THE SECRET TO BECOMING A MORNING PERSON…

How to makeover your mornings.

Do you find yourself admiring those who easily roll out of bed at 6am? And can you believe some people not only voluntarily wake up at this time, they also manage to greet the morning with a smile on their face!? Meanwhile you’re continuously pressing snooze and on that very rare occasion you do manage to get up early, you’re often mistaken for a walking zombie. Don’t worry, if it makes you feel any better, you’re not alone. A study revealed that over 30% of people find it challenging to wake up ‘when they are meant to'… so the question is, these so called ‘morning people ‘- how do they do it? Here are some tips on how you can make friends with the morning. Or at least help with make your morning wake up experience a tad more ‘enjoyable’.

 Don’t hit snooze

While we are all guilty of hitting the snooze button as a plea to sneak in a few extra minutes of sleep. We are here to tell you, the snooze button is not* your friend. It may seem satisfying to immerse yourself back into your bed for an extended sleep in but your not doing yourself any favours. Why? Because whenever you wake up, your hormones send a signal to notify your body it’s time to begin the day. However when you choose to go back to sleep, it sends mixed signals to your body. And as a result you wake up feeling more tired and less energized than if you had woken up the first time round.

Natural light

Embrace the natural light! We know the thought of waking up to sunshine sounds seems merely daunting. Though what if we told you the natural light actually informs your body to stop producing the sleep hormone ‘melatonin.’ And dare we say, being woken up by the sun is a lot more soothing than hearing your smartphones maddening alarm clock go off. Also by waking up with the sun it will assist with your body’s clock and adjust more easily to the daylight.
 

 Don’t Check your phone

Thanks to smartphones and social media, gone are the days when you wake up and are only aware of what’s happening to those in your home. Instead, one of the first things we do is grab our phones and check what’s happening all over Facebook. Twitter, Instagram etc. and even worse, read the endless build up of work e-mails that curated over night. 

A recent study revealed 89% of young adults (18-27) reach for their phones within 15 minutes of waking up. And if we’re being honest, I’m sure most of us will admit to sleeping with our phones right next to us. So how are we ever meant to start our day happily, if the first thing we wake up to is a stressful work e-mail? The reality is there's not much that cannot wait 45-60 minutes to be attended too. 

The experts also recommend not using your phone at all whilst in your bedroom. They beleive your room should be your resting sanctuary; and a place where you keep your work life and personal life completely separate. We know for many, this is simply not an option, so as more realistic alternative try and avoid reaching for your phone as soon as you wake up.
 

 Stretch

In an ideal world we are asleep for 8 hours and during that time tension can build up throughout our body. Therefore by jumping straight out of bed, you are not allowing your body any time to recover from last nights sleep. This is why many believe it’s beneficial for you to stretch first thing in the morning. By doing this it will help energize you, ease off any tension and get your blood flowing in preparation for the day. The stretches can be done in your bed and be as simple as stretching out your arms over your head and stretching your legs for 60 seconds (and remember to breathe). These slow movements will stimulate your circulation and gently wake up your body’s muscles. It will also trigger physiological benefits and enable you to feel more centered and begin your day with a positive frame of mind.
 

Do it the night before

The best way to have a successful morning routine is by doing it the night before. If you’re a mum or if your working full time, do the school lunch/ your lunch prep the night before. You should also have what you’re wearing the next day out and the kid’s school uniforms ready to go.Some people even go to the extreme of pre-setting the breakfast table and the coffee machine!!

By having prepared most of your morning antics the night before, you will eliminate the mad morning rush and your day should flow at a smoother pace. You may even find some to sit down and enjoy your morning.