Becoming a morning person is a straightforward path to success. However, only a few people accomplish this. From lawyers to athletes, those who wake up early find it easier to complete their daily tasks than those who wake up late.
In this post, we’ll run through the advantages of being an early bird and what you can do to wake up early, set great goals and accomplish them. So without further ado, let’s jump straight into it.
1. Improved Cognitive Function
Waking up early helps you stay alert, concentrate better, and carry out your activities for the day. A 2010 study showed that early birds are more goal-oriented and proactive, can solve problems quickly, and generally perform well in school. This helps them to get call-ups from prestigious universities and secure high-end jobs.
Similarly, another study conducted earlier in 2008 showed that morning people secured higher points in college than those who stayed up reading all through the night. This means that sleeping is essential, and lack of it leads to poor memory, difficulty in thinking and concentrating, and mood swings.
2. Better Sleep Quality
Sufficient sleep helps to improve your immune system, blood pressure, primary brain duty, and moods and provides your body with enough time to recover after a long day. There’s no doubt that when you sleep early, you’ll be able to wake up early, which is a fundamental aspect of your life.
Those who take their sleeping schedule seriously usually are less tired during the day. However, people who take sleeping for granted and are always late to sleep are often exhausted or, at some point, get sleeping disorders.
3. Extra Time to Eat Breakfast
Individuals who often wake up late and rush to work or school often don’t eat a healthy breakfast. Sometimes, they may even skip breakfast, which is essential for your body’s general day-to-day functioning. Compared to early birds, those who sleep late ingest 248 calories in a day, typically from fast food and soda.
Waking up early provides adequate time to prepare a balanced healthy breakfast. Preparing meals early will make the best dietary decisions when snacking during the day, which helps to reduce the risk of obesity.
4. Time for Morning Workouts
If you have a tight schedule during the day, waking up early is the only way to work out and stay in shape. After a busy day at school or work, going to the gym might be a hard nut to crack, especially because you feel unmotivated due to fatigue. This can cause you to skip workout sessions, which can be disastrous if you want to be in shape.
Working out in the morning is recommended as you’re energetic to complete all the day’s tasks, which are essential for your mental and physical health. Similarly, working out manages blood sugar, weight, and mood and reduces the risk of heart diseases.
Health Coach Shawna Robins recommends keeping your shoes, water bottle, and exercise mat close to your bed so that you can quickly switch to your workout routine when you wake up. Similarly, ensure your workout is light and simple to manage to do every day. She also recommends calling up a friend to help you have a routine.
5. Better Mood and Mental Health
Generally, morning people have positive thoughts compared to those who stay up late. Early birds are always agreeable, optimistic, conscientious, and content with life. Additionally, early birds are less likely to have mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.
Waking up early helps you build a stable sleep cycle. Adults require 7-9 hours of sleep each night. This provides enough time for the body to restore itself for a healthier mind and better functioning.
6. Reduces Stress
Waking up early is a great stress relief that can help you finish all day’s tasks without pressure. You don’t have to worry about traffic, and you don’t have to rush to work or school, which means you can move at your own pace. Also, with enough sleep, you’ll be able to solve problems quickly and easily.
7. Increases Organization and Productivity
Morning people often ensure their morning is fruitful as they set achievable goals to be accomplished throughout the day. And with adequate planning, you’re guaranteed improved productivity to help you attain your goals.
This will enhance your memory and help you stick to your daily plan. There’s consistent silence in the morning, which helps you complete your daily tasks uninterrupted.
8. Peaceful Mornings
Waking up early doesn’t mean you have to be productive. Sometimes you just need to relax and have a peaceful morning by yourself, especially if you don’t live alone.
However, if you need to get to work, waking up early will be helpful, especially if you live in a crowded city where you have to beat traffic. Waking up early and arriving at your workstation in good time will help you complete your daily tasks in time.
How to Start Waking Up Early
Becoming a morning person might seem difficult, but it’s not impossible. Below are some techniques that can help you become a morning person.
Find a Motivator
In everything you do, you need motivation; being a morning person is no exception. You have to motivate yourself to wake up early and do something valuable, such as gardening, working out, or preparing a meal. Without a good motivator, you’ll struggle to wake up early.
Make Small Changes
Becoming a morning person doesn’t just happen; it requires time and effort. Thus, you need to start small by making slight changes that won’t overwhelm you. For instance, if you’re accustomed to waking up at 10 a.m., don’t wake up at 5 a.m. the following day.
Instead, try waking up in intervals of 15-30 minutes for weeks to find your perfect time to wake up. This will give your body enough time to readjust should the conditions be unfavourable for waking up.
Develop a Sleep Schedule
The best way to become an early bird is by having a concrete sleep schedule. An active sleep schedule improves your timing, and by consistently following it to the latter, you’ll realise your sleeping and waking up habits have changed, and you can be more productive throughout the day. Note that sufficient sleep means sleeping for 7-9 hours every night.
Prioritise Good Sleep Hygiene
Proper sleep hygiene requires you to implement meaningful practices and healthy habits while generating sleep. Some of them include:
- Being in a dark and quiet room
- Not using electronics
- Avoiding heavy meals at night
- Having a relaxed bedtime pattern
- Avoiding robust workouts at night
- Taking only filtered water and healthy meals during the day
- Staying away from blue light electronics for at least one hour before bedtime
Move Your Alarm Away from Your Bed
People snooze their alarms and continue sleeping, which is not an excellent start for a productive day. You can keep your alarm far away from your bed. This will force you to your feet if you want to snooze the alarm. Once you’re up, it will be difficult to crawl back to bed.
Get Out of Bed Immediately
When your alarm rings, it’s time to wake up. You need to hop out of bed and start your day. Staying in bed for a few more minutes will only send you back to slumberland which can prove dangerous if you have goals to set and achieve. Staying in bed also tricks you into believing you can use your bed for other purposes, not just sleeping. This shouldn’t be the case, so wake up and get productive.
Enjoy the Early Mornings
You may not always wake up in a cheerful mood; however, you should still be able to plan for the day. The only way to wake up happy is to set achievable goals that make you enthusiastic about waking up.
You should have a gratitude journal to note down three to five things you are happy and grateful for every time you wake up. Your writing doesn’t need to be eloquent or complicated. You can express gratitude for the simplest things, such as the chirping birds, the beautiful sunshine, or even your loved ones.
Be Kind to Yourself
It might take you a few days or even weeks to get used to being a morning person, and if you’re too harsh on yourself, it will take an even longer time. So for the first few days, don’t be too hard on yourself for snoozing the alarm, but you need to ensure it’s not habitual. Then you can slowly start to detach from that habit until you become accustomed to being a morning person.
FAQs
How long does it take to start waking up early naturally?
If you strictly follow your sleep schedule, it should take 4-5 days before you become comfortable waking up early. However, don’t be too harsh on yourself if you don’t manage to do it in the first couple of days. Your body may require a little more time to adjust.
Why am I having such a hard time waking up early?
Many factors might contribute to this. They include parasomnias, mental illness, certain medications, sleep deprivation, low energy, sleep disorders, and chronic pain.
How long does sleep inertia last?
Sleep inertia refers to the grogginess you may experience immediately after waking up. Most people who experience sleep inertia often sleep again and have low mental performance and a weak physique. Even though sleep inertia can last for 5-30 minutes or sometimes 2-4 hours, it is possible to change this situation by adopting a healthy sleep schedule.
Should I shower after waking up?
If you usually have a hard time waking up, taking a shower might help start your day. A cold shower (not too cold) would help reduce sleep inertia and keep you alert and energised to carry out the day’s tasks.
How much sleep do I need according to my age?
Sleeping schedules vary depending on age and as per medical recommendations. They include:
- Newborns between 0-3 months need 14-17 hours of sleep every night.
- Infants between 4-12 months require 12-16 sleep hours every night.
- Toddlers between 1-2 years require 11-14 hours of sleep each night.
- Preschoolers between 3-5 years need 10-13 hours of sleep every night.
- Children between 6-11 years require 9-12 hours of sleep every night.
- Teens between 13-18 years need 13-18 hours of sleep every night.
- Adults between 18-64 years require 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Older adults aged 65 and above require 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Conclusion
Healthy sleeping is a crucial aspect of life as it determines what time you will wake up and how productive you’ll be. When you wake up early, you can easily set some achievable goals for a more productive day. Equally, you can garden, work out, or prepare a delicious meal to kick start your day when you wake up early.
