Time and again, experts and studies have repeated the benefits of rising early. It gives you more time and starts your day in a more orderly fashion. But that hasn't made it any easier, especially after 2 am ice-cream cravings and late nights binge-watching TV shows. Though it is tough, it is possible to actually become the morning person you always wanted to be. All you have to do is follow these six tips and over time, turn them into habits.
1. Sleep Well
We're going to get the most obvious one out of the way because it needs to be said. To wake up easily early in the morning, make sure you are getting enough peaceful sleep. If you're sleep deprived, your body will naturally try and make it up in the morning, making your fatigued and late. That's also why you end up waking up at noon on some weekends, because your body has collected that much sleep debt. Get six to eight hours of sleep daily to fix this.
2. Turn Off Your Gadgets
It may feel like the only time you get to scroll through Instagram and Facebook is at night when you're sprawled in bed. Avoid this because it's actually affecting your sleep in more ways than you know. According to Business Insider, phones, tablets and laptops emit blue light which suppresses our brains from producing melatonin. Melatonin is the naturally produced sleep hormone which regulates our sleep cycles and aids in peacefulness. As a result, you end up sleeping later than expected and groggier in the morning.
3. Work It Off
You may think your job is done once you're awake. That's partially true but there's a difference between being awake in the morning and being happy and awake in the morning. Become the latter by exercising in the morning. We all know the sense of satisfaction the glorious feel-good hormone, serotonin that courses through our body after exercising. Just what you need to start the morning on a pleasant note.
4. Skip Naps
Naps can feel like a midday treat on tiring days but unless they cannot be skipped for medical reasons, napping is avoidable. Sure they are refreshing but they also break your circadian rhythm and lead you to oversleep, which in turn may not allow you to sleep peacefully in the night.
5. Be Consistent
Because you managed to wake up early today doesn't mean you should treat yourself tomorrow by staying up till 3am. The key to becoming a morning bird lies in consistency so you must keep at it every day. On the weekends, allow yourself to sleep in a little longer but not more than and hour and a half from your daily wake up time. Else, you'll end up breaking your schedule rapidly.
6. Night Time
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To many, peaceful sleep can seem like an illusion. But it is possible to make it a reality and that all begins with a proper night time routine. Turn off your gadgets by dinnertime (and keep them out of reach), apply your night creams, read a good book and drink a cup of warm milk. Together, a calming routine like this will switch off distractions and help your body wind down.
