They say the early bird gets the worm. In other words, waking up early in the morning and feeling fresh could have a positive impact on your day. You’re either a morning person or a night owl. If you’re part of the latter you might struggle to get up each morning. But there are habits you could change which will turn you into a morning person. Being an early riser will help you whether it’s making it to your eight am lecture or getting to you part time job on time. And it could also help you to become more productive and get a lot done in the day. Benjamin Franklin was quoted as saying, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. And if his words are to be believed then you’ll gain a lot from being a morning person.
Here are ways to change your habits and become an early riser.
Breakfast
Many students have poor diets and dash out the house without eating breakfast. You need to make sure you get enough food to fuel your day. When we sleep our sugar levels and metabolism drop. And when you wake up you need breakfast to boost your energy levels. It doesn’t have to be a heavy meal of sausages and egg, you can keep it light with yoghurt and muesli.
Sleep earlier
Sleeping late can be tempting especially if you have spent the night studying or you’re engrossed in your favourite series. But unfortunately sleeping late has disadvantages, you’ll wake up tired and won’t be as alert during lectures. In order to be productive each day you need to get plenty of rest. Having seven to eight hours of sleep is crucial to boost your metabolism and increase your memory and concentration. And if you have ever woken up cranky it may have a lot to do with the amount of sleep you get each night. The more sleep you get the more improved your mood will be.
Set time schedule
Wake up each morning at the same time and eventually, your body will get used to it. Even though you may be tempted to sleep in on weekends try to wake up at the same time you do during the week. Because if you do then it could mess up with your body’s internal clock.
Eat moderately
Before you hit the sack make sure you have enough to eat. Don’t eat too much or too little, because any discomfort and indigestion in your body can interrupt your sleep. A full bladder could also disrupt sleep and cause you to wake up at all hours of the night.
Exercise
You need to get a good workout first thing in the morning. Early morning exercise can boost your energy and mood. Whether you choose to do kickboxing or you prefer a jog, you need to invest in some form of exercise. Exercise has so many benefits. It combats stress, helps with blood circulation and helps release endorphins in the body and it also helps you get better sleep. Sleeping well, will help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.
Remove technology from your room
It may seem drastic but removing the TV in your bedroom and switching off your cell phone at bedtime can help you get better sleep. The blue light on our screens suppresses melatonin which is the hormone which makes us sleep. If you need to work on your laptop install Flux on your computer. This software will help adjust the brightness of your laptop, so you’ll be able to sleep better. You also might use your phone as an alarm system but you should rather buy an alarm clock and keep your phone far from you.The constant vibrations from emails and messages can keep you up at all hours of the night.
Don’t be hard on yourself
The first few weeks of getting up early in the morning will be hard because your body needs to adjust. Be realistic about the time you’ll wake up each morning, don’t set unrealistic goals which will leave you frustrated. Start small, instead of pushing for waking up three hours earlier each morning why don’t you go for 30 minutes instead.
Bedroom set
Being too hot or too cold can keep you up at night. And this is why you should buy a bedding set which will provide the best comfort. In summer invest in a cotton duvet cover which is airy and lightweight and in winter buy a velvet one which will keep you warm.
A change in your daily habits could help you lead a more stress free and productive life. The beginning won’t’ be easy because change is hard. But once you get into the flow of things you’ll start feeling a whole lot better.