Can you get up early if you’re used to staying up late?
It’s not always easy to get a good night’s rest. Between hectic days and unexpected evening events, no matter how much you want to go to bed early, it’s not a straightforward task. A late night makes it really tough to get up. Need some tricks to rise and shine when you’re used to staying up late? Here are 10 of them!
Choose a time to get up
Whether it’s 6 a.m., 7 a.m., 8 a.m., or 9 a.m., set a wake-time goal. This doesn’t mean you’ll succeed the first time, but it’s important to have a target in mind. Not unlike a runner working towards a number of kilometres, you need something to shoot for.
Gradually set your alarm clock earlier
You want to get up early and you’ve defined your wake-time goal. Great! Now, work gradually so you don’t traumatize your body. Poor thing – give it a chance! So, set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than usual to start and set it 15 minutes closer to your target every week. Does this sound like training? It is!
Give yourself time to recover
If you want to get up at a fixed time, think about calculating the hours of sleep you need to find the right bedtime. For example, a man needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, while a woman needs between 8 and 9 hours per night. Children need between 10 and 11 hours of sleep, as do the elderly.
Prepare yourself psychologically
To make the process easier, visualize your morning routine before going to bed. Will you get up to shower immediately and make your lunch after? Or will you make your lunch before showering? This will reduce your stress and help you take quick action in the morning.
A bedtime routine
Getting up early is one thing, but getting to bed is another. Your sleep will benefit from a bedtime routine to get you in the mood for slumber.. Turn off the lights an hour before sleep, say goodnight to screens and listen to relaxing music, for example.
Sleep with the curtains ajar
A little bit of sunlight at dawn will help your body stop producing melatonin and increase adrenaline production. This will help you feel more ready to start the day when your alarm rings.
Go back to sleep if you wake up during the night
Your first reflex may be to look at your cell phone, but resist! It’s a night waking mistake. If you wake up at night, stay in bed. Try to go back to sleep without touching your screen or getting up. If you can’t do this after 20 minutes, then get up and do a relaxing activity (reading, yoga, stretching) until you feel the call of sleep.
Keep a consistent schedule
To keep from undoing all your hard work, try to keep a consistent schedule. Wake up and fall asleep at the same time every day. This will get your body used to it. Of course, if you get up at noon on weekends, it will be harder for you to get up at 6 a.m. Monday morning.
Put your alarm out of reach
If you keep your alarm out of reach, you will be forced to get up to turn it off. Don’t be tempted by the snooze button. Get up and start your day!
Exercise early in the day
Exercising late in the day stimulates your body and makes it harder to fall asleep, which in turn makes it harder to get up early. Exercising as soon as you get up can also help get rid of morning fatigue.
We hope these 10 tips will make your early mornings easier, your sleep more restorative, and give you the energy you need to start your day on the right foot!
