Many people struggle with waking up early but we tend to brush it off as “not being a morning person”. Though, according to Psychologist Michael Breus, waking up early is determined by your genetics there are various ways to improve your productivity in the morning.
- Don’t Hit Snooze
Research that shows hitting the snooze button disrupts the brain region that is linked to cognition. Therefore, you’re likely to oversleep with snooze rather than when you set an alarm at a specified time. It also gives you a sluggish start to the day which will carry on for the rest of the day.
- Have Breakfast
There’s a reason they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Think of your body as a vehicle that has been running all night. By morning, your body has used up a lot of energy and needs a boost to sustain itself. It’s okay not to eat immediately you wake up if you’re not hungry but you should eat within two hours of waking up. Additionally, you should eat breakfast like a king. Breakfast Made Easy: Here Are A Few Delicious Things You Can Make In Minutes
- Soothing Sounds
Getting out of bed is already a traumatic experience so don’t make it harder for yourself. Instead of waking up to beeping and aggressive noises, set a sweet melody that will soothe you awake. Sometimes I think the reason I’m not a morning person is that waking up was like a warzone growing up. The same goes for sleep time. Soothing sounds help you sleep better which makes you wake up well-rested.
- Create A Sleep Routine
This is a step by step action that you perform to help you fall asleep quicker and deeper. It is recommended that you do a 30-minute routine. For instance, you can meditate for 10 minutes, take a hot shower for 5 minutes, read a book or listen to music for 10 minutes turn off the lights and take deep breaths for 5 minutes. This should be done at the same time each night.
- Plan Something Early
If you work from home or have no early morning commitments, it’s easy to sleep in more than the acceptable number of times. To counter this temptation, ensure you have a morning commitment every day. It could be the gym, walking your dog, catching a morning show (I wake up to listen to G Money In The Morning) or team meetings. Plan such things for early morning so you have more motivation to become a morning person.
- Reward Yourself
Give yourself a reward after hitting a morning milestone like waking up consecutively for three days. Rewards are a way of training the brain to associate waking up early with something good. With time, your body becomes accustomed to rising early that you won’t need a reward.
- Avoid Technology In Bed
Social media is a contributor to insomnia. Because of our need to always be in the know, we spend way too much time on phones even during bedtime. The light from these devices also causes sleep deprivation. It’s advisable to avoid technology a few hours before going to bed. That includes bright screens like televisions and computers. Technology and Social Media: Time to unplug
- Listen To Your Body
As much as having a routine is important, your body knows itself better. If you planned on sleeping at 10.30 pm but start dozing off at 9.00 pm then sleep at that time. This way, you’ll learn what hours work for your body, how many hours of rest you need.
Hopefully, these simple steps will help you become a better morning person. Stay committed to the cause.
Here are 6 Self-Care Ideas For The Perfect Morning. Also, check out Book Review: The 5 AM Club By Robin Sharma
More on healthy habits, check out 5 Reasons Why You Need To Have A Daily Workout Routine and Benefits Of Waking Up early
