Waking up early has tons of benefits.
You’re able to get more done before you have to start your day of classes or work and you don’t have to feel rushed when getting ready. If you’d rather hit the snooze button than rise and shine, we’ve got tips for becoming an early riser.
Set your alarm earlier every week until you get to your goal wake up time.
If you want to eventually wake up at 6:30 every morning, but have trouble getting out of bed by eight, ease into your new morning habits by setting your alarm just fifteen minutes earlier every week. Try going to sleep fifteen minutes earlier too, so you don’t miss any shut eye.
Put your alarm out of reach.
It’s a lot harder to hit snooze if you have to physically drag yourself out of bed to do it. Put your alarm on the opposite end of your room so the first thing you have to do when it goes off is stand up. This will immediately make you feel more alert, and will help keep you from rolling over and falling back asleep.
Make a routine.
It will be easier to get up and going if you have a set routine in place. Figure out when you want to drink your morning joe, read emails and shower. When you have your ideal routine worked out, stick to it! Doing it every day will make it a habit, so you won’t even feel like you’re waking up early.
Drink water.
Drinking a large glass of cool water right when you wake up can help make you more alert, improve your metabolism, rehydrate and prevent snacking later in the day. Put a glass of water next to your bed before you go to sleep so you can gulp it down right when your alarm goes off.
Start your day with exercise.
Moving first thing in the morning can make you feel more energized for the rest of the day. Whether you lift weights, go for a run or practice yoga, exercise provides a great mind-centering start to the day. Plus, getting your workout done first thing helps you stay committed and you won’t be able to put off your exercise for other plans.
Don’t nap.
A nice long nap may feel great if you’re sluggish in the afternoon, but it will mess up your sleep cycle, making it harder to fall asleep that night and even harder to wake up the next morning. If you must nap, keep it to twenty minutes so you don’t disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle.
Limit screen time before bed.
The light from televisions, computers and smartphones are perceived as daylight by your brain, so they keep you awake if you use them right before bed because your body thinks that it is day and not night. Even once you fall asleep, your rest is not as deep as it should be. Shut down all technology about an hour before bed to be sure you have a restful night’s sleep and wake up ready to face the morning!
Feature Photo via We Heart It