I’ve struggled through my whole high school and most of my college careers trying to get myself awake and energized in the mornings. Although I have yet to perfect it, I’ve definitely stopped dreading a 7:30 A.M. alarm. Here are a few important things I’ve learned in my journey to being a morning person.
put your phone down
We are all guilty of letting Tik Tok keep us up much later than we intended. You have an 8 A.M. but before you even realize it’s already past midnight. This can be an incredibly hard habit to break because it can feel like our only time to truly relax. But you know an even better way to relax? Sleeping.
Putting your phone away from the bed before you go to sleep can help with that nagging feeling to check your phone one more time. It can also help reduce blue-light exposure which is another factor that can decrease sleepiness. Overall you will get a better night of sleep if you are focused on getting to sleep.
When you sleep good it’s easier to get up in the morning! But having your phone away from the bed can motivate you to get up, too. Your first reason to get up will likely be to turn your alarm off and to check your phone; however, your other reason will be that you don’t have anything to do. If you’re laying in bed without your phone you’ll be less likely to lie there scrolling. Let the thing keeping you awake at night be your motivation to get up in the morning instead!
develop a schedule
I always made the mistake of thinking I could wake up early one day and sleep in the next. Although it may feel good to sleep in after a long day when you’ve been up since 5 A.M., you may be throwing your sleep schedule off unintentionally. It’s a hard adjustment when you’re use to sleeping and waking up when you feel like it, but having a set bedtime and wake up time is incredibly beneficial.
I’ve found myself much more rested and willing to get up in the morning since starting a consistent routine. Suddenly, being awake at 6:30 A.M. isn’t a crazy concept to me. It also gives me more time to really get myself awake and ready for the day if I am struggling. Plus, I’m not worrying as much if I will have gotten enough sleep for any busy day ahead of me!
pace yourself
Developing a sleep schedule should be a gradual process- do not throw yourself into it! If your body is used to getting 9+ hours of sleep, you will struggle if you suddenly reduce that time to 7 or 8 hours. While going to bed at a reasonable time, start setting your alarm earlier by 15 minute increments each day. Pace yourself. Do this in a way that works best for you. It can be a shock to the system if you typically wake up after 9 A.M. and suddenly you’re awake at 6 A.M. everyday.
have a purpose
This one sort of speaks for itself. If you don’t have a reason to get up early, why would you? It’s totally understandable because who doesn’t want to lay in bed doing nothing for an extra 30 minutes? So, find yourself some motivation. Maybe it’s getting an early start on the day with homework, studying, laundry, or self-care. Maybe you’re giving yourself this extra time to start a workout routine and other healthy habits. Whatever you do it for, do it for a positive, beneficial reason!
