6 Ways To Become A Morning Person
Monday mornings are the worst. Scratch that, most morning are pretty terrible, at least when you're not a morning person. Given the amount we go out and get silly late at night, the term 'nightowl' might be best used. We know you're probably the same, preferring to stay up late into the wee hours of the morn, watching Netflix or some other less wholesome activities. Late nights are fun, but mornings are the most productive, which is probably why we equally loathe and envy our early rising brethren. For all the nightowls our there, hope is not lost, as you can change your ways.
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Use the sun
Nocturnal folk are kind of like vampires, and we generally avoid the sun, at least unconsciously. The Sun, however, is nature's alarm clock, and is great at waking you up. Crack open your blinds and let the sun's rays gently wake you up at a reasonable hour. Ok, blinding light at 7am isn't quite so gentle, but at least you'll be awake.
Get moving in the morning
Exercise right after waking up is far from most people's mind, for good reason. Morning grogginess doesn't mix well with physical activity. Any exercise, however, can really help get you in the zone for the morning. Winter suggests a jog or bike ride, but if you don't have the time, even 15 minutes of physical activity can really make a difference. Doing so will also tire you out so you sleep better at night.
Power-up on protein
Carbs are more associated with breakfast (pancakes, waffles, toast, etc.) but protein will help you more in the morning. Winter notes protein induces wakefulness whereas carbs make you sleepy. Go for eggs and dairy for breakfast and turn down the urge to eat a muffin.
Snooze buttons are evil
The snooze button allows an all to easy escape from waking up. Sure, the alarm will ring off again in ten minutes, but how likely is it you'll be alert and ready to go by then? Its more like you'll keep hitting that snooze until you're an hour late. Instead, opt for smart alarm apps which require more of a conscious effort to turn them off, like having to solve a math equation. It will get your mind moving and let the guilt of going back to sleep settle in.
Stressing about sleep is silly
Laying in bed, wide awake, knowing you need to wake up in six hours is a very stressful state of mind. Even though you 'set' your bed time for 10pm, you are still conscious at 1am and its stressing you out. This is a vicious cycle, as thinking about waking up is preoccupying your mind and keeping you awake. Don't focus on when you need to fall asleep, just make sure you get up on time.
Don't nap, seriously
After your caffeine crash in the mid-afternoon, nothing looks as appealing as a quick power nap. A short twenty minute rest can do wonders, but lets be real, if you're passing out it may be for hours on end. Napping will only ruin your internal clock and make you too rested for when bedtime actually rolls around. Be strong and resist the urge to nap.
Well there you have it, six ways to make you more of a productive morning person. Think these were helpful at all, or are you too set in your nocturnal ways? Got a surefire way to make mornings better? Let us know in the comments below.
Source - Business Insider