Take Yourself From Slow Riser To Early Bird With These Three Simple (But Surprising) Steps
Do you snooze your alarm a few times too often in the morning? Does dragging yourself from bed require practically the same effort as running a marathon? Unlike night owls, slow risers may struggle to get their heads off the pillow even after they’re awake. This can be incredibly frustrating, and it isn’t exactly a fresh and fun way to start the day.
Lucky for you, even the slowest risers can become early birds if they make actionable changes in the following three simple, yet surprising, ways.
# 1 – Address the Root Causes of Wake Reluctance
Bedtime routines are great, but they can feel a lot like sticking plasters for slow risers. After all, the chances are that you struggle to rise even once you’ve had enough sleep. By addressing the root cause of that, you can more easily start to implement positive change.
It’s important to note that, sometimes, medical issues like diabetes, thyroid problems, or even depression can drive this issue, so it’s always worth seeking a medical opinion before doing anything else. If you regularly wake with aches and pains, it can also pay to invest in physical therapy treatments like massage, that can help to iron out those physical kinks to, hopefully, see you waking up feeling fresher at last.
More broadly, however, even smaller issues, like poor bedroom decor or even a lack of motivation could be to blame. Redecorating, or setting yourself clear morning goals (which we’ll talk about in a while) is best in these instances.
# 2 – Upgrade Your Bedtime Routine
We’ve been a little disparaging about bedtime routines so far, and it’s true that simply following the same steps for an hour before bedtime might not have a huge impact on your situation.
However, experts are increasingly finding that prepping for bed all day long could be the best bedtime routine of all, allowing you to both feel better, and enjoy a better night’s sleep at all times.
Steps to take may include getting as much light as possible first thing (which will help you get out of bed in itself), getting outside plenty during the day, and avoiding caffeine or other stimulants from as early as 2pm.
# 3 – Give Yourself Something to Wake up For
If you have nothing to wake up for, then it’s hardly surprising you have a habit of lying in bed. But, this is a sure way to harm your morning well-being, and it’s something you can overcome by simply giving yourself morning goals.
From cooking a decent breakfast to going for a morning walk, or even making time to read a little of your book, it always pays to give yourself something to look forward to first thing. This way, whatever’s calling you out of bed is far more likely to appeal to you than another dull morning staring into the distance with your head on the pillow.
You don’t need to be stuck living a slow-rise lifestyle. Simply make these changes to become an early bird at last.
