Start Your Day Earlier With These Tips

There are some mornings when I wish I was more of a morning person. Especially during the winter months when it is so appealing to rather stay in bed for an extra half hour or so. But life does not let this happen.

Some swear by waking early. They say they not only get more things done but that their day simply feels like it is off to a better start. With seemingly more energy and an unceasing good mood, you can almost understand why the early morning lifestyle is envied by so many. But getting into the habit of waking up early though is sadly not nearly as easy.

There is no actual proof that early risers are guaranteed to be more successful in life or that they are going to be more productive. In many ways, the ability to get up early is predetermined by your natural genetic makeup. But if you are looking for a change in your lifestyle, and you are considering that the change can be the time you get up, we have some tips for you.

Earlier mornings are easier when you have slept well. If it’s new beds for sale you are looking for, you’ll find them at The Mattress Warehouse.

But first a note about sleep

You should never try to sleep fewer hours than your body needs. While there are times when you can function perfectly with fewer hours of sleep, this is usually just for a limited period of time. If you are most productive with 8 hours quality sleep, then don’t try to fix what is not broken.

In this blog, we are talking about waking earlier. We are not talking about getting less sleep. Quality sleep should always be one of your main priorities. And you can really only get great sleep when you are resting on a great bed. We have exceptional beds such as Sealy beds for sale available from our Cape Town and Pretoria branches.

The first step towards getting better sleep is to sleep on a bed that is more suitable for your body and your sleep needs.

Now back to dragging yourself out of bed earlier

We’re already making it sound unpleasant, but it’s really not as bad as we’d make it seem. Once you get into the new routine, you’ll be amazed by how fast your body can adapt. The thing about making changes like this is that you have to take the time to find out what is going to work best for you.

Waking up early might not make you more productive if you don’t actively choose to be more productive during that extra time. Just because you have made the effort to get up doesn’t magically mean life will be better.

You also have to keep in mind that there might be things that work for some people, but not for you. This means that you will have to take the time to try out all of the various methods to wake up early before you find those that work for you.

Now, without further rambling, here are your tips.

1. A “go to bed” alarm

You have an alarm to wake you up in the morning, but why would you need one telling you to go to bed at night? Well, how often do you keep track of the time before you get to bed? Do you mentally note that you are going to bed at different times or is it something that slips you by?

If you are going to bed past mid night every night, the chances of waking up early are slim. You can’t really expect to be a night owl and an early riser without feeling the “jet lag” of not having enough sleep.

So set an alarm to let you know when it is time to get to bed. An earlier night can mean an earlier wake-up.

An alarm to wake you and one to tell you when to get to bed can make getting up earlier a little easier.

2. Don’t damage the sleep cycle

Your body will go through 5 stages of sleep. When you interrupt one of those stages, you could still risk waking up tired even if you have slept for 8 hours. To avoid the groggy feeling, you can use an online sleep calculator. With this calculator, you insert the time that you want to go to bed, and it will tell you the best time to wake up. Technology is awesome, is it not?

3. Move your morning alarm

Having your alarm right next to your bed makes it too easy to throw across the room…or put it on snooze if you are not as grumpy as some. When your alarm clock is on the other side of your bedroom, you will need to get up to put it off. The idea is, since you are already out of bed, you might as well get up and start your day. It is up to you to find the motivation to not get back into bed!

4. Have something to look forward to

For many of us, the only thing we have to look forward to in the morning is going to work. But even if you love your job, there could be days when you are lacking the motivation to get going. If you start your day off early, you have the time to treat yourself to that morning walk or that delicious breakfast. Be sure to have a plan that will make you want to hop out of bed.

5. Let some natural light in

Some sleep tips will tell you to keep your room as dark as possible, and that is especially helpful if you are living in a brightly lit city. But if you are in the suburbs, you can leave your curtains slightly open, allowing the sun to filter in. Now, this is likely to only work in the summer when the sun rises around 5 am, so you might want to keep this tip for warmer days.

Waking with natural light is always a great motivation to get going.

What you do with your early morning is up to you. Whether you are mentally readying yourself for a long day, wanting to make a few extra hours for exercising, or if this is the only time you have to read a book, waking up early might be just what you need.

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If it is a routine change you are looking at, why not start it by looking at buying a new bed. We have beds for sale in Pretoria and beds for sale in Cape Town, while we also sell beds to our customers in Johannesburg, Nelspruit, and Polokwane.