It’s often said that you’re either a morning person or a night owl. Some of us are able to spring out of bed and get on with our day, feeling chipper and refreshed. On the other hand, there’s those of us who hit the snooze button ten times and bury ourselves back down under the duvet.
With the warmer weather (hopefully!) making an appearance soon, for some of us it may be slightly easier to make the transition into becoming a morning person, but what about those of us who still struggle to get going in the morning?
To help you on your way, we’ve put together a quick guide on how to become a morning person. With these nine tips, you’ll be an early riser in no time!
Get Up at the Same Time Each Day
One of the first steps towards becoming a morning person is to get into the habit of getting up at the same time each day, even on weekends! Doing this will help maintain your circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock that’s responsible for your sleep pattern. Over time, this will help to ease that mid-morning sluggishness.
It also helps to get to bed earlier and wake up earlier as being sleep deprived won’t help!
Improve Your Bedtime Routine
A good bedtime routine is key not only for promoting healthy sleep, but for dealing with early mornings too. Perfecting your bedtime routine will contribute towards better sleep and to how easy you find it to wake up in the morning! There’s a number of ways you can improve your night time routine:
- Keep your bedroom clean and clutter free
- Avoid using smartphones/laptops with blue light at least an hour before bed
- Have a warm shower or bath to help you relax
- Meditate, read or listen to some soothing music before you fall asleep
- Ensure your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature
- Create a relaxing sleep space
Ensuring you have a comfortable bed and mattress will also play a huge role in improving your sleep, which in turn will contribute towards you feeling refreshed each morning. If you find yourself regularly tossing and turning trying to get comfortable, it could be that your mattress needs an upgrade. Why not check out our range of quality, affordable mattresses to help you on your way to a good night’s sleep?
Get Creative With Your Alarm
If you’re that person who regularly hits the snooze button every morning, it may be time to shake things up a little. Moving your alarm across the room so that you’re forced out of bed each morning is one of the easiest ways to nip that habit in the bud, or if you wake up to the sound of blaring alarm every morning, look at changing the tone to something that’s a bit more calming.
If you use your phone as an alarm, look at using a song you like to wake you up in the morning. You may even be able to set your whole music library as your alarm, but it might be worth creating a special ‘wake-up’ playlist so you can only awaken to upbeat and happy songs rather than something that’s a bit too gloomy!
Let in Some Natural Light
Your circadian rhythm responds to light and darkness, so natural light is key when it comes to helping you feel more awake. As soon as you’re out of bed, open the curtains and let the natural light in. This will send the message to your brain that it’s time to suppress melatonin production, which is known as the ‘sleep hormone,’ and start producing serotonin, also known as the ‘feel-good hormone.’
But what happens in the winter months? In recent years ‘sunrise’ alarm clocks have grown increasingly popular, mimicking a slow sunrise to encourage you to wake up early feeling refreshed.
Get Moving
If you have the time in the morning, engaging in a little gentle exercise is a great way to start your day. Gently wake yourself up with a morning yoga routine, which can boost energy levels and brain function, or if you really want to go all in, give yourself a blast of cardio to kick start the morning. While it may not doesn’t sound particularly appealing first thing in the morning, it’s been found that aerobic exercise can reduce fatigue, so it’s worth a shot.
If however, you’re pushed for time, a good stretch before you get up can work wonders. During the night, when we’re in REM sleep, our muscles become paralyzed, so a nice big stretch when you wake up will reactivate them and get the endorphins flowing.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Whether you’re a breakfast person or not, research indicates that skipping it can have a negative impact on energy levels and your attention span during the day, so if you’re not an early bird, eating a healthy breakfast could be one way to change things.
The time between your last meal before bed and when you wake up is the longest period that most of us will go without fuel for our bodies, so by eating breakfast you’re replenishing those energy levels to get you set for the day. Go for something high in protein and fibre to keep you going right through to lunchtime.
Have Something to Look Forward To
Sometimes all it takes to get you feeling more positive in the morning is having something to look forward to. Whether the thought of picking up a fancy coffee on your way to work, an entertaining radio show or a delicious breakfast is what makes you jump out of bed quicker, make an effort to add this into your morning routine and you’ll soon be feeling more upbeat when that alarm goes off.
Don’t Instantly Grab Your Smartphone
In a world where we’re constantly checking social media, many of us are guilty of grabbing our phones for a quick scroll through Facebook or a check of our emails before we roll out of bed.
While it’s one of those habits we’ve all developed, it’s not the most productive way to start your day. Not only do you run the risk of falling down that social media rabbit hole while you should be getting ready, but you may also catch sight of something that has an affect on your mood and stress levels, like a news article or a work email.
Make a conscious effort to avoid checking your phone until you’ve left the house, or even better, got to work in the morning and not only will you feel more productive, you might even boost your mood too.
Maximise Your Commute
Similarly, mindlessly scrolling through social media on your commute isn’t the most stimulating when you’re trying to wake yourself up. Your commute can be stressful enough as it is, so why not utilise that time to do something for you?
Listen to a podcast, read a book, or perhaps download a puzzle app on your phone - anything to gently stimulate your brain will make your commute feel less tedious, and you never know, you may even start to look forward to having that bit of time to yourself!
If you drive to work, sometimes repeatedly listening to the same songs on the radio combined with news and traffic updates is enough to put a dampener on your mood before you even get there. Again, listen to a podcast or an audiobook, treat yourself to a couple of new CDs, or make a playlist of your favourite songs to give you a boost - you’ll soon start to notice a difference!
Sleep Better: Wake Refreshed
Make a point to get these tips into your routine and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a morning person. Remember, a good night’s sleep is one of the best ways you can help yourself feel bright eyed and bushy tailed when that alarm goes off, so make sure you take measures to get that sleep space right for you.
If you are wanting to upgrade your mattress or pillows, we’ll be here to help you on your way!
Written by Amy Jackson - Content Writer at Promo Codes For - 16th March 2020