Train your mind to wake up early in the morning

Rise and Shine - it is easier said than done.

Unfortunately, a lot of us struggle with sleep inertia - It is something that you may experience nearly every morning when you wake up - that compelling, nearly irresistible desire to go

back to sleep. Even after waking up, you feel groggy and you slide back to bed and sleep.

I have been a nocturnal creature for as long as I can remember. But when I read about the importance of waking up early and its wonders. I was tempted to try it out.

I went on a quest to finding why I was unable to wake up early.

REASONS/EXCUSES

• Sleeping Late (obvious much?).

• Binge-watching shows at night.

• Using our phones until our eyes drift off to sleep.

• Not having a purpose/motivation to wake up in the morning.

• Working late at night to meet the deadlines.

• Unrealistic expectations from myself. (Wake up at 4 A.M. one day only to go back to the older schedule of 10 A.M. the next day)

For all the above reasons and many more, I always felt it was very challenging to get out of bed early.

SOME TIPS TO STREAMLINE

Identify your WHY?

I have heard several people tell me that "They want to wake up early from tomorrow" (I was one of them). But we often fail to do so. The problem most of the time is with not having an answer to WHY? WHY do we want to wake up early? Identifying the reason is quite essential.

When we have to take a trip or go for a trek with friends in the morning. In this case, waking up at 5 A.M. seems so easily doable. I realized that we need to have something crucial and exciting task associated with our mornings. Otherwise, wide-open morning hours with no purpose or work can make it easier to sleep back in.

Find a good enough WHY reason for yourself.

Once you crystallize your reasons, take a second step and tell your family or friends about the change you want to make. Accountability helps as much as an alarm clock.

Waking up Early starts with going to Bed Early

It is not the wake-up alarm that you need to set. It is the bedtime remainder that you need. We do not want to compromise on our beauty sleep at the cost of waking up early. The goal is to feel rested and fresh in the morning when we wake up. Plan a bedtime ritual that you would like to follow. Set your alarm clock for 12:30 A.M. to remind you that you need to unwind. Tricking your brain is the trick.

Design a sleep schedule that works for YOU

If you are a night owl, do not get inspired reading the 5 A.M. club and decide to wake up at five the next day (This does not work for a longer run, tried and tested! :P). We want to develop a habit and routine for ourselves. Keep your wake-up time as harmonious as possible. It should be a gradual transition. If you wake up at 10 A.M. then start with waking up one hour early. Try to maintain a wake-up time within a consistent 15-minute window every day. Even if you’ve slept badly. And even if you have been out the night before. This will help in setting the body clock right. Stick to that for several weeks (including weekends) to get a feeling for how well your body responds.

All the miscellaneous Things-to-do

Noting all the obvious ones which will make it easier to wake up at a decent hour -

1. Unplug devices - to avoid any distractions or screen exposure.

2. Turn off the internet on your device - VERY IMPORTANT!!! Those damn notifications are such good attention grabbers.

3. Listen to some good music, try bedtime meditation, play sounds of nature. (All this will help in falling asleep early)

4. Avoid caffeine drinks before bed - scientific reasons behind this.

5. Place your alarm clock away from your reach - Make hitting Snooze more of a challenge. :P

6. Try logging your sleep for a few weeks to see how you are doing on your quest to waking up early.

Feel free to try everything mentioned or one thing or none. Ultimately I hope it helps you on your journey of waking up early. :)

I would like to close by quoting,

I find that most of us wake up every day, not because we genuinely ‘want’ to, but because we have to. We have to be somewhere, do something, answer to, or take care of someone. But when you shift your intention and create a genuine desire – even enthusiasm – for waking up in the morning, your entire life changes. - Hal Elrod

Take your time with it. Let us start with waking up one hour than we usually do. I hope I am not asking for too much. :P

See you next Monday. Until then Mask up, Stay Safe, and Stay Healthy.