Waking up early has been one of my pet peeves since childhood. In school my parents were my morning alarm. My mom was constantly screaming from the kitchen and my dad hovered around the bed in between his morning activities. With mammoth effort I woke up, rubbed my eyes, pulled the blanket up and over my face, and continued to snooze.
This unhealthy habit crept into my daily life, making me late to the school van, school prayers, school dates, and dubbed me the “eternal latecomer.” The habit grew like a weed into my adult life, dissuading me from enjoying the fruits of productivity.
But with ever-growing responsibilities, waking up late was leaving me exhausted with many unfinished tasks. From March of this year, I began taking baby steps to break this habit by diligently following these techniques.
Establish a routine. “Sleep early and wake up early” is easier said than done. But to follow that principle practically is a challenge, mostly during weekends. Watching late-night movies, going to parties, putting off important tasks till late evening delays bedtime and makes it difficult to wake up at the same time the following day.
Ideally, adults need 7-8 hours of sleep every night and on weekends the tendency to make up for staying up late is to sleep in. This practice possibly disrupts the schedule on Sundays and you feel the Monday morning blues. After experimenting with different techniques, I prefer winding up my weekend activities before bedtime. Also, strive to wake up at the same time on weekends as well and instead take a nap at noon, if need be, just to conform to the weekday routine.
Avoid Caffeine. Quality of sleep is as essential as quantity of sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, caffeine’s stimulant effects increases alertness and reduces sleep quality, which could preclude you from waking up early or feeling fresh. Sometimes it is necessary to stay up to meet important work deadlines. At such times I sip on some warm water and wash my face with hot water frequently to stay alert.
Have an important reason to wake up. My morning was pretty flexible until I had my daughter in 2015. Now the onus to potty train her and immediately prepare some breakfast makes my husband and me more accountable to rise at 7:00 a.m. every day, irrespective of our bedtime. Even tasks, like remembering to take an important office document, getting gas on the way to work, and giving good wishes to your spouse on her birthday, can get you enthused to wake up early.
Exercise. I typically adhere to a 30-40 minute exercise schedule comprising either cardio, yoga or long strolls early in the evening. Exercise rejuvenates and relaxes me, while at the same time makes me tired in a nice way that prepares me for bed by 10.30-11.00 p.m., allowing enough rest to follow the established routine. For those who have trouble falling asleep, Dr. Stuart Quan, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School, advises to avoid exercise very close to bedtime as it increases adrenaline and cortisol level.
Set 3-4 alarms. I’ve been following this technique for a couple of weeks and set at least three alarms each 10 minutes apart. The sound works wonders at annoying the heck out of me, not just to turn off the alarm but also shakes off the morning bleariness and drives me out of bed.
Eat an early dinner. Your body needs time to absorb the food we eat. The National Sleep Foundation states that eating late dinners disturbs the sleep cycle and makes it difficult to get restful sleep. I didn’t realize certain foods and dinnertime had a correlation to sleep quality. My nasal allergies became inflamed due to fried snacks late in the evening, eating rice for dinner and dairy close to bedtime. Switching to healthier options, like whole grains, whole wheat bread, less sugary fruits such as berries and pears, along with disciplining myself to eating at least three hours before bedtime, has significantly alleviated my problem with waking up early.
I still haven’t completely overcome the habit as my goal was not to wake up with the rooster but to greet each day with joy and enthusiasm. Nevertheless, I abide by these techniques and experiment with new ones to stay committed to my goals. After all, giving up easily is not the best way to kick any unhealthy habit.
