The secret to becoming a morning person

Do you have a friend that goes running at seven on a Sunday morning? Or a colleague who hits the gym before your eight o’clock meeting? Ever wonder how they manage to wake up that early and get so much done whilst you need five snoozes and three mugs of coffee before you can even make an attempt at human interaction? If you are up for a little change in your nocturnal life try our tips below to become a morning person.

There’s more to it than just setting your alarm early and hoping for the best. If you want to rise and shine like a true morning person you will have to prepare the day before. Start at about three in the afternoon by staying away from sugars, caffeine and alcohol. Not only do they keep you up at night but they are detrimental to the quality of sleep.

In the evening it is important that you find a way to relax your brain, otherwise you will lie in bed thinking about the emails you have to reply to and the to-do lists you have to work through. Turn off laptops and televisions an hour before you go to sleep to help calm your mind. Write a journal or read a book instead. If you really struggle to clear your mind, meditation might be for you.

Make sure you are consistent with your bedtimes and alarm times. Resetting your biological clock is hard but it helps if you stick to a schedule. Figure out how much sleep you need on average to make sure you wake up well rested. For most people this is between seven and eight hours of sleep.

There are some wonderful advantages to being a morning person. Start work a little early on a Friday, for instance, and get a head start on the weekend. But it doesn’t necessarily have to mean jumping out of bed and on the elliptical machine before heading into work at the sound of your alarm. One of the perks of rising early means you have the time to have a slow morning. Scroll through Facebook in bed, have a long shower, and enjoy a proper breakfast. By the time you get to work you will be ready to handle everything the day throws at you.

Sally Wijers

For more tips on getting a good night’s sleep so you too can become a morning person visit here.