Waking up earlier is a great way to get the most out of the day and get as much done as possible. While there are days where sleeping in is not only needed but helps you catch up on rest, creating a habit of sleeping in every day will breed unproductivity and loss of motivation.
There are always those people you know who manage to wake up by 5 am, work out, eat breakfast. They arrive at work or school before it even hits 9 am. Do you want to know the secret to achieving and maintaining this schedule of waking up earlier? Check out these 4 ways of breaking bad habits and building new ones for waking up earlier!
Set an earlier bedtime.
If you find it difficult to get out of bed early in the morning, chances are you’re not getting enough sleep for your body to recharge. To wake up at an earlier time, good sleep is a necessity.
Training your body to sleep earlier will help you wake up easier in the morning. Most adults should aim to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. So if you want to wake up by 5, try to be asleep somewhere between 9-10 pm the night before!
Unplug before bed.
When winding down for bed, most people take part in one of the worst habits before bedtime: scrolling through apps on your phone. The blue light that emits from phone screens stimulates the brain, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
Looking at your phone before bed is a habit that will make waking up earlier much more difficult. If you’re looking to fall asleep earlier to wake up earlier, try reading a book or doing something away from a phone screen.
Avoid caffeine at night.
Caffeine is another well-known brain stimulant designed to keep you awake and alert. Depending on the time of day you consume caffeine, its lasting effects may make it difficult to wind down enough to fall asleep.
Caffeine can take up to 10 hours to fully leave your system after consumption. If you feel the effects of caffeine strongly, try cutting it out of your day after drinking your morning cup of coffee to be ready to fall asleep at a decent hour!
Place your alarm across the room.
This early morning hack has been around for years and is still very effective! Having to get out of bed to snooze a loud, obnoxious alarm will get your body out of bed long enough to wake your body up.
If you use your phone as an alarm clock, not only does that put your alarm away from your bed, but it can also help you not to end your night staring at your phone screen.
Don’t expect this change to be easy and instant. If you have multiple jobs, waking up earlier will also help you get more urgent tasks done quickly.
In order to help your body get into a new rhythm and routine, you must have several disciplines put in place. Try implementing these practices. Over time, waking up earlier will not only be doable, but will become a habit your body will easily follow!
