“Is it possible to become a morning person?”
“Can you become a morning person?”
“How to become a morning person”
“How can I switch from being a night person to becoming a morning person?”
And several other questions have been asked by many of us.
I used to call myself a night person. I used to boast of my ability to work through the night and sleep during the day.
While this is not so bad, it can affect you greatly if you work a 9-5 or if you work from home and you have to go to work in the morning.
I am aware there are people who work for organizations in other countries and because of the difference in time zones, they have to become night people.
But this is not the article for that.
This article is for you if you want to switch from being a night person to becoming a morning person.
For me, I will say I’m a bit of both, because my work requires me to be a bit of both sometimes.
One thing I have noticed in the course of being a morning person is how advantageous it is.
I will explain.
When you’re a morning person:
- You feel refreshed waking up in the morning and getting work done.
- It gives you a sense of discipline. Because it takes discipline to wake up early in the morning to start a new day.
- You are able to get more work done than when you work at night.
This is not to dissuade you from working at night if it fits your lifestyle and work schedule.
But you will live more productively if you are a morning person.
How to become a morning person
Have a routine
The first step to becoming a morning person is having a routine.
Think about it, how did you become a night person?
Naturally, we were all raised to wake up in the morning, go to school, and sleep at night once our bedtime strikes.
But, subsequently, you became a night person when you grew up and started making decisions for yourself.
Decisions like:
- I no longer have a bedtime, I can sleep whenever I want.
- Just one more hour of netflix before I go to sleep.
- I need to finish this novel before I sleep.
- I will take this work home and do it over the night.
- I don’t need to work now, I can do it much later.
Those decisions you made, began to form a routine in your brain, and before you knew it, your eyes would be wide awake at night and you’d be unable to open them in the morning.
Then you decided, “I am a morning person.”
Just like how you were able to form a routine to become a night person, you can do the same to become a morning person.
Here are routines you can form:
- Have a bedtime. Preferably before 11pm.
- Try to go to sleep at the same time every night.
- Stop everything you’re doing right before it’s time to sleep; movies, books, talking to friends, etc.
When you form routines like this, your brain automatically gets used to them and before you know it, your eyes begin to shut down by themselves when it’s time.
Take your bath right before bedtime
Taking your bath at night gives you a sense of comfort and peace.
There’s a way it makes your body feel rested and refreshed.
And if you do this at a particular hour of the night each day before you sleep, soon, your body will get used to sleeping when you’re done bathing.
Don’t take devices to bed
The best way to become a morning person is by sleeping early.
To sleep early, you need to avoid anything that will disrupt your sleep.
Like devices.
This article by Economic Times, says “Using a device before going to bed not only makes it harder to fall asleep, but also affects your alertness the next day.”
I know a lot of people like taking their phones, tablets, and computers to bed.
Some even sleep next to their devices (maybe to be sure it doesn’t get taken away from them).
I don’t know for sure (Lol) .
Even if you have to take your device with you, ensure you don’t use it right before you sleep.
You can also turn on the eye comfort on your device to remove the blue rays that come from the white light on your device.
The SCL Health organization says The blue light emitted by your cell phone screen restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle (aka circadian rhythm).
This makes it even more difficult to fall asleep and wake up the next day.
So, those times you couldn’t sleep early, you probably used your device before bed.
Also read: Things You Never Knew Your Phone Alarm System Could Do
Wake up early
This goes without saying.
If you want to become a morning person, then you should wake up in the morning. Right?
Here are tips for waking up early:
- Sleep early (obviously).
- Set an alarm to wake you up at the same time everyday.
- Wake up at the same time everyday.
- Don’t press the snooze button (Dear friend, lol).
Waking up early might seem like hard work in the first few weeks, but with time, especially if you strive to wake up at the same time each day, you will be able to wake up in the morning naturally without a fuss.
Exercise! Exercise!!
An article by Sleep Foundation on exercising says, Exercising also improves sleep for many people.
Specifically, moderate-to-vigorous exercise can increase sleep quality for adults by reducing sleep onset – or the time it takes to fall asleep – and decrease the amount of time they lie awake in bed during the night.
Additionally, physical activity can help alleviate daytime sleepiness and, for some people, reduce the need for sleep medications.
It doesn’t have to be a serious gym routine.
Just a simple form of exercise is enough to get you to sleep early.
I included this because it works for me.
As mentioned above, physical activity also alleviates sleep.
This is why when you’ve had a long day at work, it’s easier for you to sleep as soon as you lie on your bed.
Whenever I exercise before bed, I get sweaty, which leads me to taking my bath before bed, and when I’m done, I feel sleepy.
You should try it out and see.
Exercise is a great sleep inducer.
You should include it in your night time routine.
Drink coffee sparingly
If you’re like me and you love drinking coffee, great.
But you should also know that taking coffee before bed is basically telling sleep to back off.
I’ll advise you to drink coffee 6 hours before bedtime and after waking up in the morning.
If your bedtime is 11pm, then you should not take coffee after 5pm, so you can get to sleep easily.
Turn off the light
The only time I sleep with the light on is when I’ve had a tiring day and I don’t have to force myself to sleep.
If you want to get a good night’s sleep, then you should turn off the light or sleep with dim lights (which can be sleep inducers) like red lights.
Have a sleep song
On days I can’t get myself to sleep, I listen to a song or sound.
It could be instrumental, nature sounds, or random calm songs.
I play these songs and I get lulled to sleep.
You can get sounds on the Ambience App.
It also has Binaural beats for insomnia and many other needs you might have like a headache, lack of energy, anxiety, etc.
Sleep next to the window
If you have a window in your bedroom that gives strong natural light in the morning, sleep next to it and don’t close the curtains.
In the morning, the strong light will wake you up.
I’ve been woken up unexpectedly by natural light in the morning more times than I can count.
You might not need an alarm to wake you, because light has strong effect on the eyes.
Have a morning routine
If you want to become a morning person, plan a morning routine even as you plan your night.
It can be to:
- Make a cup of coffee as soon as you wake up.
- Prepare breakfast.
- Have your bath.
- Say a word of prayer.
And several others.
If you do this continually and your brain, mind, and body gets used to it, you will no longer find it hard to wake up in the morning.
Be determine to be a morning person
You can read articles like this a thousand times and still not make any changes to yourself if you’re not determined.
Determination will get you to take action.
Some of the things on this list are not hard to practice but if you just read without taking action, then it would have been better if you never read any of them.
So what should you do?
Take action!
Be determined to wake up early.
Determine to start a routine if you don’t have one yet.
Determine to do away with gratifications and pleasures that would keep you from sleeping at the right time.
If you can do this, you too will be able to say “I am a morning person.”
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