How to become a morning person in 8 simple steps
 
I was a night owl once. I relished my late night Netflix binges and weekend lie-ins and I dreaded the early morning alarm calls which had me rushing to get the kids dressed and ready for school.
 
Having little ones running around might have forced me to get up a bit earlier, but it’s done absolutely nothing for my quality of sleep, which never seems to last as long as I’d like it to.
 
I always envied the morning folk — the bright and busy people who seemed to be full of the joys of spring. How do they get so much done before 8am? It seemed physically impossible to me, which is why I decided to simply become one of them.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to become a morning person, from a reformed night owl.
 
1.  Adjust your alarm gradually
In order for this to work, you need to adjust your wake up call gradually. Instead of going from an 8am alarm straight to a 5am alarm, try waking up just 15 to 30 minutes earlier every day for a week and then increase it as you go.
 
2.  Let in some natural light
It has been scientifically proven that our bodies naturally respond to light. In fact, healthline explains that when we see sunset colours, our bodies produce a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin, which signals bedtime. Similarly, the bright blue colours associated with dawn make our bodies want to wake up.
 
Try leaving your curtains open a few inches before you go to sleep at night, so that you can wake up to that glorious sunrise.
3.  Implement a morning routine which you actually like
Our bodies love a good routine. In order for you to actually want to stick to this routine, make it something you enjoy — whether that be a morning yoga class every day, writing in your dream journal as soon as you wake up, reading a chapter of your current book or checking the morning news.
 
4.  Have a good, hearty breakfast which you can look forward to
There’s no better feeling than going to bed at night, looking forward to your next meal and knowing that it’s going to perfectly set you up for the day. I used to power through my mornings feeling sluggish and tired, skipping my morning meals entirely. Now I’m excited to wake up every day, stick on the kettle for my morning brew and pour myself a bowl of my favourite high fibre breakfast cereal, SHREDDIES® The Simple One. Not only is it utterly delicious with less than 5% sugar, but it’s also made with just four simple ingredients — whole grain wheat, fruit puree, date syrup and a pinch of salt. After enjoying a bowl of SHREDDIES® The Simple One in the morning, you’ll be Shreddie for Anything.
5.  Exercise before work
Getting in some morning exercise is a really great way to start your day, giving your body a healthy, energised wake up call. Try going for a long walk, a jog, a virtual pilates class, a dance workout or anything you fancy.
 
6.  No screens before bed
We know you’ve heard it all before, but it’s true! Not only do the blue lights in our screens actually suppress that melatonin hormone which can make it harder for us to feel tired and fall asleep, but they also worsen the quality of our sleep overall. Instead, try to stay away from screens for at least an hour before bed.
7.  Maintain this new routine, even on the weekends
This one is going to be a struggle, but stick with it. If you ignore this wonderful new morning routine on the weekends then it’s going to make getting back into the swing of things ten times harder on Monday morning and you’re more likely to just give up.
 
8.  Be patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were morning people. It will take quite some time to completely convert into a morning person so don’t be disheartened if you feel tired from time to time. Instead, celebrate the little victories. You went for a walk this morning and had time to pick up a coffee on the way home? Awesome! You had time to enjoy your favourite brekkie and make all the school lunches? That’s amazing! Believe in yourself and the rest will fall into place.
Brought to you by
SHREDDIES® The Simple One. Just 4 ingredients and less than 5% sugar.
Shreddie for Anything!
 
 
 
®Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A

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