How To Wake Up Earlier

It seems like the more time we spend social distancing, the more time I spend sleeping. As a morning person, waking up late leaves me feeling like I have lost precious hours of daylight. But over the last month, I have transitioned into a night-owl. GASP! I know.

So, how do we make that transition in our life? How can we become morning people? Or at best, how do we begin to feel comfortable waking up earlier? Here are 10+ easy steps to incorporate into your life if you want to start waking up earlier.

1. Prepare for the next day. This might sound like a given, but are we honestly fully prepared for the next day? Or do the simple things like packing your car, picking our your clothes or filling up your water bottle get overlooked? Set a timer on your coffee maker (if you have one), get your clothes picked out, pack your car, prepare your lunch before you go to bed. It makes a HUGE difference, I swear.

2. We have all made a to-do list at one point in time. But what about a to-done list? I started doing these my sophomore year of college when I was taking 24 credits (crazy, I know). I would have such long lists of tasks to do that I would never complete them, leaving me constantly feeling like I wouldn't be able to accomplish what I set out to do the next day. After hearing about to-done lists from a friend, I began making mine at the end of the night, reading through it to see all that I had done, and put them in a box to keep. At the end of the term I would open the box and look at all of my accomplishments. It irrevocably changed my outlook.

3. Sunlight, though foreign to my hometown of Coos Bay, it is a game-changer for our sleep cycle. After falling asleep, your brain begins producing melatonin to aid in memory repair and allow your body (and brain) to rest. But, as soon as you are exposed to light, melatonin production decreases, and adrenaline increases, telling your body to start producing energy. So leave your curtains open, and let the sun do its job! Rise and shine!

4. You are never too old to have a bed time, seriously. By holding ourselves accountable and setting a bed time, we are better able to regulate our sleep. Figure out what time you need to start preparing for bed if you are to sleep for eight hours (NO LESS). Our brain requires eight hours of sleep, but it also requires that we help it "shut down" at night. So grab a book or magazine, not your phone, and read for 30 minutes before bed. I promise you will sleep so much better.

5. This isn't going to be an instant change. We have internal clocks that help our bodies regulate our sleep cycles. So start with small increments, going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night. By the end of the week you will be waking up nearly two hours earlier than you were before!

6. Get excited about tomorrow. We are not guaranteed another day, it is a gift not a privilege. Think about your upcoming day and write something you're excited about or looking forward to on a sticky note and put it where you will see it in the morning. Bonus: Keep those notes throughout the year, and look back on them during the New Year. It is amazing to see all of the positives you experience in just one year.

7. Jump out of bed! Literally. No jokes here. This is something that I learned from my father at a very young age and it has helped me immensely. When I know I need to get up REALLY early the next day I prime my body by telling myself to jump out of bed when I get up. So when my alarm goes off, I jump out of bed (literally), grab my phone, turn off my alarm and immediately begin getting ready for the day.

8. I have long joked that I work out every morning by doing 15 sit ups. It might not seem like a lot of sit ups, but it is a lot of times to hit the snooze button. Get the joke? Ha. The snooze button is a thing of the past. Forget about it and make it your greatest enemy because, here's the tea, snoozing only makes you more tired. There, I said it. Put your phone out of reach so when your alarm goes off you have to get out of bed to turn it off.

9. Water, water, water! Your body responds to water in the morning like a light switch. As soon as you wake up, jump out of bed and turn off your alarm, pour yourself a tall glass of cold water and drink it all. This will turn on your body (and your metabolism) like a light switch.

10. How much time do you spend practicing mental clarity? No phone, no distractions, just you and your own thoughts. In today's society, distractions such as technology are the norm. But when we are constantly stimulating our brain, we are not introducing our mind to new experiences. This restricts the neuroplasticity of our brain; it makes us think differently, feel differently, even dream differently. It affects our memory, attention spans and sleep cycles. By meditating we can maintain neuroplasticity, clear our mind and prepare for the day. Start with three minutes!

11. Did you know that increasing your heart rate for 10-15 minutes a day can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, or even weight gain! When you get up in the morning, get your heart pumping by taking a brisk walk, jog, or bike ride. Start with just ten minutes a day!

12. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Ahem, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Your body needs calories to feed your brain and get your mind started for the day. By eating a healthy, filling breakfast in the morning, you prime your body and brain for a proactive day.

13. So really why do all of these things matter, why should we get up earlier? Why, why, why? Because of how it benefits you. By getting up earlier in the morning and preparing the day ahead, you won't feel rushed in the morning, you will miss traffic, you will get to work earlier, and you will be a generally sunnier human being. But remember, this isn't going to happen over night. Give yourself a couple weeks to adjust to a new schedule, know that not everything on this list is going to work for you, and trust the process.