How to Become a Morning Person

Originally published on November 1, 2016 | Last updated on December 21, 2024

As I’m sure you’ve heard before, there are countless benefits to getting up early in the morning. It gives you more time to get things done and it makes you more productive and focused throughout the day. Getting up early is, however, easier said than done. We all love our sleep. I know how hard it can be to abandon your warm, comfy bed in the morning. Instead of hiding underneath the covers, I’ve learnt to (almost) always embrace a fresh, early start to the day. Want to know the steps to loving your mornings? Here are five tips on how to become a morning person.

1. Prepare the Night Before

It’s essential to plan for the day ahead the night before. A great way to achieve this is to write a to-do list of all of the things you need to get done. This is incredibly helpful and will allow you go to bed stress-free with a clear head, ready to take on the next day. It’s also a very good idea to meal prep for your lunch, pick out your clothes and pack your bags for the next day too. Trust me, this will save you a huge amount of time.

2. Wind Down

Limiting your caffeine intake is definitely a must. Caffeine gives you a boost of energy, so forget about drinking coffee or sugary drinks before bedtime. Instead, stay hydrated by drinking a glass of water. It’s also wise to avoid electronics before you go to sleep. In this digital age, electronics are a big part of life, but there’s a good reason to step away from them a few hours before you plan to catch some zzz’s. The bright light from your phone, tablet or laptop screen can disrupt your body’s sleep patterns and keep you awake at night. An activity I would recommend before bedtime is reading – I find it incredibly relaxing!

3. Set a Bedtime

It goes without saying that you should get a good night’s sleep if you’re planning to wake up early. If you stay up all night watching Netflix and go to bed at 2am, it’s going to be a lot harder for you to wake up early and have a productive day. Aim to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. We all need our beauty sleep, after all!

4. Don’t Hit the Snooze Button

When your alarm wakes you up – do not, I repeat, do not hit the snooze button! Although you may think that getting those five extra minutes of sleep will give you that little bit more energy, it actually does the opposite. Hitting the snooze button makes you feel more tired. If you’re prone to a bit of snoozing, then a great way to combat this is to place your alarm clock out of reach, so that you have to get up to turn it off. Problem solved!

5. Create a Morning Routine You Love

It’s going to be super hard to get up extra early if you don’t enjoy your morning routine. That’s why it’s important to create a morning routine that works for you and fill it with activities you love. For example, you could plan an exciting breakfast, go for a run or do some exercise, pray or meditate, write a gratitude list, jot down thoughts in your journal or work on a project – the possibilities are endless. Including at least one thing you love will make it easier to face the day.

If you’re ready to become a morning person, then I’d recommend starting slowly. Instead of waking up an hour before you usually do, you could start by waking up just fifteen minutes earlier. As it becomes easier, you can move your wake up time to another fifteen minutes earlier and so on. Once you’ve found a morning routine that works for you, stick to it so that it becomes part of your daily routine.

I hope you found my tips on how to become a morning person useful. They’ve certainly helped me out! Do you embrace the mornings?

Love, Telina