How to Wake Up Early and Stay Awake!

Want to know how to wake up early and stay awake? Early rising isn’t just for birds; it’s the best for getting most things done, promoting mental clarity, increasing productivity, and enhancing general well-being.

However, waking up early can be a challenge for most people, especially if you sleep late in the night or like snoozing your alarms for an extra hour or two.

Benefits of Waking Up Early:

So, what can you do to enjoy the benefits that come with waking up early? Stick with me as I share tips on how to wake up early so you can start your day off on the right foot.

1. Waking up early gives you more personal time

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t get enough time to yourself. Between work, family, and other obligations, it can be hard to find time to just relax and do something for yourself.

But if you make a point of waking up early, you can give yourself some much-needed “me time” before the rest of the world wakes up.

2. You can have breakfast at home instead of grabbing something on the go

There are several benefits of waking up early to eat breakfast at home.

First, eating breakfast at home can save you money. If you buy breakfast daily, those costs can add up quickly. Eating at home allows you to save money in the process.

Second, eating breakfast at home can help you eat healthier. When you’re grabbing breakfast on the go, it’s easy to make unhealthy choices.

But, if you take the time to prepare a healthy breakfast at home, you’ll be more likely to make better choices throughout the day.

Taking the time to eat breakfast at home can help you start your day off on the right foot. If you’re rushing out the door with no time for a proper meal, it’s easy to get pressured and stressed.

If you take a few minutes to sit down and enjoy a healthy breakfast, you’ll be better able to handle whatever comes your way during the day.

3. Waking up early gives you time to exercise

If you’re looking to improve your health and well-being, one of the best things you can do is wake up early and get some exercise.

Exercise has countless benefits for your physical and mental health, and by starting your day with a workout, you’re setting yourself up for a more productive, successful day.

Waking up early to exercise also gives you more energy throughout the day.

Studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with it than those who exercise later in the day.

That’s because when you work out first thing in the morning, you get it out of the way and don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day.

You can go about your day knowing that you’ve already done something good for your body and mind.

4. Enhances a good night sleep

When you wake up early and get a head start on your day, you’re more likely to feel tired by the time you go to bed.

This is because you’ve used up more of your energy during the day, so you’re ready to relax and sleep at night.

In addition, waking up early can help reset your body’s natural sleep cycle. If you regularly wake up early and get a good night’s sleep, your body will start to expect this schedule and will be better able to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.

5. Keeps you organized

If you have a lot on your plate, like a job, a family, and other commitments that take up most of your time, you may find it difficult to stay organized. However, waking up early can help you get ahead of the game and keep everything in order.

When you wake up early, you have more time to get things done. You can plan your day better and get a jump start on tasks that you need to complete. This can help reduce stress and make it easier to stay on top of everything that you need to do.

6. Waking up early promotes a positive attitude

When you wake up early, you’re more likely to have a positive attitude throughout the day. This is because you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something before the day starts. And that sense of accomplishment can help carry you through the rest of the day with a positive attitude.

How to Wake Up Early:

From setting a consistent sleep schedule to creating an energizing morning routine, I’ve got you covered! So, let’s dive in and learn how to become a morning person.

1. Have something to look forward to

When you have a goal in mind, it’s easy to do whatever it takes to achieve it, including waking up early. So what’s your reason for wanting to wake up early?

Do you want to spend some time with God, exercise, get enough time to prepare for the day, or read for an exam? Whatever it is, just know your reason.

If there’s nothing you’re looking forward to achieving with the early mornings, it’s easy to wake up but fall back asleep.

So find something to look forward to each morning and let it motivate you to stay on course.

2. Have a routine

A routine is something you repeatedly do until it’s naturally a part of you. To master the art of waking up early, you must develop a certain routine. This should involve both your evenings and mornings.

In the evening, for example, you should learn to sleep early to allow you to get enough rest. Otherwise, going to bed late and expecting to wake up early is impossible.

Also, ensure that you stick to the time you choose to sleep each night and decide on what time you’ll want to wake up and stick to it as well.

Maintaining this will help you develop a sleep pattern that will make it easy for you to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

That being said, ensure you get adequate sleep between 7-9 hours.

You can also establish a nighttime routine to help you fall asleep faster. Here you can choose to spend your last 30 minutes before bed to wind down and be more prepared to sleep.

During this period, you can engage in calming activities like reading a book, taking a warm bath or shower, or listing to calm music. You can also take a cup of sleep-enhancing tea like chamomile tea.

3. Sleep in a conducive environment

If you want to wake up early, it’s important that you sleep in a favorable environment. This means sleeping in a room that’s dark, quiet, and cool.

To achieve this, you may want to invest in a few things if you don’t have them already. This may include blackout curtains or an eye mask if there’s too much light from outside. You should also consider getting earplugs or a white noise machine to block out too much noise.

If you consider these things, you’ll be able to sleep deeply, wake up early, and feel more rested and refreshed.

4. Cut your screen time before bed

That means no more scrolling through social media, checking emails, watching TV, playing video games, etc.

Studies have shown that blue light emissions from these devices can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it difficult to fall asleep. This can make it challenging to get the recommended hours of sleep, making waking up early a struggle.

So, during your winding down period, ensure that all screens are off until the next day. Set the alarm and place your phone or alarm across the room.

Once you get into the system of waking up early, you probably won’t require an alarm, but you have to train your mind for a start, and the alarm can help.

Once you set your alarm clock, place it where you have to get out of bed to actually turn it off. This way, you’ll be less likely to snooze it or go back to sleep.

5. Drink a glass of water

A glass of cold water first thing in the morning can help jumpstart your body and mind causing you to be more awake. Besides, water is hydrating and essential for good health. It’s

also the best drink to start your day instead of coffee.

To make this easier, ensure a glass of drinking water is on your bedside table so you can easily reach for it whenever you wake up.

6. Register for an early morning activity

This is similar to having a goal or something to look forward to. This could be anything from a workout session at the gym to a dog waking group that meets before sunrise. Whatever it is, having a scheduled activity will motivate you and keep you disciplined and accountable.

Things not to do when you first wake up:

1. Hit the snooze button

You probably hit a snooze button at least once when you wake up, and that may seem like a godsend, but it can actually make things worse.

When you snooze your alarm, you’re telling your body it’s okay to go back to sleep, which takes it through a mini sleep cycle, and when the alarm goes off again, your body is not sure whether it should wake up or keep sleeping. This will make you feel more tired and groggy than if you had just gotten up when the alarm first went off.

Also, snoozing can cause you to wake up feeling anxious and nervous because time is gone and you’re behind your schedule. This can leave you frustrated, setting a bad tone for a day that was meant to be productive.

If you snooze each morning, try setting your alarm for a time you’re sure you can really get up and still get things done.

2. Check emails

Checking your emails first thing in the morning is a terrible way to start your day.

It can lead to a sense of stress and pressure, especially if there are messages that require immediate attention.

This will likely disrupt what you had planned for your morning, making you feel unaccomplished, which can also set the tone for the rest of the day.

Messages from family and friends can also stress you before even the day begins.

So if you can help it, avoid checking your emails or even social media first thing in the morning.

3. Stay curled up

Staying in bed and enjoying the warmth of your sheets can be tempting, but this can only make it harder for you to get out of bed.

Whenever you get up in the morning, count to five and get out of bed. The more you stay curled up, the more you get comfortable, and the less you’ll get things done.

4. Leave your bed unmade

While it’s easy to just wake up and walk away from your bed, leaving it unmade can tempt you to go back.

Additionally, you don’t want to come back to an untidy room and bed after a busy day at work. Making the bed and tidying up the room can be inviting for when you’ll be ready to go to sleep in the evening.

5. Drink coffee

Starting your day with a cup of coffee is a common morning routine for many people. However, this habit can actually be harmful to your health. Coffee is a diuretic, which means it causes your body to lose water.

This can lead to dehydration, especially if you drink coffee first thing in the morning before you’ve had a chance to rehydrate from the night before.

Additionally, coffee can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it harder to fall asleep at night.
To break the habit of drinking coffee first thing in the morning, try substituting it with herbal tea or water with lemon.

Final Thoughts

Waking up early is a powerful habit that can turn your life around: it can make you more productive, increase your energy levels, boost your self-esteem, promote good health, and generally improve your overall well-being.

While it can be difficult to develop, things like creating a routine, sleeping in a comfortable environment, going to bed early, setting the alarm, avoiding checking your phone when you first wake up and having a goal in mind can all help you start on the right foot.

Final Thoughts

Lack of sleep is a real problem that can have a wide range of effects on your body and mind.

Some of the most common signs that you might be getting insufficient sleep include difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable, feeling depressed or having mood swings, and low energy levels, among others.

If you find yourself struggling with any one or more of these symptoms, it might be time to invest in a good night’s sleep.

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