It is not easy being a night owl in our busy world. Whether you like it or not, much of the world operates on the schedule of an early bird. Whether you are waking up at 8 a.m. to go to a meeting or that ridiculous class that you are required to attend, living in an early bird’s world can leave you short on your beauty sleep.
So, what is a lover of those precious midnight oils to do? Here is some advice on how to shift your night owl tendencies so you can officially end that toxic relationship with your snooze button.
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Shift your bedtime
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I used to be the person that had a terrible case of FOMO if I fell asleep early because it always seemed that everything fun always occurred late at night. However, now I have a fear of FOMOOS, or fear of missing out on sleep. With early morning classes, it almost feels impossible to get the recommended amount of sleep. I have found that if you count backwards from the time your alarm is set to go off you can find your recommended bedtime.
It can be a big adjustment going to bed a lot earlier than you are used to. My advice would be to go to bed at least 15-20 minutes earlier every night until your body gets used to the new bedtime. It is very important to adjust your sleep time gradually instead of just jumping in all at once.
- Make it a routine
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Before bed, I loved watching Youtube videos, scrolling through all my social media, and listening to my favorite songs. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I found myself staying up so late for things that could wait until another time. A quiet bedtime routine is key to falling asleep earlier. At least an hour before bed, dim your lights and turn off your electronics because it is time to relax for the night. Take a warm bath, read a book, or listen to a really soothing podcast. Give yourself this time to wind down from such a stressful day and let your mind relax.
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Lighten up
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Waking up to natural light is the best thing in the world. It feels so soothing and makes your body feel more alert and ready to take on the new day. Go outside or open your bedroom window and greet this day with a smile and open arms. If you can’t go outside, especially if it feels like Antarctica outside your bedroom door, then some nice dim lamps are a great second option.
- Make your mornings more pleasant
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If I have nothing to look forward to in the morning, then what is the point in getting up early? I always have a cup of coffee or some soothing tea, along with my favorite morning playlist playing in the background. When you know that there is something very satisfying waiting for you once you get out of bed makes that first step out of bed worth it.
- Move your alarm clock
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That snooze button is so tempting to always hit, especially when it is so close to you, but it is time to break up with this toxic relationship. Try putting your alarm clock across the room so that you have to get up to turn it off. There are even apps being created in order to make it harder to fall back to sleep once your alarm goes off. These apps will mentally stimulate you to solve puzzles or math equations in order to stop the beeping from your alarm.
Becoming a morning person is not a very easy thing to do, but it will be worth it, especially when you realize that there are many benefits to getting up early. For example, not missing that first class of the day, missing an exam, or missing work!