Did you know that starting your day early is linked to feelings of increased productivity? In fact, a study conducted by MIT & the University of Colorado Boulder found that waking up early was also linked to a 23% reduced risk of depression. Sounds like a win-win, right? The thing that stumps most people is just how to actually wake up and not reach for the snooze button every morning. If you want to rise with the rooster, keep reading to find out just how to make it work!
just know waking up early is possible!
So, before we get into how to love waking up early, how about we chat about some of the amazing benefits of getting out of bed a bit earlier? For starters, research from the Sleep Foundation shows that waking up early is linked to improved mental health. While waking up early has its benefits, it really boils down to getting ample sleep. If you prefer a later bedtime, just make sure that you’re able to set you clock to get your recommended hours of sleep.
Another benefits of waking early? Improved performance. The Sleep Foundation showed that individuals that were able to shift their sleep schedules 2 hours earlier were much more alert and productive for tasks. Why? Well, it’s something to do with a little thing called sleep inertia, something we all experience. Sleep inertia is essentially the disorientation and decline in our mood that occurs after waking up. You need roughly 30 minutes for sleep inertia to wear off, longer if you happen to be sleep deprived.
Of course, not all of the benefits of waking up early have to do with you mental health and performance. Another set of amazing perks of waking up early include:
- Getting ahead of all of that traffic on your commute
- Having time to fix a healthy breakfast
- Plenty of time for a morning workout
- Improved time management
Now that we’ve gotten all of the wonderful benefits of waking up early … on to the hard part, the actual waking up. If you’re a early bird, waking up early is probably a breeze and you don’t even need this article. However, if you’re not so much an early bird, here are a few things that might help you get acclimated to waking up early!
tips for waking up early
1. set realistic goals
If you haven’t seen 5:00 am in quite sometime, it’s to be expected that it’s going to take some time getting adjusted. Instead of aiming for 5:00 am right away, try setting your alarm for 15 minutes earlier than your usual alarm. Keep going until you reach your ideal wake time.
2. create a bedtime routine
Setting and following a consistent bedtime routine has 2 benefits. It creates habits in your mind and it helps you unwind. Habits are amazing because they give our brains something to look forward to which release serotonin in the brain; AKA happy chemicals. Consider meditation, breathwork, or even a yoga flow!
3. limit screen time
It’s no secret that people have caught wind about how harmful blue light can be to our circadian rhythms. Do your best to steer clear of electronics that emit blue light, at least in the hour before bed.
4. get some sunlight
It might be harder in the winter months when the sun does’t come up until later, but you can always substitute with artificial morning light with something like this handy wake-up light. Getting sunlight on your face first thing when you wake up helps your body regulate your circadian rhythm better.
5. stay accountable
If the goal is getting up earlier, it might be a good idea to do something to reward yourself on the day you’re able to get up. Try a gold star on your calendar or even treating yourself to a fun experience at the end of a successful week!
when the struggle is real
Of course, it’s going to be a bit of a struggle waking up early, let’s be realistic! One of the most common issues is hitting the snooze button. An easy fix? Set your alarm as usual and put it far enough away that you HAVE to get up to turn off your alarm. Now you’re up and out of the bed and that pesky alarm is silent.
It’s no easy feat but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible! Set yourself up for success with these tips and tricks for waking up early and let us know how it goes!