Not many college students claim to be morning people, but this can and should change. That’s because there’s a surprising number of benefits available to early risers.
If you have tried and failed to figure out how to get up early, don’t give up just yet. Check out some tips on waking up earlier if you are ready to work toward becoming a morning person.
The Benefits of Waking Up Earlier
As unappealing as it sounds, it really is in your best interest to learn how to get up early. Studies show that early risers tend to feel more optimistic and less stressed out than people who wake up later in the day.
In addition, people who get up earlier get better grades on average, and the reason behind this may be as simple as their ability to get to those morning classes on time! Of course, since early risers are not staying up late at night, they are less likely to be out socializing with friends until the wee hours of the morning.
This could mean they’re also less likely to make those bad late-night decisions – like ordering pizza at midnight or binge-watching Netflix – which is probably why studies show that late risers are more likely to be overweight than morning people.
One of these reasons will likely make you think twice about sleeping until noon, in which case it’s time to find out how to start getting up earlier.
Strategies for Getting Up Early
Making yourself get up early everyday will probably take a little more than just setting the alarm earlier. Here are a few tips:
Ease Yourself Into It
It can be hard to go cold turkey when it comes to changing your late sleeping habits. This is why you should make changes in 15-minute increments instead.
Every day, set your alarm to wake you up 15 minutes earlier than the previous day. Continue doing this until you are waking up at the desired time. If you’re worried you’ll simply press snooze, put your alarm across the room.
Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Of course, this means you should also start going to bed 15 minutes earlier every night so you get 7 to 9 hours of sleep. If you are having trouble getting to bed at a reasonable time, set up a bedtime routine.
Make a Routine and Stick to It
For example, make sure you are done studying for your classes by a certain time every night, preferably at least an hour before bed. Then get in the habit of reading, listening to music, or even drinking warm milk or chamomile tea to help you relax just before bedtime.
Treat Yourself
Need more motivation? You can also arrange your schedule so you can look forward to something fun when you get up early. You’ll be less likely to hit the snooze button if you have something exciting or important waiting for you.
You can keep it simple by promising yourself a new flavor of coffee that you’ll be anxious to try when you wake up. Or, you can plan for an early morning walk or breakfast with a friend who will hold you accountable.
If you happen to be a morning person, do you have any tips on how to get up early?