For so much of my life it has been so hard to wake up early. I used to always hit the snooze button or just turn off my alarm and fall back asleep. Sometimes I would actually get out of bed and start reading my Bible or studying for a class (when I was in college), but then I would get too comfortable on the floor and end up falling back asleep!
I have since found a strategy that helps me wake up early every morning and I think it can be helpful, even for non-morning people like myself. I have been using this strategy consistently for about 8 months so I know that it works for me!
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My 5 Step Strategy To Wake Up Early
1. Have something prepared that excites you in the morning.
I love having a little morning ritual every day. This is something that initiates the day and brings a little bit of joy and appreciation to each morning.
I personally love having my mindful morning routine as my morning ritual, but I most look forward to my holy yoga time first thing in the morning. It helps wake up my tired body, get my movement in for the day, and prepare my heart to read from God’s Word.
Having something you look forward to prepared for you every morning will make it that much easier to get out of bed even if you didn’t have a restful night’s sleep or you have a long day ahead of you.
Some simple things you can do in your mornings could be:
- A wholesome breakfast you prepared the night before
- Reading a chapter of a novel you really enjoy
- A brisk walk around your neighborhood or backyard
- Doing a face mask or detailed skincare routine
- Listening to your favorite morning playlist
- Taking care of your plants
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2. Go to bed earlier.
This one goes without saying and is probably the most important one to helping you wake up early.
Having a consistent bed time and wake up time that ensures that you get enough sleep is key.
It’s easy to have a consistent time to wake up when you have a consistent work schedule. But sometimes it’s hard to go to bed at the same time every night because of activities, or schedule adjustments.
Here’s my strategy for trying to get to bed on time each night.
- Have an alarm/reminder that tells you it’s time to start your evening routine.
- Have a plan A and plan B nighttime routine. Plan A is for when you have an easy evening and nothing is stopping you from getting to bed on time. This can be a longer routine that helps you wind down gently and relax and decompress from the day. Your plan B routine can be a shorter, more abbreviated version of the first one, but it still helps you get the necessary things done and it helps you relax – just in a more efficient way.
RELATED: Ideas for Your Peaceful Evening Routine
3. Use your alarm to set yourself up for success and wake up early.
How many times have you just hit the snooze button 5 times or just turned off your alarm and gone right back to sleep? I know I have done it countless times before.
There is a way stop doing this, though! Use your alarm to your advantage!
If you have problems with hitting the snooze button, set a limit on how many times you are allowed to hit the snooze button so you don’t overuse it.
You could also create a setting that makes you solve a math problem before you are allowed to turn off your alarm so that your brain wakes up just enough to get you out of bed.
You could download an app like Alarmy that has different missions that you need to complete before you can turn off your alarm. They range anywhere from scanning a barcode to taking a photo of a different room of your home.
There is also the option of setting your alarm on the other side of the room to force yourself out of bed in the morning.
Another unique type of alarm is a sun simulator alarm clock. I bought this one for my husband for Christmas and he absolutely loves it! This clock simulates the sunrise in a way that naturally wakes you up. You can also set your alarm to be different nature sounds or peaceful music so you aren’t scared awake in the mornings by a blaring alarm tone.
4. Prepare for your morning the night before.
Taking 10 minutes to prepare for your morning before you go to bed will make all the difference when you wake up. Having that sense of accomplishment before your next day even starts will help you feel empowered to wake up early and get the day started.
Here are a few ways you can prepare for your morning before going to bed:
- Pick out an outfit for the next day.
- Prep your breakfast/pack your lunch for work.
- Choose a workout/workout video to do in the morning.
- Write your to do list.
- Shower at night.
- Charge your devices (laptop, tablet, etc.).
- Choose reading material to read while you drink your coffee/tea.
- Set your coffee maker on a timer to start brewing before you wake up.
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5. Take a sleeping supplement to help you get restful sleep.
If I learned anything this past year, it’s that rest is SO important! Getting enough sleep is vital to your cognitive, emotional, and physical health so you don’t want to lose out on this valuable function when you want to wake up early.
It’s easy for me to fall asleep. When I was in college, I would fall asleep promptly at 11 PM even if my roommates still had the lights on or were talking and getting ready for bed.
My real struggle is staying asleep. Sometimes I wake up several times throughout the night and I feel like I barely even got any sleep, even after a full 8 hours.
I find that my saving grace is taking a natural sleeping supplement – not just melatonin.
I personally use Proper sleep formulations that are scientifically backed and specifically designed for your unique sleep needs and goals. I am currently taking their Sleep + Restore with Hemp Extract formulation. It helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel rested when I wake up. It contains 25 mgs of Broad Spectrum CBD and immediate and sustained release melatonin. See all that Proper has to offer here.
I hope these tips help you wake up early so that you can make the most of each day. In order to help prepare you for the day, I am offering you my FREE Morning Routine Planner to help you craft the perfect morning routine that works for YOU.
