Embrace each day by becoming a morning person

Are you the type of person who eagerly anticipates the crack of dawn waking up before the alarm sounds?  Or are you more likely to hit the snooze button over and over while pulling the covers tightly over your eyes dreading the thought of leaving your comfy bed to face the day?

Waking up early can be one of your most productive times of the day but you have to do it to experience it. That extra 30 minutes or more can prove vital in checking things off your to do list.   Is it possible to go from dreaded apprehension to eager anticipation to the start of a new day?  It is possible and here are ways to set the tone of the day right from the start by becoming more of a morning person. 

·         Some like it cool

Actually, most of us like to sleep in a slightly chilled room.  We sleep our best when the room temperature is set at 65 degrees.  Many factors go into getting a good night’s sleep and the temperature of your room makes a huge difference. In the winter use cotton sheets to keep you warmer but replace them with moisture-wicking fabric in the summer to keep your body cool. 

·         Stop hitting the snooze button

Hitting the snooze button when the alarm is blaring without actually getting up only wastes precious time that could be spent getting the day started.  The easiest way to break this cycle is to move your alarm clock away from the bedside forcing you to physically get out of bed to turn it off.  Once you’re up, it’s unlikely you will decide to crawl back in. 

·         Keep a consistent schedule

Going to bed and getting up at consistent times is one of the best ways on becoming a morning person.  A set routine cues our bodies to know what’s coming next.  When sleep schedules are chaotic, that’s when your chances of becoming a morning person dwindles. 

·         Mare your bedroom as dark as possible

Sleeping in a darkened room with as little light as possible helps you sleep better without disrupting your circadian rhythms.  All electronics from laptops, cell phones, and the TV should be turned off along with pulling the shades to create a darkened room. 

·         Have a morning motivator

What is it that makes you want to get out of bed?  It’s always nice burrowing yourself deeper into the mattress soaking up every little last bit of sleep but eventually you need to get up.  Discover your motivator – that freshly brewed cup of coffee, reading the day’s headlines in the newspaper, a brisk morning walk – anything you enjoy doing inspiring you to get the day going. 

·         Prepare for tomorrow the night before

Any little thing you can do the night before to make the next morning go well, do so.  Simply laying out what clothes you’ll wear, deciding what to have for breakfast, packing a lunch, making a to do list for the next day, are all ways to greet the sunrise with anticipation.  Technology helps out by letting us take advantage of using it to adjust the thermostat, switching our coffee pots on and off, turning on and off lights, all making our day run a little bit smoother right from the start.