How to Become an Early Bird
Whether you’re an early bird or night owl, the time that you are most comfortable going to sleep and waking up is dependent on your circadian rhythm, and your chronotype. Your chronotype is what makes early birds prefer to get up and go to sleep early, and while this is primarily impacted by your genes, it has the ability to change as well. By keeping a consistent and healthy circadian rhythm, as well as adjusting your environment, even the night owls who hate mornings the most can become early risers.1 Here are 4 simple things you can do to make morning just a little less painful.
1. Get the right amount of light (at the right times)
Chronotypes can also be affected by artificial light sources, so turning on devices like bright light therapy lamps in the a.m. can help your body adjust to early mornings. Also, keep your blinds open to wake up naturally with the sun!
Spending time on electronic devices before bed will delay your circadian rhythm, so the earlier you get off your screens, the earlier you will fall asleep.1
2. Make yourself tired for the evening
If you are a night owl who stays up because they are not tired, adjust your sleep schedule so you wake up earlier in the morning, ensuring you will be tired at a reasonable time in the evening. Ease into a new early alarm by moving it ahead in 15 minute incriminates every day until you reach your desired time to wake up.2
3. Keep your schedule the same everyday
Stick with your wake-up time on the weekends so you do not disturb your sleep routine by going to bed late one day and sleeping in the next.2
4. Avoid sleep disturbances
Sleep disturbances like caffeine, late exercise or noises can keep late owls up even later, unable to fall asleep. By removing these disruptions early in the night (and throughout the night), you will be feeling well rested enough to wake up early in the morning! While caffeine and late exercise can be avoided, some noises like excessive snoring cannot, so whether it is you or your partner who snores, considering a snoring mouthpiece would be a great asset to helping you wake up earlier and feel more refreshed.3
Becoming an early bird comes with many benefits such as better work performance due to better sleep, having the time to complete morning workouts which burn more calories, and having more time to get ready which decreases stress levels.4
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, the healthiest sleep habits are the ones that benefit you personally. Making sure you have enough healthy sleep so you wake up feeling rested and energized is the most important goal of all! We wish you luck in however you aim to achieve a good night’s sleep!
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References
1 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/can-night-owls-become-early-birds/article26113963/
2 https://www.sleep.org/articles/go-night-owl-early-bird/
3 https://www.health.com/mind-body/20-things-you-shouldn-t-do-before-bed?
4 https://everydaypowerblog.com/scientific-benefits-be-early-bird/
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