How To Become A “Morning Person”
Whether or not you have the natural urge to rise in the early hours of the a.m., establishing a healthy morning routine isn’t easy. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the effort.
Some of the most successful people in history have been quite vocal about their early morning rituals. For example, we’ve got Tim Cook (current CEO of Apple) who swears by his very early 4am wake ups that involve diving into 1000s of customer emails followed by a high-intensity workout to clear his mind; or on the other hand, someone like Warren Buffet who (allegedly) reads the news alongside a modest McDonald’s breakfast. Setting yourself up with a routine can help you find balance and allow you to treat each day as a fresh start.
Whilst everyone’s preferences may be different when it comes to morning rituals, here are a few non-negotiables to get you started:
HYDRATE
Try to have a glass or bottle of water waiting for you on your bedside table so that you can dive right in upon waking. Not only will adequate hydration help add that extra glow to your skin and maintain healthy muscles and joints, but hydration is also essential for cognitive function – or in other words, how well your brain is working. And last time I checked, our brains are pretty important when it comes to, well… everything!
Get some sun
After jumping out of bed every morning, one of the most simple but powerful behaviours you can take advantage of is viewing sunlight for 2-10 minutes, preferably within one hour of waking where possible.
The bright light in your eyes does two very important things in the body. Firstly, it triggers a healthy release of cortisol (the ‘stress’ hormone) into your system, which acts as a biological “wake-up” signal and promotes the ability to focus throughout the day. Secondly, it also starts a timer for the onset of melatonin (the ‘sleepiness’ hormone). The relationship between these two hormones balances your body clock to ensure that your brain knows what time you should be awake and what time you begin feeling tired to prepare for sleep.
And if you are the type to be up and at ‘em before the sun has risen, then it is best to flip on as many artificial lights as you can until you are able to go outside for some natural light exposure.
Start with an easy win
Think about that feeling you get when you tick off a task for the day. With that in mind, it is best to start your day with something that you can easily accomplish, especially if you’re not typically a morning person. For example, if you like working out, maybe consider switching to the a.m. class instead of going after work. Or if you like being organised, you could clean your work desk bed to ensure you are free of clutter before the day starts. Even something as simple as creating a to-do list first thing in the morning could give you an extra boost to tackle the day ahead.
So, do you think you can implement these super easy behaviours to start winning your day from the moment you get out of bed? Do you want a day filled with more energy, focus, and motivation.
Note: it is however, important to acknowledge that these habits or rituals to become a “morning person” are only going to make a significant impact IF your sleep duration and quality are adequate to start with. Otherwise, it’s going to be an uphill battle!
Best of luck with these small changes - we hope you feel the difference!
And don’t forget…
you snooze, you lose ;)