How to Become a Morning Person (Hint: Technology Can Help)
Imagine waking up each morning before your alarm clock goes off, full of energy and ready to take on the day.
With an extra hour in your morning, you could even check a few tasks off your to-do list before you had to head off to work.
Of course, this seems like a great idea — until your alarm sounds an hour before you have to wake up, and it’s just so much easier to stay in bed than it is to keep that morning person promise you made to yourself the night before.
Ready to break that cycle? Here are five tips that will help you look forward to waking up early and start your day off right.
Find your morning motivation
Before you ask, the answer is no: Hitting the snooze button can’t be that thing you look forward to. Find something that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning — whether it’s a freshly brewed cup of your favorite flavored coffee or the quiet moments sipping it before the rest of your house wakes up. Sleeping in is easy if nothing’s coaxing you out of bed in the morning, but if you’ve got something you enjoy doing and you can only squeeze it in early in the day, you’re more likely to get out of bed to do it.
Use a temperature sensor to automate your sleep environment
According to the National Sleep Foundation, a ton of factors go into getting a good night’s sleep — from what your sheets are made of to how hot or cold your room is. Especially in the summer, you want to swap out your warmer cotton sheets for sheer sheets made of moisture-wicking fabric to keep your body cooler. Humans sleep best at a cool 65 degrees, so be sure to set your thermostat to that temperature.
Don’t hit the snooze
Sounds simple, right? But more often than not, that innocent extra 5 minutes of sleep lulls you back to bed for much longer than you had intended. The trick to not snoozing? Don’t put your alarm clock right by your bedside. If you actually have to get out of bed to quiet your alarm, you’re more likely to stay up and moving.
Hydration is key. Drink a full glass of water
One reason we feel so tired early in the morning is because our bodies dehydrate overnight, causing fatigue, according to Dr. Mark T. Brown. “A glass of water is important in the morning,” Dr. Brown says, “since you have not consumed any for hours. Hydration is critical for your body to function, so drinking water first thing in the morning can help refresh your mind and body.”
You might feel like you need more sleep, but your body is actually craving water, not extra shuteye, after having gone 6–8 hours without any. Drinking water after you wake up will help you feel more energized.
Prepare for your morning the night before
What tasks can you cross off the next day’s to-do list before you head to sleep? If you can pack lunches, lay out clothes or even decide what you’ll be making for breakfast, things will be easier come sunrise. With smart home technology, you can even automate tasks like turning on lights, adjusting the temperature and starting a simple on/off coffee pot.
Mornings don’t have to be a struggle. You can wake up without having to peel yourself out of bed. Try following these five tips. They might help you be the morning person you’ve always wanted to be.
