Most of you will already know whether you are an early bird or a night owl, thanks to your internal clock or circadian rhythm.
This is what determines when you feel awake and when you feel tired.
The circadian rhythm works by making sure your body’s processes are optimised throughout the 24 hours of the day, and is closely linked to night and day.
There are some benefits to trying to adjust your internal clock so that you become more awake in the mornings and make better use of your day.
Unfortunately, it’s not so easy getting up in the morning if you aren’t used to it!
With that in mind, here are some helpful tips from Wellbeing 365.
Why should you consider becoming a morning person?
If your typical routine means you need to be more active between the usual working hours of 9am-5pm, you might benefit from being more alert during the morning hours.
A morning person can typically experience better concentration and even faster reaction times.
Being able to wake up early could help you achieve more before your children wake up or your workday begins, so that when it comes to the evening, you have plenty of spare time to socialise and catch up with family and friends.
If you’re used to staying up late and struggling to get up in the morning, here are some ways to change your routine.
Have a consistent bedtime and wake up routine
It is recommended that you get between 7-8 hours of sleep per night, so if you want to start getting up at 6am, you need to go to bed no later than 11pm.
However, if it usually takes you a while to fall to sleep, consider winding down even earlier.
Turn off your devices and read a book or have a bath, and try not to eat anything within 2 to 3 hours of getting in bed.
By starting to go to bed and waking up at a similar time every day, your body can begin to get used to its new routine.
Keep your curtains slightly open
This little trick might feel like nothing, but it can help to kickstart your internal clock without the need for an angry alarm.
By leaving your curtains or blinds open just a little bit, the natural light will pool through as the sun comes up.
This can help to wake you much more naturally than hitting the snooze button every 10 minutes.
This is particularly helpful during the summer when the sun begins to rise at about 5am.
Have a plan
There is no doubt a reason why you’d like to wake up earlier in the morning, and it can help to understand your reasons and make sure you have a plan of action.
After all, waking up at 6am is pointless if you don’t know what you’re doing to do with that time.
Consider whether you could go for a walk or a run, or make more time to have a proper breakfast instead of grabbing a piece of toast for the commute.
Find what works for you, and what will give you the best start to your day.