“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” ~ Ben Franklin
Getting to bed earlier will allow you to get the sleep you need and rise with the sun to seize your day! It is such a liberating feeling rising with the sun and being one of the first people to experience the beauty of a new day and its endless possibilities. Early morning is the perfect time to do a workout and set aside some “me” time before the demands and distractions of the working day begin.
Studies also show that you have increased will power early in the day but willpower is like a muscle that becomes fatigued with overuse. Even the best of diets can become unraveled in the evening. In fact, according to research published in the Journal of Obesity, the average night owl consumes an extra 1000kJ. Most of which is consumed after 8pm!
My Top Tips for Rising Early
1. Make a change gradually
Making a sudden lifestyle change can be a shock to your system and difficult to maintain. Instead, try turning your alarm clock back 10 minutes earlier each day until you are at your desired wake up time. This gives you time to adjust and you’re more likely to persist and succeed.
2. Make a Plan
Having a plan when you rise early about what you’re going to do and the goals you’re going to achieve, will make you much more likely to get out of bed. Write your goals on a post-it and stick them next to your alarm clock so you see them as soon as you wake up.
3. Remove any obstacles and make it as easy for yourself as possible.
– Lay out your workout clothes and shoes the night before
– Pack your bag the night before
– Have a jar of overnight oats in the fridge ready to go or your smoothie ingredients pre-chopped ready to blend.
4. Get to sleep earlier
This one seems obvious but if you want to get up earlier, you have to get to bed earlier! Our body’s need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to function.
5. Get moving
I place my alarm clock next to my workout clothes and far from reach. I have found this particular tactic particularly good at getting me moving & out of bed in the morning! Once I’m up, I keep moving, fit in some exercise or do some stretching rather than read my emails and check social media (which there is plenty of time for later in the day!)
Rising early isn’t for everyone and if you’ve got a sleeping pattern that works for you, then stick with it. These are just my tips if you wish to make a lifestyle change like I did and get up earlier! ☺
Annie xx
