The number of cheesy mugs that I owned that said, "Wake Me Up For What?" had to be thrown out since I became a morning person. I was a self-proclaimed "night owl" growing up, and physically could not wake up enough to function before 11 a.m. and was exhausted by 2 p.m. I was well aware that the late nights and sleeping in until 4 p.m. was unhealthy and a bad habit to have, but I was convinced there was no way to change that. Although there are days that I struggle to be up by 8 a.m., I know this change is beneficial to make now while I'm in college rather than when I am about to start a career. You know, those jobs that you have to be up by 6 a.m. to not be late and don't get second or third chances for over-sleeping an alarm?
1. Get to bed early.
I know this is an obvious tip, but you would be surprised what some of us "night owls" consider early. Early is not midnight. Getting to bed early is finishing up your daily tasks by 8:30 p.m. to relax for 30 minutes then getting in the shower and bed by 9:30 p.m. I'll admit, at first I would lay there for two or three hours trying to fall asleep but after awhile, your body shifts its internal clock to want to sleep by then. If you are feeling restless that night, it's better to lie awake until 11 p.m. than go to bed at 1 a.m. to lay awake until 4 a.m.
2. Wake up at a set, early time.
Typically, my college schedule will have a 10 a.m. class, then a 3 p.m. class the following day. Don't sleep in one day then wake up early the next, because it messes your cycle up. Make a set time to wake up daily so you can get on track. I wake up at 8 a.m. every day so I have time to shower, eat a well balanced breakfast and get dressed with ease. Starting a morning off with relaxation rather than rushing makes an over all much greater day.
3. Give yourself motivation to wake up early.
I decided to start working out in the morning. Working out in the morning is wonderful and gives such a boost in energy. Not only that, doing more in the day makes you more tired in the evening so you will be able to fall asleep early. If working out isn't something you personally want to do, then try watching that Netflix show you keep talking about or get ahead on homework.
4. Stay away from electronics before bed.
On occasion, I am still guilty of skimming through my Instagram feed before bed, but typically, I try to avoid this. Or watching TV or anything with a bright screen. As soon as you lay down, you need to be relaxing and not having your mind continue to roam.
With this said, waking up early has been life changing for me. I feel more rested than when I got more sleep. I feel my days are better spent and productive. Will I see you become the next early morning riser? Good luck!
