a mental picture of why you want to get up early and the milestones you intend to achieve by the morning. The most common reasons include:
- Have some time for yourself before other family members wake up. During that time you will be able to [Read-a-Book | read], write, exercise, reflect, meditate, plan dinner or put some order in the house.
- Take the time to carry out your religious practices. For many people, the early hours of the morning are an ideal time to reflect or practice their faith.
- Being able to see the sunrise. As wonderful as the sunset, the sunrise heralds the birth of the new day and promises a new beginning. Definitely worth the effort to get up on time.
- Anticipating the time of entry to school or work to be able to go home earlier and dedicate yourself to the things you love.
- Caring for a family member or pet. Those who are responsible for the well-being of another person or animal can benefit from the increased morning time available, especially if they need to feed, wash, walk their loved ones.
- Plan a pleasant morning activity every day, it can always be the same or change as often as desired. For example, call an old friend, write that collection of short stories you've been thinking about for some time, start training for the half marathon or redecorate your dining room.
- The moments following the morning awakening are also perfect for performing and getting out of the way those activities that require special concentration and attention, such as checking emails, paying bills and filing administrative documents.
- Some people will want to devote themselves to re-establishing their good habits, abandoned due to time spent watching late-night TV shows, chatting on the internet late into the night, etc.
Method 2 of 2: Waking up in full shape
Step 1. Brighten your day
The initial transition from a night owl to an early riser may not be easy, but the use of light will allow you to "trick" your body into an alert situation.
Exposure to light, both natural and artificial, when you wake up favors the zeroing of your circadian rhythms and makes you more alert. If possible, allow natural light to enter the room, alternatively you can purchase a lamp that artificially reproduces sunlight or an alarm clock that uses a combination of light and sound to allow you to wake up more gradually and naturally
Step 2. Experiment with different awakening strategies
Find something that forces you to get out of bed (and stay out of bed). Consider the following hypotheses to help transition to wakefulness:
- Make the bed. The idea of having to do it again will make it less attractive to go back under the sheets.
- Force yourself out of the room, go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, go to the kitchen to drink some water, or do whatever else you can do to silence that little voice urging you to go back to bed. Incidentally, when we wake up we often have a dehydrated body, so drinking a glass of water can help us feel better immediately and prepare us for the day.
- Immediately after getting out of bed, sprinkle cold water on your face.
- Stretched out. Doing some stretching exercises will help you gradually awaken your body, while also improving your flexibility.
- Take a few dance steps while listening to a couple of energetic songs.
- Have a cup of tea or coffee to awaken your senses. Many people argue that starting the day by drinking a glass of warm water with the addition of lemon juice is equivalent to taking an effective natural tonic.
Step 3. Before breakfast, do some exercise
The ideal is to work out before the morning shower. You can start the day by burning some calories, and even before you have consumed them.
- Exercising will help you wake up. Exercise performed immediately after waking up is much more effective at speeding up your metabolism than exercising during the rest of the day.
- Prepare everything you need in advance. Before you go to sleep, prepare your clothes and shoes for the next morning, set up your bike, prepare the weights for your workout, or insert your aerobics DVD into the player. Before your lazy side convinces you to do otherwise, immediately dive into the planned activities.
- Before and during your morning workout, drink plenty of water.
Step 4. Have a smart breakfast
Don't be tempted to skip breakfast to get some more sleep. The first meal of the day will provide you with the energy you need to feel good until the evening; furthermore, as you get up very early, you will have to wait a long time before it is time for your lunch break.
- A breakfast that includes protein, fruit or vegetables, and whole grains can keep you active throughout the day. Here is an example of a tasty and healthy breakfast: Greek yogurt accompanied by blueberries, granola and chia seeds.
- Browse cookbooks and search online to learn how to effectively vary your morning meals, and see your doctor if you're having real trouble finding the right appetite for breakfast.
Step 5. Once you've established your new morning rhythm, commit to sticking to it
It is important that you are able to get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Don't be tempted by the idea of staying in bed, even when you don't have a real reason to get up early, or you'll endanger your new rhythms. Get up and use your time to read, enjoy a relaxed breakfast, chat or exercise. Limit your time in bed to times when you don't feel well.
- Every evening, or on a weekly basis, plan a fun activity for the time you have available by getting up early. Looking forward to something pleasant, like a meeting with a friend or a new painting lesson, will motivate you to stick to the new rhythms.
- When you get back from school or work, notice how much more productive you are with your new habits. You will most likely feel more relaxed, sleep better at night, and be even more awake and active when you wake up early the next day.
Step 6. Persist and be realistic
Becoming a morning person, especially when you were a "nocturnal animal", can take a long time. Furthermore, being a night owl or an early riser can have genetic bases that are sometimes difficult to overcome. It has been estimated that only 10% of us are early risers by nature, while 20% are naturally night owls, which means that the remaining 70% should be able to transition smoothly.
- As such, unless you are an early riser by nature who wishes to repent after a period of nocturnal revelry, it may not be possible to completely change your habits. However, if you feel that anticipating the alarm sound by even one hour can be beneficial, it will be worth the effort to permanently change your routine.
- During the warmer months, when daylight comes early, night owls also tend to get up earlier than usual. So try to indulge your body's natural reactions. In all probability, during the spring and summer months, you will be able to get up early with less difficulty.
- Stick to your plan, knowing that early mornings will be the toughest. Commit to simplifying the transition to your new lifestyle by honoring set times and accustoming your body to respect the natural rhythms of light.
- Schedule tempting rewards for days when you manage to get up early, such as a delicious breakfast at the bar, a new paperback, a massage appointment, etc. Reward yourself with something that encourages you to get up early even in the following days.
- Learn to greet the old and the new day with an effective pep talk. Before falling asleep and immediately after waking up, remind yourself that tomorrow / today is a new day. Forget what happened yesterday, it's the past. Today is another day, enjoy it fully!
Advice
- Sleep researchers say that most people tend to become early risers in their thirties, after temporarily being a night owl in their teens and twenties (due to hormonal causes). However, some people continue to live as "nocturnal animals" (that being their nature). If you are also one of the diehard night owls, you will most likely have a hard time becoming a permanent morning person.
- In the evening, moderate the intensity of the artificial lights so as not to confuse the body. Attenuated several hours before going to sleep.
- In the bedroom, use a broad spectrum sunlight lamp and turn it on as soon as you wake up.
- In the last 2-3 hours of the day, avoid music that is too fast-paced or stimulating.
- The desire to take care of your pet can be a great reason to get up early. Get used to getting an early meal, it will turn into a perfectly reliable alarm clock!
- Try to promote sleep with relaxing fragrances, such as lavender.
- Remember to place the alarm on the other side of the room to have to get up to turn it off.
- Each day, plan a goal to accomplish, even over the weekend. Whether it's running 15km before breakfast or doing a couple of washing machines before heading out to work, the important thing will be to have something to do.
- Avoid energy drinks or drinks that contain caffeine after 4pm.
- Each sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes. Set your alarm to let you sleep for a multiple of 90 minutes, making it much easier to get up.
- Use a cheap electronic timer that allows you to schedule a radio or broad spectrum sunlight lamp to turn on.
- The Novelty alarm clock company has created devices that, in addition to ringing, move around the room on wheels or thanks to a propeller that allows them to take off. While they are quite expensive they are ideal for all those who insist on turning off the alarm clock and staying comfortably under the covers as it will force them to chase them to turn them off.
