Health

6 Expert-Approved Tips To Become A Morning Person

Jul 18, 2024

By: Karen Robock

Photo by PNW Production, Pexels

Health

6 Expert-Approved Tips To Become A Morning Person

Jul 18, 2024

By: Karen Robock

If you’re ready to become an early riser (and maybe even join the famed “5am Club”), check out these expert-approved tips to help you develop the habits of a successful morning person.

Once again, social media is swirling with videos of early morning routines where people spend the wee hours journaling, juicing, and just looking incredibly healthy and productive. We admit, it looks enticing. If you haven’t tried the so-called “5 a.m. Club” (a movement sparked by Robin Sharma’s 2018 book, The 5am Club, and its legions of fans), you probably know someone who has. (Everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Michelle Obama are reported members.) And you’ve likely heard someone rave about the solitude, productivity and life-changing potential of waking up early. But is it really better to be a morning person?

Although critics might suggest it’s just capitalist hustle culture packaged as wellness, there are, in fact, proven health benefits to waking up early. A study published in Nature Communications sug- gests that being an early riser may lead to a lower risk of depression and greater well-being. “People who tend to be morning people wake up easier, are alert quicker and tend to have a more positive attitude,” says Dr. Ron Cridland, a physician with the Kelowna Sleep Clinic in Kelowna, B.C.

If you find that early mornings don’t come easily, you can probably blame your genes. “There is a genetic component to people who wake up ear- lier and those who want to stay up later,” says Dr. Cridland. “It’s somehow related to genes for the biological clock,” he says. People may be pre- disposed to be either early birds or night owls, yes, but the good news is that, with a bit of practice and persistence, we can all choose to be morning people.

1. Don't go to bed earlier (at first)

This might seem counterintuitive, but when you’re trying to rewind your clock, don’t bother backing up your bedtime the first night, says Dr. Cridland. You may be a bit sleepy the first day that you’re up early, but then hopefully you’ll be ready for bed earlier that night, which sets you up for an easier early morning the following day. He recommends setting your alarm clock back by half an hour each morning until you reach your desired start time. Eventually, you’ll figure out your ideal bedtime, and then it will be important to stick to it each evening in order to wake up refreshed—and early—every morning. If you’re naturally a night owl, be gentle with yourself as you transition to earlier bedtimes and mornings. “The important thing is to create a lifestyle that allows you to get enough sleep,” says Dr. Cridland.

2. Be a morning person on Sundays, too

Unfortunately, weekends count. “If you’re train ing yourself to get up at 6 on weekdays and then sleep in until 10 a.m. on weekends, you’re going to undo your progress,” says Dr. Cridland. “To keep your biological clock in rhythm, you have to get moving within an hour of your wakeup time every day,” he says. That would mean being out of bed, and getting some sunlight, by 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

For the best bedtime/wakeup results, it’s helpful to apply the same consistency to all your sleep rituals. Good presleep habits include giving yourself at least 30 minutes to wind down (with out screens) before bed, making your bedroom inviting by keeping it cool and dark, and follow ing the same steps every night, like always put ting on your pajamas before brushing your teeth. (Many people also swear by the power of high quality bedding, an eye mask and a white noise machine, for optimal z’s.)

3. Move Your Body

Early sweat sessions may assist in making you a morning person. Research published in The Journal of Physiology showed that morning workouts can help to shift a person’s body clock so that there’s more alertness earlier in the day. Morning exercise can mean immediately lacing up your sneakers to head out for an intense jog to making your way to the local yoga studio for a stretching class—and anything in between. “Everyone’s needs are unique, with some seek ing a gentle awakening while others crave an invigorating burst of energy,” says Ariel Swan, a master Pilates and yoga instructor, and co founder of Jaybird movement studios in Toronto and Vancouver. And you don’t have to lock your self into a strict morning workout routine. What works for you could change day to day, or with the seasons, where it might be appealing to go hard in a HIIT class one morning and then lean into a gentle yoga flow the next. “Pay attention to your body,” says Swan.

4. Drink less alcohol

Since easy wake ups are driven by good nights, curbing sleep disturbers is key. A glass of wine before bed might make it easier to drift off to dreamland, but as the effect wears off (alcohol metabolizes at roughly the rate of one drink per hour), you may experience an alerting effect that rouses you. Even if you manage to stay snoozing, your rest will likely be disturbed by more vivid dreams, since alcohol can suppress REM sleep, and increase snoring if you have sleep apnea (a sleep disorder where breathing stops and starts), due to alcohol’s relaxing effect on the body, including the airways. “If you have a few drinks, make sure it’s at least two hours before bedtime,” says Dr. Cridland.

The rules aren’t as hard and fast for beverages that contain caffeine, like coffee, tea and soda, because the way it metabolizes in people varies widely. Some can eat out at a restaurant and order a coffee with dessert, for example, and be unaffected by bedtime. “Other people have caffeine at lunch, and it will still affect their sleep 12 hours later,” says Dr. Cridland. The same goes for late dinners, spicy foods and night snacking: all will cause problems for some people and not be challenging for others. If you think your eating or drinking habits are interrupting your sleep, you may need to experiment with cutting back on cappuccinos and burritos until you hit the right balance for your body.

5. Seek Sunlight

“Our emotions are solar-powered,” says Dr. Cridland. “Light has a stimulating effect on mood and energy.” Put simply, sunlight helps us feel sunnier. Getting a dose of bright light in the morning also affects our circadian rhythms, sparking the production of key hormones and brain chemicals, including cortisol and serotonin, that play important roles in our wellbeing and regulating our sleep cycle. That’s why it’s a good idea to throw open the curtains when you wake up and let the sun shine in. During the winter months, when the sun itself is rising later, a light therapy lamp can help simulate the glow of the morning sun.

6. Be Mindful

“A morning ritual of mindfulness is my ultimate secret to success,” says Swan. Before she even gets out of bed, Swan often down, doing some breathing exercises while men- tally setting her intentions for the day. But early morning rituals can look different for everyone, and may include anything from stretching and reading a few chapters of a book to taking a slow hot shower and intentionally enjoying your morning cup of joe before the rest of your household begins to stir. At its core though, Swan believes that an element of gratitude is essential. “Marcus Aurelius said, ‘When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive— to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.’ The true motivation that drives me to get up early and embrace each day stems from the wisdom of this attitude,” she says.

Early Morning Must-Haves

Simply Modern 40 oz Tumbler with Straw, Amazon, $40

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Stay hydrated wherever the morning takes you. This durable insulated cup is perfect for your breakfast smoothie, cold brew, or just plain H20. Get yours here.

Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock, Amazon, $230 (was $270)

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