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Two types of people -

In life, there are the early birds and the late risers. The late risers are often considered lazy, unable to motivate themselves to get up and seize the day.

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The early bird catches the worm -

The early birds, by contrast, are thought of as energetic and ultimately more productive, since they have more hours in the day to get things done.

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Harmful stereotypes -

As problematic as these stereotypes may be (we all have our natural circadian rhythms, for which we can hardly be blamed), modern society is definitely geared towards early-bird life.

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Dealing with the reality -

Until society rids itself of the rigid 9 to 5, those people who are able to get up early and concentrate first thing in the morning will tend to have the upper hand.

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Reason for hope -

If you are a late riser and you’re wondering how you can join your early bird friends in their habits, there are thankfully some concrete steps you can take.

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Start small -

When attempting to shift your body clock, it is important to go slow. Sudden and drastic changes might work for one or two mornings, but they don’t usually stick.

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Start small -

Start by setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier every couple of days. Once you’re comfortable with each new wake-up time, move it back again until you’re waking up at the desired hour.

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Don't snooze -

Resisting the urge to snooze the alarm may sound like an insurmountable task, but it is actually one of the things that will help you the most.

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Don't snooze -

The easiest moment to get up is after the first alarm, and with every snooze it gets harder. Try to remind yourself of that fact when the first alarm goes, and resist the urge to snooze.

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Exposure yourself to light -

Exposure to bright light first thing in the morning helps to reset your body clock and suppress the production of melatonin (the chemical that makes you feel sleepy).

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Exposure yourself to light -

If at all possible, try and get 20 to 30 minutes of light on your face each morning, shortly after waking up. Pull back those drapes or, even better, go for a short walk.

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Be consistent - Resetting your body clock is no mean feat, and it generally requires consistency. This means that you should try and maintain a consistent wake-up time. 

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Be consistent -

Waking up and getting up at the same time every day, even on your days off, will make it easier to get up, even if it is early.

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Use the RISEUP method -

If you’re struggling to remember these tips, you might find it helpful to remind yourself of the RISEUP method.

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Use the RISEUP method -

RISEUP stands for: Refrain from hitting the snooze button, Increase activity in the first hour, Shower or wash face, Expose yourself to sunlight, Upbeat music, and Phone a friend.

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Avoid caffeine after 3 pm -

Again, this one is obvious but very important. Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can interfere with your sleep even hours after consuming it.

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Avoid caffeine after 3 pm -

Some people are less sensitive to caffeine, particularly those people who have consumed it in large quantities for years. A good rule of thumb, however, is no caffeine after 3 pm.

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Eat a high protein breakfast -

You might not be hungry straight after waking up, but eating at some point in the morning is important to set you up properly for the day.

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Eat a high protein breakfast -

A breakfast high in protein, such as eggs on toast, or peanut butter toast with banana, is the perfect way to make sure your body gets the nutrients it needs.

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Avoid napping -

It can be very tempting to nap in the afternoon, particularly if you have been getting up early in the morning and you are not yet used to it.

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Avoid napping -

However, it is best to avoid naps wherever possible, and definitely not after 3 pm. Napping interferes with your nighttime sleep, which makes it harder to get up in the morning.

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Avoid bright light before bed time -

Research shows that exposure to bright light directly before bedtime makes it more difficult to fall asleep and reduces overall sleep quality.

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Avoid bright light before bed time -

Try to avoid bright light, in particular phone and TV screens, in the two hours before you go to bed. Keeping your phone out of the bedroom may help with this.

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Decide the night before -

Many people find themselves going back and forth trying to decide whether to get up in the morning. Try to cut this step out of your process.

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Decide the night before -

Make a final decision the night before that you will get up at a certain time. That way, when the alarm goes off, you simply have to follow through on last night’s decision.

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Plan your time -

It is a good idea to have a plan for exactly what you will do with the extra time you have after getting up earlier than usual.

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Plan your time -

Not only does this serve as motivation for getting up early, but it also puts you at less risk of taking a morning nap (which would only undo all your good work!).

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Sleep away from your alarm -

One final tip: keep your alarm clock out of arm’s reach. If you can simply reach over to snooze your alarm, you will most likely do that.

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Sleep away from your alarm -

If you keep your alarm at least several feet from your bed so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off, you’ll be more likely to resist the snooze temptation.

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All in all -

So there you have some ideas for how to help yourself get up earlier. Even if you’re not a natural early bird, there are strategies you can use to make the most of those morning hours.

Sources: (CNET) (Lifehack)

See also: The mysteries of sleep

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