How to Trick Yourself Into Becoming a Morning Person

I’m not naturally a morning person. Growing up, waking up was always a challenge (ask my folks). In college, I arranged my class schedule so that I could sleep until the PM every day. But my life now, as a CEO and a dad, means that waking up early, clear-headed and ready to jump into the day, is a necessity. Over the years I’ve learned a few tricks to transform myself into an early bird who typically rises when the clock has a 5-handle.

Wake up with purpose

It’s so much easier to get out of bed when you have a sense of purpose and are excited about the day ahead. I get energized thinking about the meetings on my calendar, the incredible people I get to work and brainstorm and solve big problems with, and the time I spend with my family.

If you regularly wake up dreading the day, take a step back and make some changes. Life is way too short to live with a permanent case of the Sunday Scaries.

Sleep better

The importance of getting enough sleep has been getting a lot of press lately, and for good reason. You spend a third of your life in bed, and the quality of your sleep impacts the other two thirds. Where you sleep is not the place to skimp. Invest in a good mattress, and get your pillow custom fitted (you can do this at any mattress store). Don’t drink a ton of fluids before bed (h/t to my kids for teaching me this). Get black-out shades. Try earplugs. Check out white noise machines – I use an app for this when I travel.

And learn how much sleep you need. Most people truly need 8 hours, and only 5% of the population – those with a genetic mutation – can get by with 6 hours. If you’re in the other 95%, like I am, it’s not an impressive business feat to “only get a few hours.” It’s foolish and will impact both your health and your chance of success.

Get up better

I wake up better when I am rousted from my sleep gently, not with a klaxon old school alarm. I use an app called Sleep Cycle with an alarm that starts low and gradually increases in volume. Alternatively, Fitbit has a vibrating alarm that’ll wake you up gently, which I like as well.

Give yourself time to wake up. Maybe you set your alarm for 6 a.m., but don’t get out of bed until 6:30. That’s fine – the body takes some time to wake up. I like to stretch, drink a glass of water and meditate for a few minutes before my feet hit the ground. And yes, I often spend 10-15 minutes reading email and reviewing the HotelTonight numbers from the past day.

Fuel up wisely

I’m not usually hungry when I wake up, but having something small with protein and fat, like almonds or eggs, always gives me a boost of energy. I also put a personal ban on caffeine after 12 p.m. Think you need that 2 p.m. coffee fix because you’re groggy? You’ll be way more groggy the next day if you’re up until 1 a.m. watching Daredevil Season 2 on a caffeine high. (I speak from experience on this matter.)

Exercise

I’m a big believer that exercise is not only good for your body but for your mind – reducing stress, helping clear your head and boosting your creativity (this is one of the reasons HotelTonight offers a gym subsidy). Some days I can only get in a workout in the afternoon, but the mornings where I wake up and exercise early, I find I have a ton more energy for the day. It’s definitely painful to start a workout at 6 a.m. the first few times (what am I doing here again?) but you get addicted to how good it makes you feel the rest of the day.

Another tip is to sign up for a workout class you have to pay for, rather than your usual gym – or plan to meet a friend there. The temptation to bail is way less when you’re accountable to your friend or your wallet.

What are your best sleeping tips? I’d love to hear them (and put them to use!) –share in the comments!