Since we were kids we have been hearing the saying by Benjamin Franklin that ‘early to bed early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise’ and every successful person will attest to the fact that indeed rising early is very beneficial. But a large number of people find it difficult to leave their beds as soon as the sun rises. Following are the 10 tips to make getting up early easier for you!
- Have a strong reason to wake up early:
If you want to wake up early then have a compelling reason to get out of bed. It will be very difficult to get up early if you do not have a strong enough reason. Make an important appointment which you can’t reschedule or cancel or set up some urgent task first thing in the morning so that you know that if you do not get up you will have to face some dire consequences.
- Keep the alarm clock away from the bed:
Don’t forget to set an alarm and always keep it away from the bed so that you have to leave the bed to turn it off. Don’t rely on just one alarm but have at least one more alarm set after a few minutes so that you have to cross the room again to turn it off and you do not fall back to sleep.
- Go to bed early:
If you want to get up early it can only happen if you go to sleep early. You can only achieve your target if you are realistic enough to understand the importance of sufficient sleep. Sleep early and you will have no difficulty in waking on time.
- Lay off the stimulants:
Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol affect the quality of sleep so if you want to get up early then cut down these stimulants. Avoid coffee and alcoholic drinks before bedtime because these can disrupt your sleep and you will not be able to get up early.
- Make a gradual change:
If you are a late riser you can’t expect to change your sleep timings or pattern overnight. It is not realistic to expect that when you usually wake up at 11 or 12pm you can immediately switch your wake up time to 5am. You need to make a gradual transition by shifting your waking time by 15 to 30 minutes every day.
- Hold yourself accountable to others:
Tell your plan to your friends and family. This will hold you accountable to your friends to wake up early. Find a friend who also gets up early and text or call each other to create a sense of responsibility.
- Find a friend with the same goal:
Two is better than one! If you have a friend who also wants to wake up early then you will be more motivated to complete this process. People work better in groups which is why if you find someone with the same goal you will be more inclined to fulfill your goal along with them.
- Read a book before going to sleep:
Reading before bedtime also helps to sleep. Read a good fiction novel instead of news or emails to help you relax.
- Avoid naps during the day:
Naps disturb your sleeping schedule. Avoid taking naps during the day. This will allow you to sleep early and you will be able to get up early feeling fresh and alert.
- Resist the urge to sleep ‘5 more minutes’:
Usually, in the morning you want to sleep just 5 more minutes once the alarm goes off. Avoid doing that and get out of bed immediately.
