How can I become a morning person?

I really want to be a morning person but have a bad habit of snoozing the alarm. Sometimes I’ll snooze for hours! I can’t seem to wake up earlier than I absolutely have to, even if I go to bed early. Anyone have advice on how to start waking up earlier and getting into a good morning routine?

Try getting one of those alarm clocks that mimic the sun. Set it to gradually get brighter about an hour before you need to wake up. This helps your body produce the hormones needed to wake up naturally. It really worked for me, especially during winter when the days are shorter.

@Zion
Bonus if you get one with a sunset function, it helps with producing melatonin to help you fall asleep.

@Zion
Is that a separate gadget or is there an app for that? I use a sleep mask so it might not work for me.

@Zion
Do you have a link to one of those? I might give it a try.

Clay said:
@Zion
Do you have a link to one of those? I might give it a try.

I’ve used the Lumie alarm clock before. It has both sunrise and sunset options. It’s amazing!

Caiden said:

Clay said:
@Zion
Do you have a link to one of those? I might give it a try.

I’ve used the Lumie alarm clock before. It has both sunrise and sunset options. It’s amazing!

Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll check it out.

@Zion
Which one do you use? I’m curious to try it.

Here’s what helped me:

  1. Go outside for 10 minutes when the sun rises to regulate your internal clock.
  2. Exercise regularly - it’s what our bodies are made for.
  3. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends.
  4. Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bed so you can get restful sleep.
  5. Keep your lighting dim an hour before bed to signal to your body that it’s time to rest.
    Good luck! Sunlight in the morning worked wonders for me. Try that at least.

@Peyton
Caffeine can take up to 10 hours to leave your system, so avoiding it before bedtime is really important.

Frankie said:
@Peyton
Caffeine can take up to 10 hours to leave your system, so avoiding it before bedtime is really important.

You’re right! I just checked and it seems like caffeine stays in the system for about 2-10 hours. I’ll make sure to stop drinking it earlier.

@Peyton
Exactly!

Something a bit unconventional that works for me is drinking just the right amount of water before bed so I wake up needing to pee. It forces me to get up and start the day. You need to get the right amount though so it doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night.

@Fin
I’ve done the same thing. Not even on purpose, it just happened to work that way.

You really need a good reason to get up early. Some people suggest getting a dog, but that’s a lot of responsibility. Maybe try finding an early meetup group for something you enjoy?

Raine said:
You really need a good reason to get up early. Some people suggest getting a dog, but that’s a lot of responsibility. Maybe try finding an early meetup group for something you enjoy?

Before 8am, I’m more interested in sleeping!

Get a job that starts early. It’ll force you to wake up around 4am.

What I did was have a caffeine drink next to my bed so I could drink it immediately when I woke up. I don’t recommend it long-term unless you’re fine with caffeine.

Try gradually changing your sleep time. I go to bed around 8-9pm, then I wake up just before 4am. I love the quiet time in the morning to read the news, pray, and enjoy my coffee before the rest of the house wakes up.

I wasn’t a morning person until about 5 years ago. It started with a consistent sleep schedule. I now go to sleep by 10-10:30pm and wake up at 7am every day. I even wake up before my alarm some days. It’s all about making sleep a habit and sticking with it. I also added exercise, proper meals, and supplements like magnesium to help me sleep better.