8 Tips For Becoming a Morning Person
“Morning person” doesn’t even begin to describe me and my love for early mornings. Like I don’t just like them… I LOVE them.
When my alarm goes off anywhere between 4:50am and 5:15am (depending on when I want to get to the gym) I typically wake up with a smile and hop right out of bed. And no, I’m not kidding.
I always give myself a good hour before I want to leave for the gym, because soaking up those early morning minutes without rushing is sacred time for me. I love drinking that first glass of water, sipping my cozy cup of Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee, eating my pre-workout snack, journaling and (yes, I know, not the best habit) checking up on Instagram and posting for the day.
I love those quiet, uninterrupted moments when it feels like the rest of the world is still asleep.
But did I always love early mornings? Heck no. Not a chance.
I hated waking up early during high school and would, more often than not, have to be lured out of my bed by my mom with coffee in hand.
Freshman year of college I thought having to get up for 9:30 classes was the hardest thing ever.
I remember having to wake up at 6 for a long run once for my first half marathon freshman year and I literally slept in my running clothes so I could get up 5 minutes before I had to leave because I couldn’t fathom getting up before 6 (I was a very unprepared runner at that time haha).
So how did I become such an advocate for early mornings? Well, it first started out of necessity. My sophomore year of college I completely overloaded my plate – 19 credits, 2 jobs, sorority leadership position, the blog… the whole deal. I knew if I wanted to work out the only time I could was at 6am. So that’s exactly what I did.
So yes, my love for mornings started when it (slowly) started to become a habit. And THAT brings me to my list of tips on becoming a morning person:
Make a Habit
Just. keep. going. Will training your body to wake up early suck at first? Heck yes. It’s not like you can just flip a switch and suddenly start loving early mornings. But the more you do it and don’t continually press snooze it gets easier and easier. The longer you wake up early, the more your body gets used to it. Yes, it takes discipline. Yes, it takes mental strength to not press snooze. But the more you practice that discipline and that strength. The more second-nature it becomes.
2. Adopt a No-Snooze Rule
I promise – the more you press snooze the more tired you will feel. Creating the habit of getting up on the first alarm only makes it easier to get up and feel awake. You will stop feeling like “snooze” is even an option.
3. Know WHY You’re Doing It
I’m going to assume you aren’t wanting to become a morning person just for sh*ts and giggles. There’s a reason. Whether that’s to have more productive mornings, to have more you-time before work/class, to get in a workout before the day kicks into gear or to create a morning routine that starts your day positively, this reason is something you need to keep in mind. When you feel like pressing snooze, remind yourself of your why and help that motivate you. Even writing down this motivator somewhere you can see will serve as a daily reminder of why you’re doing this. The random times I think “ugh maybe I’ll press snooze” I remind myself of the morning routine I love, the me-time I love so dearly and the early workout that never fails to make me feel good. Next thing you know, I don’t want to press snooze anymore.
4. Create a Routine/Ritual You Love
Creating a morning routine/ritual that you love helps you want to get out of bed. For me that’s my morning gratitude practice, Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee and pre-workout snack and my morning workout. I seriously go to bed excited to wake up because of those reasons. Whether that’s coffee and journaling or a quick stretching session first-thing, make it something YOU love.
5. Move Your Body
No matter if you’re wanting to become a morning person for the sake of an early workout or not, try moving your body at least a little bit when you wake up. Try stretching, doing a quick yoga flow or going on a short walk (if it’s light out) before tackling the day. It will help you feel more mentally and physically awake.
6. Notice How Less Stressed You Are
Nothing says “stressed out” like waking up 15 minutes before you have to leave, throwing on whatever clothes you can find and skipping breakfast. Yikes. Waking up earlier and giving yourself more time before the day kicks into gear helps keep stress levels low and helps you start your day with your head clear and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.
7. Be Prepared
Make your early mornings extra stress-free by having everything for that day ready the night before – have your clothes out (whether for a workout, class or work), have your breakfast prepped and lunch packed, etc. If I anticipate a stressful morning or feel like I have a lot to do when I wake up early it’s always a negative experience. Transform that by being extra prepared.
8. Practice Gratitude
I have noticed practicing gratitude right when I get up helps put me in positive mindset and not mind early wake up calls as much. Whether you physically write this down or just think of it in your head, I promise it will help with the early-morning grumpiness.
Of course, it’s not like you need to be a morning person, but it’s a nice feeling being able to get up early when life calls or when you want to experience that feeling of morning calmness. And who wouldn’t want to feel excited when their alarm goes off? It’s truly the best feeling in the world.
What helps making up early easier for YOU?
XO nat