By Evelyn Evans 
Whether it’s early school start times at dawn or morning work meetings, most schedules appear to favor those who are morning-oriented.
If you’re curious about becoming a morning person, there are multiple elements to take into account. Being a night owl is somewhat ingrained, owing to a phenomenon known as chronotypes. That being said, there are strategies you can employ to enhance your comfort in the morning.
We will discuss the science of chronotypes and provide advice on how to become more of a morning individual.
How to Become A Morning Person?
Here are 8 practical strategies that I have implemented to transform myself from a night owl into a morning person:
- Establish a Consistent Evening Routine
Your nighttime habits prepare you for a wonderful morning. I dedicate 15 minutes each evening to getting ready for the initial focus task of the following morning.
Please be aware that this is especially crucial if you struggle with mornings, as any tension during that time will diminish your overall experience. Spending 15 minutes in the evening significantly decreases your morning obstacles, allowing you to effortlessly enter a productive state.
I also dedicate a few minutes to my 1-1-1 journaling approach:
- 1 victory from the day
- 1 source of stress or worry
- 1 point of appreciation
It clears my mind and places my thoughts onto paper, allowing me to relax and drift off to sleep easily.
- Plan Your Sleep
Similar to altering any other habit, you must prepare yourself for achievement. You likely can’t continue going to bed at your current time and manage with less sleep. Your body will push back. Alternatively, if you realize you require seven hours of sleep and wish to wake up at 5:00 a.m., work backwards to figure out when you need to fall asleep.
- Move Your Alarm Clock
The snooze button is the top foe in the journey to transform into a morning person. If hitting the snooze button is simple, you’ll do it.
Make it challenging: Place your alarm clock (I utilize my phone) in a different room or spot that’s a minimum of 10 feet distant from your bed.
When it goes off, you have to get out of bed to shut it down. You are significantly less inclined to hit snooze if you need to get up already. You’ve transformed the subconscious delay into a deliberate choice.
Expert Advice: Maintaining a low volume allows you to hear it (as you’re instinctively listening for it) while your partner/spouse remains unaware. My spouse is a light sleeper while I am a deep sleeper, yet it still functions for us.
- Turn On All the Lights
The surroundings offer discrete signals to your body, allowing it to react appropriately. As night falls, your body instinctively starts to get ready for sleep (unless you have trained it differently). As it becomes bright, you instinctively start to awaken. To initiate this process and indicate to your body that it’s time to rise, replicate bright daylight. Switch on all the lights in the room.
- Enlist An Accountability Partner
Regardless of whether it’s a mentor or a colleague, locate an individual who appreciates the importance of accountability. Articulate your objective, share why it matters to you, and then grant them the authority to keep you accountable. During my time in college, a friend and I aimed to wake up early to prepare for a class. Thus, we contacted each other at 5:00 a.m. to confirm the other was awake. We performed quite well in the class as well.
- Commit 21 Days
I suggest you try being a morning person for three weeks and then determine if this should be a lasting aspect of your life. Studies indicate that it typically requires more time than this to establish a habit, but three weeks should provide you with adequate experience. If that’s not the case, you at least made an attempt. If that’s the case, you’ve established a new habit that can benefit you throughout your life.
- Advance the Energy Producers
If you want to be a morning person, it’s essential to have activities you look forward to in the early morning. Arrange your early morning hours to include at least one activity that boosts your energy.
It could be hitting the gym, it might be developing that side hustle, or it could be concentrating on that intriguing creative project. No matter what it may be, anticipating an energy source is consistently a great method to provide yourself with an internal lift.
- Go to Bed Earlier
Alright, this might appear clear, but it wouldn’t feel appropriate to disregard the most influential—yet somehow neglected—approach for transforming into a morning person:
Turn in for the night sooner. I would never support attempting to rise at 5am if it required reducing your sleep by two hours.
I used to adopt a “sleep when I’m gone” mindset. During my initial career years, I frequently stayed at work until 10pm and got up at 3:45am. However, by examining the science, I understood that “sleep when I’m dead” is truly a poor approach to living longer…
Some suggestions that assist in getting to sleep if you have difficulties:
- Peruse light novels prior to sleeping. I enjoy science fiction or historical narratives.
- Hot shower or sauna before sleeping (avoid cold water, as it prompts your body to heat up, which is counterproductive when trying to fall asleep).
- Darkening shades to maintain room darkness.
- White noise device (you can discover reliable, affordable choices on Amazon).