I am a morning person. But I’m not the type of morning person that you are probably picturing. I am not waking up at 5 a.m. to drink a gallon of water and go to the gym to work out for an hour (or two). I applaud the people who do that. But it couldn't be me. 

No, I am the type of morning person who loves mornings, but only with my cozy, laid-back routine. My routine consists of waking up early in the morning and looking forward to her first cup of coffee. My morning routine consists of sitting down with that first cup of coffee to read my book or write in my journal. 

Morning routines are personal. They don’t have to look the same as everyone else. And this is all to say that if you don’t like waking up early, then you absolutely don’t have to wake up early to read for an hour or go to the gym for an hour. You can sleep in and roll out of bed 15 minutes before you head to your desk. 

However, if you are someone who wants to wake up earlier in the mornings for whatever reason, this blog post is for you. 

Establish a consistent sleep schedule.  

Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. I wake up at the same time every day, and although it might seem wonky or weird to wake up at an early time on the weekends, my sleep schedule remains consistent and my body is used to the same time each week and knows my routine. 

Create a bedtime routine.  

It might seem crazy to think about a bedtime routine in a morning routine blog post, but developing a consistent bedtime routine allows you to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to go. Stay away from your phone and include activities like reading, taking a warm shower or bath, meditating, or deep breathing exercises. 

Limit exposure to screens before bed.  

Blue light no more! This blue light that comes from your smartphone can interfere with your body’s REM cycle. I am not the best at this, because “one quick scroll through Instagram or TikTok'' turns into an hour, but try reducing your screen time and exposure to screens at bedtime. 

Expose yourself to natural light in the morning.

Open your windows in the morning! Natural light helps me so much and it helps regulate your body’s sleep-wake cycle. 

Set a motivating reason to wake up early.

This is by far my favorite tip that I always love to give those who are wanting to wake up earlier in the morning. Reward yourself for waking up early in the morning! Whether this is a walk around the block, a delightful cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice), or the chance to read the book you’re currently reading. For me, I love the chance to sit down with my fresh cup of coffee, my journal, and my current read. 

Use your alarm clock wisely.

Most blog posts will tell you to “put your alarm clock” (your smartphone, let’s be real here) on the other side of the room. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably worried that you won’t be able to hear it. I need to put my alarm clock (my phone) on my night stand—however, I place it on the far corner of my nightstand so I have to stretch my arm really wide to touch my phone to turn off the alarm.

Be patient and persistent.

You’re not going to wake up one morning and turn into a morning person. Your body needs time to adjust to waking up earlier, so be patient with yourself. Stick to your new wake-up time consistently, and eventually, it will become a habit. 

Stay committed and consistent.

Try to stick to your new morning routine of waking up earlier, try to stick to it even on days when it’s tempting to sleep in. Consistency is key for maintaining a healthy sleep schedule.