08 Dec Become An Early Riser in 5 Easy Steps

Are you an early riser?

Or would you rather hit that snooze button for as long a possible?

“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will be all day hunting for it.” ~Richard Whatlety

It’s well established that becoming an early riser is one of the key factors to being healthier, happier, and more productive.

Agree?

It seems that as I think of most highly successful people, just about all of them are early risers.

It’s been written that the majority of people that are early risers – or become early risers – will be more productive, more creative, have more energy, and potentially live healthier.

The reason I am writing about this is because of the challenges people have with exercise and nutrition.

By getting up earlier and starting the day with exercise and proper nutrition, wouldn’t you agree that you’re setting the stage for the entire day?

In my experience, when my mornings start off with the right morning rituals – proper fuel (a nutrition dense breakfast), some type of physical activity, and the proper positive mindset (reading, writing, thinking) – the rest of the day seems energized.

I seem to have a much more productive and vibrant day ahead.

Yes, there are going to be people that are “night owls.”

But, most people are healthier and more productive by establishing clear morning rituals.

To learn learn more about early morning routines or “positive energy rituals” as Tony Schwartz describes, check out the great book, “The Power of Full Engagement.”

Anyway, here’s 5 simple steps to help you become more healthier, more energetic, and more productive with your day-to-day lifestyle.

1. Take a look at why you may not be an early riser. Are you staying up too late? Are you not motivated to get up earlier? Do you have a reason to get up earlier? Is the reward great enough for you to do this? What will you gain? How will you feel? Can you commit to just 1 week of getting up earlier?
2. Go to sleep earlier. An obvious step, but it has to be mentioned.  Maybe it’s as simple getting to bed just a little earlier each night.
3. If you eat before bed, make sure it’s the right foods. Don’t eat a large meal before bed. Don’t eat a big carbohydrate meal prior to bed.  Nuts, vegetables, lean protein, or small glass of milk are all great options.  You want your hormones to be stable and allow your body to optimally recover during sleep.  Don’t gorge before retiring, but feed your body with the right nutrients for muscle growth and repair.
4. Sleep well. Make sure it’s dark in your room to elevate the levels of melatonin in your body. Melatonin is elevated at night when it becomes dark and by keeping things dark in your room will help to produce more melatonin – “nature’s sleep regulator.” The darker, the more melatonin your body produces.
5. Start getting up earlier, slowly. What I mean here is to start to set your alarm a few minutes earlier each day, maybe just 5 or 10 minutes earlier until you get up at your desired time.  So, if you typically get up at 7:30 and you want to get up and 6:30, then you start by getting up just a little earlier each day, until you are where you need to be. You do this after you have planned out exactly what you are going to do with the “extra” time you now have to be productive in the morning.

Getting up earlier will do you a world of good and can change your life significantly.

This isn’t really a question.

Having a clear morning ritual that sets up the day can be life-changing.

Again, the benefits are vast in terms of being more productive, energetic, healthy, and fit.

If you’re challenged by not having the time to train or workout the way you want to, try these simple 5 steps and work to become an early riser.

It can change your life.