Does wondering how to wake up early in the morning keep you up at night? Who does not know the proverb “The early morning has gold in its mouth“? You know, those who wake up early are more likely to complete all the day’s commitments, rock their day while feeling amazing, and ready to face any task with a strong mindset and a restored body. However, we also know how difficult it is to get out of bed early… let’s explore some strategies for waking up earlier.

Waking up earlier is a challenge for most of us.

First of all, it must be taken into account that waking up at dawn is a battle on two fronts: preparing the body and deceiving the sleeping mind. Unfortunately, the task is not always easy. The first piece of advice, therefore, is to create a routine based on organization and foresight. For example, it will help you prepare some details the night before, for example, what you will have for breakfast.

We often hear others proclaim that early risers are happier and healthier. Early risers generally enjoy better health and are more happier than night owls, because they are better able to adapt to the timeline of life.

If your goal is waking up earlier, discipline and intention are certainly helpful, and the following strategies will also help.

Being an early riser is a habit that can be trained and assumed, putting into practice a series of precautions that will help you succeed in your personal and professional life. In this How to Wake Up Early Guide, we will see what benefits getting up early in the morning can offer and how to turn this into a daily routine.

Let’s look at some tips that go beyond when the alarm goes off and set the intention to get out of bed with the right energy to face a morning of work, study, or play! Let’s begin.

The Benefits of Waking Up Early

“The first hour of the morning is the helm of the day,” said 19th-century social reformer Henry Ward Beecher, and a couple of centuries later, the sentiment still holds.

While it is true that those who get off to a good start is half the battle, taking care of your awakening to the fullest can really give excellent results from various points of view.

For many people, waking up earlier and not going back to sleep is really a difficult task. However, getting up early in the morning brings many benefits, which can be exploited to improve the quality of your life and even your work.

Here are the most important benefits to know:

• It facilitates a good mood: according to a University of Toronto study, the tendency to waking up earlier was linked to greater happiness, although this was only a correlation and not a direct cause;
• Promotes Weight Loss: According to some research, early risers tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI). This factor seems to be linked to exposure to sunlight from the early hours of the day;
• Improves the quality of sleep: according to a study conducted by University of Eexter Medical school, night owls are at higher risk for mental health challenges. 
• Reduces the possibility of contracting diabetes: research conducted shows that compared to those waking up early, those who sleep more are more likely to get metabolic syndrome.

In addition to waking up early, it is of fundamental importance to take care of the quality of sleep, which greatly affects our productivity and our quality of life. 

Best 12 Tips on How to Wake Up Early 

Now that we know the main benefits of waking up earlier for our body and our mind, let’s explore the best tips on waking up earlier!

1. Wake up at the same time every day

Getting your body used to a certain wake up time every day is the best way to encourage your biological clock to tune in accordingly, making the moment of awakening as less traumatic as possible. It is said that it takes about 21 days to build a new habit. Committing to the same wake up time every day for at least 21 days, including weekends, is the only way to build a habit. During the first ten days, it is possible to encounter some difficulties, but after this first threshold, rising will become easier. Consistency is the key to success.

2. Set your alarm

The alarm clock is an enemy for many people. To improve your relationship with this object, it is good to choose a model that has a delicate, not annoying, possibly musical ringtone, something that is pleasant to the ear. Position it far enough not to turn hit the snooze button to avoid falling asleep again. Do what you can to get out of bed at the first ring when the alarm goes off.

If you are using your smartphone, you can install ringtones that resonate with you.

3. Light is life

Sleeping with the blinds fully down helps you sleep, but makes the room seem dark even in broad daylight. On the contrary, getting used to sleeping without closing everything and letting natural daylight enter the room helps regulate one’s biorhythm based on the movement of the sun. Light also stimulates the production of dopamine, which increases energy, motivation, and productivity. Lack of light, on the other hand, causes depression and fatigue.

This is good advice but it can also be hard to fall asleep with the windows left open. So take this advice with a grain of salt. The important thing, however, is that when you wake up you open the shutters letting in the light.

4. Improve your sleep quality

To wake up fresh and rested, you need to first ensure you are getting great sleep. Beyond ensuring you have a comfortable bed, pillow, sheets, and blankets, consider avoiding the following before going to bed:

• overloading your stomach with overabundant or inadequate food and drinks 2 hours before bed (chocolate, red wine, fried food, etc…)
• drinking stimulating drinks after 2pm and replacing them with soothing beverages
• smoking
• electronic devices at least half an hour before going to sleep
• possibly avoid drinking immediately before going to bed, this to avoid having to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom
• evening physical exercises 

5. Leave pending problems for the daytime

One of the best ways to ruin sleep and consequently make waking up difficult is to go to bed ruminating over a problem. If your mind is going around in circles at bedtime, try to refocus your mind on something positive – perhaps replaying one of your favorite memories or trying a guided meditation for sleep before going to bed. 

If there are problems you continue to push off day after day, try to tackle those during the morning. As those issues drag on towards the evening, you might find that they have a greater chance of keeping you awake night after night.

6. Go to bed 30-60 minutes before sleep

In fact, one of the biggest obstacles to good sleep, besides low melatonin production, is a mind that is still too active.

Some of us are so afraid of the “face to face” with our mind that we need to distract ourselves with music, radio, or television until we fall asleep.

Instead, we need time to relax and cast off the worries of the day. A good way to do this is by reading. Your day may be so busy that you don’t have time to read. Don’t worry, it takes twenty minutes with a good book to relax.

7. Set goals for the next day

If the only goal you have set for yourself for the morning is to take a shower and go to work, it is not surprising if you don’t find the right motivation to get out of bed. You should feel some enthusiasm when you think about your day. If not, your desire to sleep longer is understandable. A good strategy could be to take a few minutes in the evening to write down what you would like to do the next day: go for a run, see your favorite series, meet a family member, etc. Setting some goals may make it easier for you to get up early.

8. Get up gradually

If you need to change the alarm time, do it gradually. Start setting it a quarter of an hour earlier, for two days, then try to win over a few more minutes gradually. Realistic goals will give you the perception that you are approaching your goal and that you are on the right track. 

9. The importance of routines

Creating a daily evening and morning routine will help you both fall asleep and wake up easily. To inspire you to wake up early, a morning moment that is all yours to reconnect with yourself is a huge incentive to waking up earlier, especially if during your day you don’t have enough time for yourself.

10. Imagine your Ikigai

Waking up early in the morning is easier with a good reason: so as soon as you open your eyes, remember why you are getting up early. If you have a morning ritual, then think about enjoyable activities that you never have a chance to do. Remember the benefits of getting up early and/or think about the free time you will get: you will see that it will be much easier to get up.

An interesting concept is that of Ikigai, which can be defined as the reason for getting up in the morning. Each of us can reach Ikigai if he dedicates himself to a job or activity that excites him and makes him happy. The result is that those who reach Ikigai will find it much easier waking up early in the morning.

11. Prepare everything the night before

Try to prepare everything you need the night before, so as to sleep a little more and do more calmly in the morning: prepare your bag, prepare your breakfast, set the coffee machine, choose the clothes you will wear, keeping an eye on the weather, prepare lunch and plan any last minute activities so you don’t forget anything. Set up memos or post-its if necessary, so you are more quiet and relaxed and will not overwhelm your mind with thoughts and worries.

12. Start your day thinking something amazing is going to happen to you

This might sound a bit woo-woo or naïve but having the right positive attitude is an important step to waking up earlier. The expectation of having something incredible to do or that some exciting news or events await and we just need to get started to embrace it and conquer it is the best way to wake up early with a positive mindset. Don’t forget that, if you have a positive mindset, everything is easier and more enjoyable – not just waking up early.