How to Get up Early

Last Updated: November 12, 2022 References Approved

We've all been there. You went to bed determined to get up bright and early; and the next day, you find yourself hitting the snooze button. And hitting it again. And again. Pretty soon, an hour has passed, and you're still groggy and running late. So how do you change this habit and learn to get up earlier? Well, you have to start by establishing a healthy daytime and nighttime routine. That will help you to go to bed faster, and to wake up earlier without hitting that snooze button. See "Step 1" to get started.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Getting Up Early

1
Don't hit the snooze button. If you snooze, then you really lose.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source} Your snooze alarm won't be long enough for you to actually get any more rest, and hitting snooze will only make you fall back into a restless sleep and to waste so much of your precious time. If you have a solid morning routine, it shouldn't be hard for you to hit your alarm once and to get up and start your day. Okay, who are we kidding — of course it'll be hard at first, but you can build your way towards making it easy.
- One thing you can do to motivate yourself to not hit the snooze button is to come up with something you're looking forward to doing that you can only accomplish if you have enough time. Maybe you can tell yourself that, if you wake up without hitting snooze, you can watch ten minutes of your favorite morning show, that you can read that article you've been meaning to read, or that you can take a quick refreshing walk around the block. If you tell yourself that you can only do this thing if you get up right away, then you'll be much more motivated to do so.
- Wake up earlier and earlier gradually. Instead of setting your alarm for 1 hour earlier than usual, try waking up 10 minutes earlier each day for a week.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Jennifer Butler, MSW
  Love & Empowerment Coach
  Expert Interview. 31 July 2020.}
2
Drink a large glass of cold water. Drinking a refreshing glass of water will start to wake you up and to get your body in order. Stand tall as you're drinking this glass and you'll feel your body and senses slowly come alive. If the water is nice and cold, that can jar you awake even more easily. You can even have a bottle of water waiting for you at your bedside to motivate you to get up early.

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3
Splash cold water on your face. This will also help you stay alert and awake as you go about your morning routine. Get those crusties out of your eyes, gently slap your cheeks, and shake your head from side to side as you start to wake yourself up. If you don't feel the effects at first, splash some more water on that beautiful face of yours!
4
Get some fresh air. Step out on your front porch or balcony and get a few lungfuls of fresh air. This will help you feel awake, alert, and ready to start your day. Changing up your environment like this can also motivate you to wake up. If there are people outside, watch them starting their school and work days and know that you're not alone in your struggle to get up early. This can help you feel more connected and more motivated to get up.
5
Have a nutritious breakfast. Having a healthy and nutritious breakfast can give you the energy you need to really wake up your mind and body without weighing you down. Don't eat anything too greasy or fattening, such as a cheese-filled omelet or greasy bacon, and opt for healthier options that can make you stay more alert for longer. Here are some great options you can try:
- Lean proteins, such as turkey bacon, lean ham, or egg whites
- Veggies such as kale, celery, or spinach
- Whole grains such as oatmeal or cereal
- A small yogurt
6
Have caffeine, but not too much. A cup of coffee or tea can also help you get up early and start your day — some people swear that even the smell of coffee wakes them up! Just one cup of joe can help you feel more alert, but you should avoid having too many cups of coffee throughout your day, or it'll make it harder for you to fall asleep, and to wake up early. If you're a coffee addict, try to work yourself down to just one or two cups a day and avoid having caffeine after noon. This will help you start your day off on the right foot and will keep you from crashing later on in the day.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist
Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.}
- It goes without saying: avoid energy drinks! Though these sugary treats may help you cram for your calculus exam, they'll make your heart race and will make it much harder for you to fall asleep.
7
Take a cold shower. A hot shower may make you more tired, but a nice cold or only lukewarm shower can help you feel more alert. Though most people like to shower at night, showering in the morning can help you wake up your entire body. Some people like to shower shortly after they wake up, while others like to eat breakfast first. You have to find whatever works for you — and stick to it.
8
Stay alert throughout the day. If you want to be able to go to bed easily and to wake up early, then you have to maintain healthy habits throughout the day. There are many different things you can do to stay alert as you go about your day, but here are a few ideas to make your days easier:
- Take a power nap if you need one. Napping for just 20 or so minutes can help you feel refreshed. Napping for over an hour or more, however, can actually lead you to be more tired and can make it harder for you to fall asleep at night.
- Exercise in the earlier part of the day. Exercise will help your body release some of its energy and will help you be ready for bed in the evenings. Just don't exercise after the early evening or your adrenaline will still be pumping and will make it harder for you to go to bed.
- Spend some time outside. Get some fresh air, be in the sunlight, and don't spend all day cooped up indoors. Doing this will give you some energy during the day, and will help you be ready for sleep when the time comes.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking at least 10 8 oz. glasses of water throughout the day will keep your energy up and will help you stay healthy.^{[4]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  FamilyDoctor.org
  Family-focused medical advice site run by the American Academy of Family Doctors
  Go to source}
- Eat healthy meals throughout the day. Eat at least three balanced meals that give you protein, fruits and veggies, and take the time to have small snacks, such as fruits, nuts, or yogurt throughout your day so your body never feels like it's running on empty. Find a balance between never feeling super hungry or uncomfortably full, and make healthy eating a part of your daily routine.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Getting Ready for Bed

1
Avoid caffeine. If you want to wake up early, then you have to plan to go to bed early, or at least earlier than you expected to. One thing you have to do to make this happen is to avoid caffeine in the evenings — ideally, you should avoid it after noon. Even if you may be feeling tired, there are other ways to get that extra energy back, and caffeine should only be a last resort. If you want to go to bed and to wake up without a problem, then skip the caffeine in the afternoon and evening the next time you have a craving.^{[6]
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Research source}
2
Avoid alcohol at least 2-3 hours before bed. Though a glass of wine or a beer may help you initially pass out after a long day, alcohol actually makes it harder for you to fall into a deep sleep, which is why you can pass out for 8 hours after drinking alcohol and still wake up feeling tired and achy. You can have a glass of wine with dinner, but make sure you don't have anything to drink for at least 2-3 hours before you go to bed, or it'll be harder for you to get to bed, and therefore, harder to get up early.
3
Eat a filling but healthy meal 2-3 hours before bed. If you eat your dinner late and pass out an hour later, it'll be harder for you to fall asleep because your body will still be digesting the food. Eat a healthy mix of veggies, a protein such as fish or chicken, and healthy carbs, such as brown rice or whole grain pasta. Make sure you get enough food that you don't wake up hungry in the middle of the night, but that you don't eat so much that you feel stuffed and can't fall asleep.
- Avoid eating foods that are very spicy, heavy, or creamy, or your body will have a harder time digesting them and it'll be even harder for you to fall asleep.
- While staying hydrated throughout your day is important, you should limit the amount of water you drink after 7 pm, or around 3-4 hours before bed. You don't want to have to keep waking up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.
4
Use your bed only for sleep. If you want to make it as easy as possible for yourself to fall asleep, then you should use your bed for sleep and sleep only. If you do work in your bed, watch TV in bed, or even fight with your best friend over the phone in bed, then you'll confuse your bed with a place to be awake instead of a place where you should rest. Make sure not to multitask this vital piece of furniture if you want a restful sleep.
- You can also read in your bed a little bit before bed. Just make sure that the material is relaxing — or escapist — and that it doesn't cause you stress.
5
Turn off all visual stimuli at least an hour before you go to bed. Though you may think that watching TV or reading celebrity gossip online helps you fall asleep, it may actually be hurting you when it comes time to get some shut eye. You want your mind to feel as calm and relaxed as possible when you get ready to sleep, so you should shut off your phone, television, and computer at least an hour before bed so your body has time to settle into sleep mode.^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
Go to source}
- You can play some light, relaxing music, such as jazz or classical music as you get ready for bed. But don't play any of your favorite pump-up jams, or they will get your mind spinning.
6
Have a relaxing winding-down routine. If you want to be able to easily fall asleep, then you have to find a routine that works for you. Every person is different, but you should play around until you find exactly what it is that makes you fall asleep as easily as possible. This could mean having a cup of chamomile tea, reading some poetry, doing some stretches, or listening to classical music. It can also mean a combination of these things. Maybe you like brushing your hair before bed, or putting on silk pajamas. Find whatever works for you, and do it every night, so your mind knows when you are trying to turn it off.^{[8]
X
Trustworthy Source
HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
Go to source}
- Though some people love to take a warm bath right before bed, you should only do this if you have a few hours remaining before bed. Taking a warm bath actually turns up your body temperature and will keep it up for a little while, which will make it harder to fall asleep.
7
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. This is absolutely crucial if you want to be able to get up early. Though it's important to get between 7-9 hours of sleep a night, it's equally important to go to bed around the same time and to wake up at around the same time every morning so that your body settles into a routine. Find a half-hour window in which you like to go to bed and to wake up and stick to it. You'll be amazed by how much easier it is to wake up early once you stick to it for a while.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Specialist
Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.}
- If you know you have to wake up early and try going to bed three hours earlier that day, it probably won't work. You'll have to gradually build to waking up and going to bed earlier so your body gets used to it. Waking up super early after you usually wake up pretty late will be quite painful, so it's better to ease into it.
- Some people like to use the weekends to catch up on their sleep. You can definitely get a bit more sleep over the weekend — about an hour or so will be fine — but if you dramatically raise the amount of sleep you get over the weekend, it'll be harder for you to settle back in to your weekday routine when the time comes.
8
Place your alarm clock just out of reach. Place your alarm clock on the other side of your room, on your dresser, or just far enough away that you have to get up to turn it off. If it's so close to you that you can reflexively reach out and turn it off, then there won't be anything stopping you from hitting snooze. You should place it out of your reach, but close enough that you can actually hear it, of course.
- If you want to really force yourself to get up, you can place a second alarm in a different room. That way, you'll be forced to get up to turn it off, but you won't have to worry about not hearing it.
9
Visualize yourself waking up easily. Before you go to bed, just as you feel yourself drifting off, imagine what your next day will be like. Imagine hearing your alarm and opening your eyes as you reach for it. Imagine smiling, stretching your arms over your head, yawning, and quickly getting yourself up. Picture yourself having a drink of water, going to the bathroom and starting your day nice and early. If you can visualize this happening, then the next morning, it'll be much easier to make this image a reality.
- As you struggle to get up, remind yourself about how easy it was to get up when you imagined it, and try to make it happen.
10
Get ready for relaxing sleep. Once you've gotten your night-time routine down, all that's left is crawling into bed and closing your eyes. But there are a few small things you should take into account before you do that. Here's what you can do to ensure that your sleep is completely relaxing:
- Don't do anything stressful in the evenings. Avoid fighting with your spouse, answering work emails, or having a stressful phone conversation. If something stressful can wait until the next day, put it off so you don't go to bed feeling all frazzled.
- Turn down the temperature. Your body will rest more easily if the temperature is 72 degrees or lower. You can even crack open a window if there's a breeze outside.^{[10]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Alex Dimitriu, MD
  Sleep Specialist
  Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.}
- Say goodbye to your beloved kitty. Though owners love sleeping with their cats, this has been proven to make it harder for them to fall sleep.

Warnings

Don't make excuses.

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If you miss a day, just start over. Don't beat yourself up over it.

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Helpful 11 Not Helpful 2
Having a fan blowing as you go to bed can help cool you down and drown out white noise.

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