Your alarm goes off at 6 a.m. You groan and reach for the snooze button as quick as you can. Your second alarm goes off 5 minutes later and you would do anything for 20 more minutes of cheek to pillow action. You force yourself to get up and you’re already in a bad mood.
We’ve all been there. But there are ways to make waking up more enjoyable, even for the grumpiest of people. Here are a couple tips to train yourself to be a morning person.
1. Let the sun in
Waking up naturally with the rising sun is one of the best ways to start your day feeling rested. There’s nothing worse than when your alarm goes off and it’s completely dark in your room. So open up your shades and let the sunlight pour in. Don’t rely on it as your natural alarm clock though, you never know what kind of weather the day will bring.
2. Set one alarm
If you have more than one alarm, you’re likely to stay in bed until the very last one goes off and you have no choice but to finally get up. Set one alarm, then actually get up when it goes off. Do this every day at the same time to create a natural sleep pattern for your body. You’ll feel less groggy because you’re not falling back into a deep sleep after already waking up. If you struggle with the harsh alarm tones that come with your phone, apps like Sleep Cycle wake you up gently with more mellow sounds.
3. Look forward to something fun
Do something every day that will make you excited to wake up. Having a fun habit in the morning will make waking up early a more enjoyable process.
- Can’t put that new bestseller down before bed? Read a couple pages in the morning as soon as you wake up.
- Just bought a new flavored coffee or tea? Go brew a cup before you do anything else. Take a second to enjoy it.
- A new smoothie recipe you found online? Blend it up and sip on it while you get ready.
- That new song you can’t get out of your head? Keep headphones or a speaker (if you don’t have sleeping roommates) next to your bed. Play it as soon as you get out of bed to start your day on a positive note, literally.Â
4. Breathe in, breathe out
There are so many meditation apps like Headspace and Calm that make meditation really simple for beginners. Taking a couple minutes to clear your mind can be life-changing. Meditation can even help manage anxiety and reduce stress.
Try starting your day with it to recalibrate yourself and be ready to take on whatever the day throws at you in a mindful way. Be sure to get out of bed before you try this one because meditation makes you calm and you don’t want to risk falling asleep again.
5. Go to bed earlier
If you struggle with getting up early, get to bed early and squeeze some extra z’s in there. Sleep routines are hard to break. But if you struggle with falling asleep, stay away from social media and Netflix and give your brain time to relax. Try reading instead and get into bed only when you’re ready to fall asleep.
6. Break a sweat
Exercising is hard enough as it is but in the morning? Are you kidding? It sounds crazy but starting your day with some endorphins could help improve your mood for the day. If you exercise every day, try it in the morning when you have lots of fresh energy ready to be used.
Of course, you’re probably not going to be able to fit a 10 mile run in – but if you can power to you! Try a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout which can be anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. It’ll get your heart rate up and have you sweating and feeling good in no time.
such sweet things 