17 tiny habits to wake up earlier
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Here are some habit ideas for for waking up earlier that you might want to incorporate in the morning and the evening
Let’s not sugarcoat it, waking up is HARD! Getting out of a warm bed to begin a stressful day is probably the last thing anyone wants to do. Our society is catered toward the early bird schedule, with work and school both typically starting earlier in the morning. For those who crave the quiet of the night and snooze their alarms countless times in the morning, getting enough sleep is a daily challenge. Being intentional about sleep and schedules can make a world of difference.
If you’d like to try to wake up earlier, here’s a habit-building approach that’s research-backed
At Shelpful, we follow the Tiny Habits Method when we want to start a brand new habit. This method is based on the work of world-renowned habit expert, Dr. BJ Fogg. In his book Tiny Habits, he explains that you should make the habits as small as possible, and anchor the new habit to an existing trigger during your day. (things you already do – like turning on a light switch, brewing your coffee, walking through your front door, etc.
Anchor (existing habit) + Tiny Habit (miniature version of your new habit)
The goal of this habit-building method is to make them almost impossible NOT to do, and will eventually become second nature.
Consider habits for both the morning-of and the night-before
Because waking up early is VERY influenced by your sleep the night before, make sure that any new alarm times you are striving for are gradual. The Sleep Foundation recommends making gradual changes to ease into an earlier wake-up time. You can start this by shifting your sleep schedule by 15 minutes each day until you reach your desired wake-up time. Meaning, each night, go to sleep 15 minutes earlier and set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier.
The approach of small changes works across the board here. Little by little, you can reach your wake-up goals. We have listed 17 examples of tiny habits that can encourage waking up early. With each of these examples, we've attached a common anchor that you may already do as part of your routine.
By anchoring the new habit to an existing one, your brain can lock in the habit and help it become second nature very quickly. We highly recommend implementing any of these habits or using them for inspiration to make habits of your own!
17 Tiny Habits to Get Up Earlier
“After I hear my alarm, I will put one foot on the floor.”
“After I take my last bite of dinner, I will put my dishes in the dishwasher” (This will decrease the chance of eating before bed).
Before setting my alarm, I will consider what time I NEED to be up and set it for a little earlier to avoid rushing around and making a chaotic morning.”
“After I shut the dishwasher, I will set my alarm for the morning.”
“After setting my alarm, I will put my phone on do not disturb and not pick it up again before bed” (exposure to blue light can interfere with the ability to fall asleep).
“When I plug my phone in, I will plug it in across the room” (One-time behavior: moving your charger so its always there. This will force you out of bed in the morning).
“After plugging my phone in, I will turn on the soft lights in my room” (Our bodies associate light with day, soft bedtime lights will help release melatonin in your body).
“After putting on pajamas, I put away any clothes or clutter from the day” (A clean room can help ease the mind).
“After pulling back my covers, I will sit in bed and journal about the day.”
“After closing the door to my bedroom, I will do a quick stretch to release any tension in my body.”
“After I stand up out of bed, I will open the blinds/curtains to let the light in.”
“After I set my toothbrush down at night, I will set out my workout clothes.”
“After getting dressed, I will make my bed.”
“After opening my bedroom door, I will move my body” (Whether it be going for a run, or a 5-minute yoga session, being active will wake up your body).
“After hearing my alarm, I will take a sip of water.” (instead of hitting snooze)
“After rinsing the conditioner out of my hair, I will turn the water cold for a few minutes” (Cold showers have numerous benefits, and will help to wake your body up).
“After I am dressed and ready, I will look at my phone and see anything I missed” (Not picking up your phone right when you wake up will decrease distractions).
While waking up early is often extremely beneficial in countless ways, don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t work for you. Ultimately, as long as you are getting enough sleep to support your body you should do what works for you! Incorporating these habits into your routine can help you cultivate a meaningful routine, not just waking up early.
Changing your schedule, and/or incorporating new habits can be very hard to do, but remind yourself that any change or effort toward forming a new habit is a WIN, no matter how small!
If you are shifting the time you wake up, make it a gradual shift
THE PLAN:
• Start Small: Gradually shift your wake-up time. Begin by setting your alarm just 4 minutes earlier each day (or every few days). Small changes are less shocking to your system and more sustainable in the long run.
EXAMPLE 1:
• Goal: Wake up at 6:45 AM
• Starting Point: 7:45 AM
• Adjust by 4 minutes earlier daily
• You’ll achieve this in just over 2 weeks. you could do every other day and be there in a month. That’s not long!!
EXAMPLE 2:
• Goal: wake up at 6 AM
• Starting Point: 10:00 AM
• Adjust by 4 minutes earlier daily
• It will take around 60 days, or about 8.5 weeks, to reach the 6:00 AM goal.
☀️☀️SUN: for any shift, try to get your face outside into the sunlight as soon as humanly possible — this actually helps “program” your new wake up time. ☀️
Give yourself some Grace: Remember, genetics play a role in our sleep preferences. Research involving nearly 700,000 people identified 351 genetic factors influencing whether you’re a morning person or a night owl. So, be patient and listen to your body’s cues.
Take the First Step
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