Most of us live in an early-bird world, which makes it easy to accomplish our everyday tasks. But for those of us who are night owls, there aren’t enough hours in the day to take care of our responsibilities. Instead of dreading waking up early, what if there were ways to make getting out of bed easier and — this might sound crazy — maybe even something you looked forward to?
While you may never be the type to spring out of bed, there are certainly steps you can take to make the transition easier. Try the following strategies to see if one will turn you into the morning person you were always meant to be.
1. Drink a full glass of water
This is an easy first step that can actually be quite helpful in making you feel more awake in the mornings. After a long night of rest, many people wake up dehydrated, and dehydration can make you sleepy. Plus, getting out of bed to get the glass of water will make it that much harder to go back to sleep.
2. Get the same amount of sleep every night
This is a harder step, but one that will change the way you feel in the morning and help you feel more rested and energetic the rest of your day. Most adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep per night, so if your aim is to get up at 6 a.m., you need to be asleep by 10 p.m. Asleep by 10 p.m. means you should get into bed by 9:30 p.m. to give yourself time to wind down. Don’t look at your phone or other screens during this time, instead, use that time to meditate or read. You should plan to get up at roughly the same time on the weekend, otherwise you’ll constantly be resetting your internal clock every Monday morning.
3. Reward yourself in the morning
The system of positive reinforcements that worked when you were in kindergarten can work as an adult, too. When you wake up at your desired time, reward yourself. You’ll be more likely to get out of bed when you have something positive to look forward to. If you love a cup of coffee in the morning, treat yourself to a quality cup of coffee with a good espresso maker and automatic milk frother. If you are a lapsed artist, take that extra 30 minutes in the morning to paint or draw. Doing something that you enjoy in the morning will not only help you get out of bed, but it will help set the tone for the entire day.
4. Let the light shine in
Pitch-dark rooms are great for sleeping, but not so great when it comes to waking up. Try keeping your blinds or curtains open a little to help you wake up naturally.
5. Don’t hit snooze
Easier said that done, right? When you hit the snooze button over and over, that fragmented sleep is actually making you more tired, Fitness Magazine reports. It’s hard to break the snooze habit, so help yourself out by putting your alarm across the room. Some experts also suggest that choosing a pleasant alarm tone will help ease the transition from sleeping to awake and alert.
How do you get yourself out of bed in the morning?
