Everyone has those days when getting out of bed feels like the last thing you want to do, but this is a regular occurrence for some of us. No matter how much you intend to get up to workout/journal/take a deep breath before the chaos of the day begins, the temptation to snooze your alarm always wins over.

It’s frustrating, especially when social media is full of videos of people jumping out of bed to enjoy a long, rejuvenating morning routine that sets them up for the day ahead. I’ve never been a morning person, and I’ve often beaten myself up for struggling to start my mornings off this way. Why, when I know how beneficial that extra time could be, can I not just get out of bed on time and start my day? 

Of course, judging my life against the highlight reel that is social media isn’t exactly helpful, so a few months ago, I decided to dig a little deeper into the science behind waking up to see if there were any evidence-based action points that’d make the start of the day a bit easier to handle. The result? I still wouldn’t describe myself as a morning person, but I have managed to start working out before work and enjoy a little extra time before the day begins in earnest.

Most of the changes I’ve made have been to do with sleep – concentrating on the night before to make the morning after easier. Below are the three key steps I’ve taken in my journey towards becoming a ‘morning person’. 

It’s not rocket science, but I believe this has been the biggest game changer when it comes to my ability to wake up in the mornings. Waking up at the same time every day – including on the weekends – has made a huge difference to how I feel when I wake up. I used to vary my alarm depending on whether it was an office day, a working from home situation or the weekend; these days, it’s firmly set for 7am and I allow myself a 15-minute grace period either side.

At first, I really missed those weekend lie ins – but as the time went on, I stopped feeling the need to sleep for longer. If I’m still feeling tired on my days off, I’ll now treat myself to a quick afternoon nap and longer wind -down period before bed.

While the results weren’t instantaneous, my body has now adapted to this new routine and often wakes up naturally around 7am even on days where I haven’t set an alarm. It’s hardly surprising: experts often recommend sticking to a consistent wake-up time to train your circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock). In this way, my body is now designed to function at those times and knows exactly what to expect, regulating my hormones to give me energy at the right times. 

I used to treat myself to a lengthy scroll on social media before turning off the lights, but I’ve recently swapped my phone for a book, and that’s made a huge difference to my sleep latency. Why? Winding down before bed is one of the best things we can do to stimulate the production of melatonin – one of the two main hormones regulated by the circadian rhythm – giving our bodies a signal to start prepping for sleep. In turn, this can help to keep our circadian rhythm in check, so it functions well in the morning, too.

The increased sense of relaxation and calm I feel when I read before bed also makes it easier for me to drift off; my Oura ring shows that my resting heart rate stabilises quicker (ie it hits its lowest point earlier in the night) when I’ve given myself the opportunity to relax before I go to sleep. This is a sign that my body is in a state of calm – ideal for maximising the quality of my sleep so I feel more energised in the morning. 

This one’s probably more psychological than physiological, but it’s still made a difference. While I’ve tried countless times in the past to start waking up earlier, I never really paid much thought to what I would use that time for. This meant that I didn’t feel like I was missing out on something when I chose to curl over and snooze my alarm clock for the third time in a row.

Recently, however, I’ve started to put together some concrete plans and goals for what my morning will look like before I go to bed, whether that’s going to the gym, getting outside for a morning walk, trying a new hair or make-up look for the office or making myself a nice breakfast.

Being able to visualise exactly what my morning will look like – as well as the outcomes of my actions – makes it easier to motivate myself to throw off the covers and start my day, no matter how tired I am. And it also gives me a sense of direction in those early morning moments when my brain isn’t switched on yet.  

Images: Getty