It’s time to say goodbye to grouchiness and hello to happier mornings. Becoming a morning person may seem like a hard obstacle to tackle, especially when staying in your own warm, cozy bed is the easiest thing to do first thing in the morning. But starting off the day right and creating productive routines for yourself is the ultimate life hack you didn’t know you needed.
While being a morning person might not be the most appealing lifestyle to those of us that are guilty of hitting the snooze button a few times before getting out of bed, there’s no denying the multiple benefits that come with being a morning person. Better health, life longevity, and increased productivity are just a few of the benefits of the morning-person lifestyle.
The key to becoming a morning person isn’t waking up early. While waking up early can help kickstart the day, if you’re not getting enough sleep you’ll always be lagging. It’s all about knowing the importance of sleep and how your sleep schedule influences the way you wake up.
Everyone knows that getting a solid six to nine hours of sleep a night is what every doctor recommends, but knowing your sleep pattern and schedule is what helps your body know when it’s time to sleep and when to wake up. By creating a sleep schedule, you’ll avoid a lot of late night tossing and turning since your body will naturally know when it’s time to rest. And while restless nights might just seem annoying, they can lead to poor health problems like weight gain, memory loss, and lack of focus. No one wants to be sleep deprived and grouchy, so making the effort to schedule your sleeping habits is the start to a strong relationship with you and your health.
Once you’re ready to get your sleep schedule on track, knowing when to wake up is next. Have you ever woken up groggy and annoyed sometimes but relaxed and rested other times? Most likely, you probably woke up at different times in your sleep cycles. Each night, a person typically has four to six sleep cycles, and if your alarm wakes you up in the middle of one, it can make it that much harder to wake up in the morning. Luckily, there are apps and websites like SleepCycle.com that help you improve your sleep by showing you multiple times to wake up between sleep cycles instead of during one.
By getting to know your sleep patterns, you’re rested and ready to conquer your day. And nothing says eager to rise like the rays of sunshine that filter through your window in the morning. Natural sunlight is one of the best morning helpers you could ask for. Not only does it shine to brighten up our bedrooms, but it also helps our body’s sleep schedule alert us that it’s time to start the day.
But we all know that waking up and getting up are two different parts of the morning routine. Some of us take a couple minutes to get out of bed while others take a bit longer, tied to the warm comfort of the bed. So how do you find a reason to get up and out of bed?
This is where your ‘why’ comes in. Why do you get out of bed?
Don’t make your ‘why’ going to the office or running errands. These are parts of your day that you’re trying to get ready for. Your ‘why’ is the first thing you look forward to in the morning after waking up. Try to focus on things you can do quickly as soon as you get out of bed. Maybe it’s making a delicious breakfast, picking an outfit, or taking your dog for a walk. If you make your reason to get up something that is easily within reach, it will make you feel like your morning is already off to a good start because you completed your first real task of the day: getting out of bed.
When you get out of bed you don’t just want to stop there. To keep your energy up and your morning moving, give your body time to wake up before diving into the next task on your to-do list. Having a nice body stretch or morning exercise is one of the best acts you can do to treat your body well. After spending six to eight hours asleep, your body needs a little pick me up before you tackle the day.
Speaking of pick me ups, the biggest and most important one is your first meal of the day. While it’s easy to grab a cup of coffee with a granola bar and call it breakfast, your energy levels will be low for the rest of the day, and it’ll be harder for you to focus on your day. Breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether it’s a fruit smoothie or an egg scramble, the best breakfast is the one that gives you enough energy to start your day and keep you full.
While feeding your body is important, feeding your mind is just as important. While you’re making yourself a filling breakfast or taking a morning shower, putting on your favorite tunes is enough to lift anyone’s spirits, even the morning grouches. If you’re feeling adventurous, podcasts are a good way to update yourself on topics of interest. And if none of those suit your fancy, a simple morning affirmation has the power to start your day off positively while also boosting your self-confidence.
Now, with some well-deserved rest, food and self-love you’re ready to conquer today and live your most successful life.
