6 Ways to Become a Morning Person

It seems like some people are natural-born early-risers, but that’s not always the case. If you’re someone who struggles to get out of bed, but wants to become more of a morning person, it is possible. Just follow these simple lifestyle changes and you’ll find it easier to hop out of bed in the morning and get your day started.

Don’t hit snooze

As tempting as it can be to hit the snooze multiple times in the morning, it can actually be harmful to the quality of your sleep. The later stages of your sleep tend to be REM sleep, which is the restorative state of sleep. If you’re hitting the snooze button, chances are you’re disrupting that important restorative sleep. Additionally, the brief periods of sleep between snoozing the alarm won’t be high quality sleep.

To avoid snoozing your alarm, try setting it across the room so it forces you to get up and out of bed. There are also sleep apps, such as Sleep Cycle, that monitor your sleep cycle and wake you up in the lightest part of your sleep within a selected time period. This way your restorative REM sleep won’t be disrupted.

Expose yourself to the right light at the right time

Your circadian rhythm plays a big role in how well you sleep, and can be affected by the light you’re exposed to. Early in the morning and throughout the day, you should be exposed to brighter, more blue light, for energy and focus. This also means that in the morning, you should pull the shades back or turn on your light as soon as you wake up. This will help you feel more energized and more awake.

As the day goes on, the amount of light you’re exposed to should become softer and reduced, and lower on the blue light spectrum. This helps cue your body to unwind and get ready for sleep, and allows for the production of melatonin. That’s why it’s important to avoid screens, which are very high in blue light emissions, before bed.

If you struggle to get the right light exposure at the right time, Brilli’s lighting collections can help. If you work in a poorly lit office or get little exposure to daylight, the Charge Up collection provides crisp, clear light (with more than 3% blue light) to help you wake up and stay focused. In the evening and night, look to Brilli’s Wind Down collection for bulbs that simulate the soft glow of natural sundown light, minus the disruptive blue light that can interfere with restful sleep.

Create a healthy nighttime routine

In addition to reducing your exposure to blue light at night and incorporating softer lighting, it’s important to take some other steps to make sure you have a restful sleep that will make it easier to wake up.

Make sure that your room is cool, dark, and quiet. Relaxing scents, such as lavender, can also make you sleepy. Once you get into bed, try reading a book or meditating to help your brain relax and unwind and make it easier to fall asleep. By creating a healthy nighttime routine, you’ll make sure you have a better quality sleep which will make it the mornings easier.

Exercise

If you struggle to get out of bed in the morning, the thought of waking up and going to the gym may seem crazy to you. But if you’re able to get yourself to the gym, you’ll find that movement can help you feel more awake and focused throughout the day.

Additionally, working out in the morning can help your body feel more tired at night. It takes the body about six hours to cool down after a workout and a cool temperature makes it easier to fall asleep. If you’re currently working out at night and not sleeping well, that may be one of the contributing factors. Try switching your workouts to the morning and see how it helps improve your sleep and make for a more productive morning.

Eat breakfast

In the morning, you shouldn’t deprive your body of food. Food provides the energy that will help you feel more awake and focused throughout the day, and prevent a crash later on. Aim for a meal rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, such as oatmeal with peanut butter and banana or an egg sandwich with avocado.

Stick with it

Even if you follow all of these tips, the most important part of creating a morning routine is sticking with it. The more you stick to a routine, the easier it will be for your body to get used to.