9 ways to transform yourself into a morning person
(Loren Kerns)
Waking up early is just harder for some people.
For self-described night owls, waking up at the crack of dawn and managing to be alert and productive may seem impossible. But the business world shows no signs of changing its schedule.
How can you curb your late-night habits and transform yourself into a morning person?
We read through a recent Quora thread on becoming a morning person, and highlighted some of the best, most practical responses.
1. Stop hitting snooze.
Hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock may make you think you're getting more sleep, but it actually has a negative affect. Once you start hitting snooze, you're fragmenting your sleep schedule and creating sleep inertia, a feeling of grogginess that can last all day.
Quora user Stefano Gandinni says it starts with having the proper mindset. "Before you go to bed, tell yourself that you are going to get up as soon as your alarm goes off," he writes. "You're NOT going to hit the snooze button. Visualize yourself waking up and immediately getting out of bed."
2. Think of something you're grateful for.
Starting your morning with a positive attitude can help shape the remainder of your day. "There's a direct correlation between gratitude and happiness, so start off your day by expressing gratitude," Gandinni writes.
3. Use "dark sessions" the night before.
Getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep can be difficult, but it's key to feeling alert the next day. To help with his sleep, Quora user Andy Ooi says he uses "dark sessions" each night — he shuts off all forms of technology and all of the lights for 10 to 30 minutes before he plans to go to bed. "Enjoy the darkness," he says. "You will feel very primal, like a caveman again."
(Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)
Get your stretching and exercising out of the way early.
4. Get up and moving.
Anything you can do to get your blood flowing and your body moving will have a positive impact on your morning productivity. Quora user Ananya Neogi suggests stretching each morning and says "your body will become alert that the day has started." Multiple other users suggest getting your daily workout done in the morning.
5. Drink water.
"People wake up better if they're hydrated," Neogi writes. "Going for too long without drinking anything can make you feel unmotivated and sluggish." Keep a glass or bottle of water next to your bed and slam it when you wake up in the morning.
6. Write something.
Just as getting your body moving can help, getting your mind working can, too. You can write anything — what you're thinking, what you're grateful for, your goals — as long as it helps you get going. Writing can help you "feel happy and motivated to get your day started," Neogi writes.
(REUTERS/Peter Andrews)
Try taking a morning walk.
7. Get outdoors.
Getting outside in the morning, especially at sunrise, can be a great way to start the day. Quora user Laszlo F. Heredy likes to get outside "about 15 minutes before the sun comes over the horizon." If you're worried about time, he recommends you "set your shoes, shorts, t-shirt, and water bottle next to your bed. As soon as you get up, get out the door ASAP. Go earlier and earlier until you find your favorite time."
8. Meditate.
Quora user David Deng suggests early morning meditation every day. He says he learned the benefits in a retreat where they slept from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. for a week. "In the beginning I was struggling on six hours of sleep," he writes. "But once I got better at meditating, I was able to cope and focus even with what seemed like a lack of sleep."
9. Develop a routine.
However you prefer to get your mornings going, make it a daily occurrence. "Getting your body used to a routine will make it easier to handle your mornings," writes Quora user Charles Kins. Settling into a consistent sleep schedule will also help, writes Mansa Anand.
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