How to: Become an early riser

If hitting snooze repeatedly and drinking strong coffee until midday is an everyday occurrence for you, chances are you are not one of the early birds of the world.

According to research, morning people tend to feel more proactive and optimistic and can even experience less stress. So, if you are a night owl who is envious of the early morning go getters, the good news is you are not doomed to an eternity of finding it difficult to wake up – you can experience morning glory with our simple how to guide below:

How to: sleep right

• Snub technology – Banish electronics 45 – 60 minutes before bedtime. That includes phones, laptops and anything else that might remind you of or trigger work-place stress.
• Get into position – According to experts, sleeping on your back is ideal if you want to prevent back pain, while sleeping on your side could help to keep acid reflux and heartburn at bay. If you snore, sleeping on your tummy might stop this, though bear in mind it may cause neck pain.
• Stick your nose in a good book – Reading before bed will help to mellow you out and will also tire out your eyes.
• Take a warm shower – Stepping from a warm shower into a cooler room will trigger a slight drop in body temperature that in turn will trigger drowsiness.

How to: wake up like a pro

• Skip snooze – Interestingly, experts have found that frequently hitting that little button can in fact disrupt our sleep cycles, in turn leading to less restful sleep. In addition, it could also impact cognition, which can mean we wake up feeling more tired than we would do otherwise.
• Ease your way in – If you start work at 9am and usually wake at 8am, don’t start your new routine by instantly setting your alarm for 5am. Try working your way backwards in 15-minute increments every few days until you reach your goal.
• Build a routine – Waking earlier doesn’t have to be a chore, it can actually be an enjoyable start to the day. Take a nice shower, check out the morning paper and relax with some breakfast. Creating a routine will make waking up easier as it becomes mechanical.

We hope our quick guide helps you to wake up on the right side of bed, but if you still find you are struggling to muster up the required motivation to reach this goal, or any others you may have, a life coach could help to support and encourage you on your journey. Find out more by reading our motivation and energy fact-sheets today.

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