How To Become a Morning Person

I feel like there are two types of people in the world: those who like getting up early (or just do it anyway) and those who flat out don’t. I have always been in the first category. I love rising early, and being a personal trainer, I have always had to.

Tips for becoming a morning person

If you have been wanting to get your workouts done in the morning, but haven't been able to get out of bed, then these tips can help you to become a better morning person!

Get enough sleep

One of the main reasons people like to sleep in is because they didn’t get enough sleep the night before. If you are serious about becoming a morning person, you need to set up a sleep schedule that will allow you to rise early without leaving you feeling tired and grumpy.

Everyone should try to aim to get approximately 8 hours of sleep a night, but this can be different for each individual. Set an alarm for whatever time you would like to get up in the morning, and aim to be in bed early enough to get your 7-8 hours sleep a night. Your body may take some time to get used to your new schedule so try and stick with it.

If you are still feeling tired, you may need to increase the amount of hours you sleep each night temporarily as the adaptation phase is new for your body.

Have a good bedtime routine

If your idea of a ‘good’ bedtime routine is settling down whilst watching the latest Netflix episode, I’m sorry to say this may not help you be the world’s best early riser. Going to bed should be relaxing and calming, and ideally - technology free. This is because the brightness of your laptop, iPad and iPhone screen may suppress melatonin production, which is the hormone that helps you feel sleepy.

Try to create a routine that you look forward to and is relaxing so that you can fall asleep easier. Consider running a relaxing bath, meditating, reading a book or burning your favourite candles. If you tend to overthink things at night, write down anything that is worrying you before you go to bed. This is a great way to release your feelings and clear your mind.

Eat a good breakfast

If you aren’t a morning person because you tend to feel grumpy and sluggish and rely on a cup of take away coffee as your breakfast here's your fix. You should join the ‘feel good’ side by eating a proper healthy breakfast filled with protein, complex carbohydrates and fibre and see how better you can make your day.

After being asleep all night, eating a healthy breakfast can help to kickstart your metabolism and fuel your body for the day ahead. I love eating a bowl of oats with fruit in the morning or rye toast with poached eggs and avocado.

Just do it

Sometimes it’s not about what we want, but what we need. We can come up with every excuse in the book as to why we need more sleep, but if you truly want to get something done in the morning, you need to just get up.

Instead of thinking of it as a chore and something you don’t want to do, change your mindset and think about all the amazing things you get to do that day. Having positive thoughts about being an early riser can definitely help to make it easier and a part of your daily life.

Leave your blinds open and let there be light

Our bodies are sensitive to light and temperature, which explains why sometimes you just can’t sleep in, even if you have had the longest night. When the sun rises in the morning, your body will take this as a cue that it is time to wake up. If you don’t want to leave your blinds completely open, even leaving them cracked a tiny bit can be enough to help to wake you up in the morning.

Move your alarm to the other side of the room

If you literally sleep within arm’s reach of your alarm so you can set off the snooze as soon as possible, make it harder. Move your alarm to the other side of the room so you have no choice but to get up and turn it off. Chances are if you are up and standing, you will find it easier to ‘wake up’.

I hope these simple tips have helped! I love being an early riser because I have time to do everything I need to before the start of a busy day. I find working out in the morning helps me to become more alert, energised and overall feel better. What are your favourite tips on how to become a morning person?