Although sleeping off exam stress seems like an optimal plan, we have to face the fact that revision is calling and that most of us probably want to avoid having to pull an all-nighter. Getting your sleep schedule back on track can require quite a bit of discipline but the benefits of getting up early are endless. Here are five tips on how to train yourself to wake up earlier so that you can get to work:
1. Set An Alarm: this is quite an obvious one but set your alarm for the time that you want to get up everyday and keep it on even on the weekends. While waking up at 7 a.m. may be a struggle the first few days, your inner body clock should adjust within a week.
2. Move your alarm across the room to avoid hitting snooze and sleeping for another 12 hours. Put your phone in a place where you have to physically get up to turn it off. That way, you will have to move first thing in the morning.
3. Natural Light: Having dark curtains to block out every bit of light can be great for sleeping long hours but when you want to wake up early, allowing natural light into your room often helps your body wake up when the sun comes up.
4. Go to bed earlier: Make a point of getting into bed earlier than usual since waking up early will only really work with the proper amount of sleep. Turn off your electronics to avoid being tempted to join a late night outing. It may seem weird at first but you may soon realize that your body is ready for bed earlier than you think.
5. Have something to look forward to in the morning: Yes, the main aim of waking up early may be to revise for exams but it can still be quite tempting to just lie in bed with Netflix instead of getting up and starting the day. Make sure you are giving yourself a reason to jump out of bed, whether that’s a cold shower, a workout or a good breakfast.