How To Get The Body Used To Getting Up Early
Many expressions and proverbs of popular wisdom often remind us how important it is to get up early. But it is not just a belief, since having good sleep habits help improve or maintain well-being.
However, for many, getting out of bed at dawn can be a struggle in which they often fail. Not a few consider that horrible sound that forces them to get up hateful.
In this article we will learn about the benefits of getting up early. Likewise, we will present you with a series of recommendations to take into account to achieve this without sacrificing hours of sleep.
Why can it be difficult to get up early?
The reason for not getting up early in the morning may be as obvious as it is simple: we have made a habit of going to bed late and waking up in the middle of the morning. And the body, of course, is only going to want to get up when it feels like it has had enough sleep.
Habits
We have a biological clock. The so-called circadian rhythms respond to the cycles of light and dark. Now, in some people this timer may go slower than in others. In fact, we don’t all do the same activities at the same pace.
The biggest problem with night owls occurs when they have to carry out work, academic or other activities at a time they are not used to. Hence, it is difficult for them to get up early for different reasons:
- They haven’t had enough sleep.
- They have stayed up late watching television, the computer or the telephone.
- It’s hard to uproot a habit, change, and start waking up earlier.
Clinical conditions
Difficulty getting up early in the morning is not just about lifestyle. There are also emotional factors, health problems or even medications that affect when we get up.
In this sense, stress, anxiety and depression can affect us, leading to insomnia. On the other hand, there are the various sleep disorders and those of the circadian rhythm.
Lastly, it can be difficult to get a good night’s sleep due to medications, such as beta-blockers, muscle relaxants, and antidepressants.
Signs that you are not getting enough sleep
In addition to the fact that it can be difficult to get up early, there are different signs that you are not getting enough sleep. Among the negative consequences of bad sleep we have the following:
- Constant or excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Feeling of fatigue and discouragement.
- Irascibility.
- Eye irritation.
- Difficulty concentrating and decreased motor coordination.
- Loss of appetite control.
Benefits of getting up early
Getting up early and getting enough sleep go hand in hand. And it is that when we sleep excessively one day, that same night we will have difficulty falling asleep.
Start the day in good spirits
Sometimes we need to wake up early, but we can’t. This can affect us in several ways. We waste time, forget a work appointment, and end up feeling frustrated and failed.
Getting up early will help you to better solve all your situations, as you will have time to do everything you need with peace of mind.
First hours of the day and productivity
It is undeniable that if we spend most of our waking time getting ready to go out, move around and then work, when we want to do something for ourselves we will already be tired.
But if we get up early and take an hour or two for our personal projects, we will have enough time, energy and clarity. In this vein, research conducted with university students found that people who wake up early are more proactive.
Foundation of healthy habits
If we leave the exercise for the return, after work, we may be in low spirits or tired. With enough time in the morning we can exercise.
On the contrary, in various studies carried out a correlation has been found between people with nocturnal habits with high levels of alcohol consumption. In other research with adolescents, it was also observed that those who go to bed or wake up late are more likely to be sedentary.
How to get up early?
If you want to start getting up early to enjoy all these benefits, it ‘s time to get organized. Here are our recommendations.
What to do before sleeping
Listening to soft music, meditating, or reading a book can help you sleep. Television or the internet, on the other hand, keep your mind on alert.
A hot shower also favors. But do not do any exercises or activities that speed you up.
Alarm to go to sleep
The time to get up has to do with when we go to sleep and with everything we do the night before. So let’s start here.
As curious as it may seem, it is good to put a reminder of the time you have to sleep and finish whatever activity you are doing.
Don’t think about work or problems
If you lie down thinking what to do, your mind is unlikely to relax to sleep. Write down what you have pending and forget about it for now. Let yourself know that you already have it written down and you will do it later.
Set the alarm
Before sleeping, set your alarm to wake up. Estimate what you need rest. Remember that the number of hours that we must rest may vary from one person to another, being the recommended between 7 to 8.
But the changes must be gradual. If you are used to waking up at 10, do not set the alarm the next day at 5. It must be progressively decreased.
Strategies for waking up to the alarm
Move the phone or device you use to wake up out of reach so that you can’t deactivate it, and when it rings, you force yourself to get up. Also, use a melody that is not very pretty or pleasant.
On the other hand, there are applications that can be useful, since they force you to perform an action (such as taking a photo) in order to deactivate the alarm.
When the alarm goes off
Forget the five more minutes forever. This can be difficult, but as you do it, it will become a habit. Remember that the goal is to get up early, not wake up early. So what you should do when the alarm goes off is get out of bed.
You already got up. Now stay awake. Turn on the lights, make the bed, draw the curtains, and open the windows.
Anything goes
To help you wake up and get out of bed, use whatever helps you. For example, if you live with your partner, friends, someone from the family, join forces and help each other to get up early.
If you live alone, schedule talking to your partner, for example, early in the morning. This will be good for both getting up and the relationship.
Drink coffee, chocolate or whatever you can to get your brain working. A banana, apples, oatmeal, greens, and even water also contribute.
Routine when getting up
You are already awake and active. But there is still a while to go to work. Something must be done so that the idea of going back to sleep does not get over us or we come to think that it is a waste of time to get up at this time.
It is good to have a scheduled routine that justifies getting up early. It doesn’t have to be the same every day. Options include checking the news, replying to messages, taking a short morning walk, reading, keeping a journal, or studying a language.
Make it a habit
What you’ve started to do, in regards to getting up early, has to become a habit. And that is achieved by doing it the same every day. As painful as it may sound, this includes the weekends. You should also keep the schedule on Saturdays and Sundays.
Treat sleep disorders
Lastly, if you’ve been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, obviously the process includes following through with your treatment so you can get a good night’s sleep and get up early.
Whether with medications, breathing devices for obstructive apnea, therapy or surgery, if this is your case, the treatment of the sleep disorder depends on the specific condition and is necessary to achieve the goal of getting up early.
Getting up early is positive
Getting up early has positive effects, as long as it involves getting enough sleep. That is, waking up at 5, after having gone to bed at 1, is not recommended.
Perhaps you are one of those who thinks that at night you concentrate better, because there is less noise and you breathe calm. However, being a night owl can cause problems for your health in the long run.
On the other hand, remember that there is nothing you do at night that you cannot do first thing in the morning. You may even be less overwhelmed, more awake, and with a higher level of energy.
