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5 Ways to Make Yourself More of a Morning Person

Whether you’re frantically getting the kids ready for school or motivating yourself to get out of bed for work, mornings can be stressful, disorganized, and sometimes a downright pain. But getting up early not only means you can start the day in a productive way, it also means you can boost your energy levels and feel a lot less grumpy. So how can we transform ourselves into morning people? Try out these five tips.

1. Set yourself a bedtime.

It may sound obvious (and it’s easier said than done), but sticking to a routine and getting a good night’s sleep does wonders. Adults should aim to get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. If you go to bed just an hour or two than your usual time, you’re more likely to wake up earlier than you normally would.

Of course, we’re all guilty of watching too much TV before bed or scrolling through Facebook on our pillows. Still, try to turn off all your devices at least an hour before bed. The artificial light will keep you up and delay your body’s internal clock, so try cozying up with a good book instead.

2. Get prepped the night before.

If you’re a slow mover in the mornings, try to get all the essential prep done the night before so there’s little to do once your alarm clock goes off. Whether that means preparing your breakfast (more on that in a bit), picking out tomorrow’s outfit, or packing your bag for that morning gym class, use the evening to get prepared so you can feel a lot less stressed the next day.

3. Give yourself something to look forward to when you wake up.

A lot of the time we dread the mornings because it means you have a dull day full of meetings, drop-offs and/or appointments ahead — but this doesn’t have to be the case. Plan something for the next morning that will make you want to get out of bed rather than stay hidden under the covers. This could be a new yoga class before work or even something as simple as a coffee date with a friend — whatever works best for you.

4. Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room.

Along with nails scratching down a chalkboard, the alarm clock on a miserable morning is one of the worst sounds in the world. Place your phone or clock on the other side of your bedroom so that you’re forced to get out of bed to turn it off. If you can turn on a light or open the curtains to brighten up your room while you’re up, you’re less likely to get back into bed and make yourself late.

5. Don’t skip breakfast.

It’s the most important meal of the day, but it turns out not many of us are eating our breakfast. Instead of trying to make something elaborate during the week, opt for simple recipes, like our 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes.

This post was written by Alex Lilly. For more, check out our sister site, Now to Love.

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