Joining the Morning Club: A Guide to Becoming a Morning Person

I don’t know about you, but I am always super jealous of those that can get up in the morning and start their days off with a routine. I tend to have a routine in my mornings, but it sure doesn’t include exercising, mindful activities, or completing any other tasks other than getting ready to head out the door. I have come to learn that this routine is always okay because it works for me! However, I was curious as to what makes a morning person and if you can become one. Here’s what I found!

What Does it Mean to be a “Morning Person”?

Our sleep cycle is controlled by our circadian rhythm, a 24-hour clock that regulates our energy throughout the day. The specific timing of when our bodies become tired at nighttime is known as a chronotype. Morning people have an early chronotype, meaning that they like waking up early and tend to feel their best in the morning.

Can You Change into a Morning Person?

Most people find themselves wanting to become a morning person since everything happens earlier in the day, including school and work. Although your chronotype is largely genetic, your age, environment, and activity level can influence it. In one study, night owls were told to:

• Wake up and go to bed two or three hours earlier than normal
• Get a lot of outdoor light in the morning
• Eat breakfast immediately after waking up
• No dinner past 7:00pm
• Avoid coffee after 3:00pm and napping after 4:00pm
• Exercise in the morning

In doing so, the night owls were able to shift their sleep cycles and felt less depressed and less stressed. They were even able to perform better than before in the morning!

Tips for Becoming a Morning Person!

• Maintain good sleep hygiene
• Develop a nighttime routine
• Stay on a consistent sleep schedule
• Gradually shift your bedtime earlier
• Develop a morning routine
• Exercise regularly
• Use light strategically
• Shift mealtimes earlier
• Be careful with coffee

Check out https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-faqs/how-to-become-a-morning-person to learn more information about sleep and becoming a morning person!