How to Become a Morning Person

Make a resolution to stop hitting the snooze button! Stop being envious of your friend who wakes up naturally (how is that possible?), and try becoming a morning person yourself. Waking up early has its benefits: you get more sun exposure, you'll always have time for breakfast or exercise, and you'll deal with fewer crowds on your commute if you go to work earlier.

1. Sleep earlier. It's hard to stop surfing the web late at night if you're a night owl, but just keep in mind that everything you're doing can wait until the next day. Make yourself go to bed earlier, and you'll be able to wake up earlier the next day.
2. Wake up a little earlier every day. It might be hard to suddenly get up hours earlier, but if you set your alarm 10 minutes earlier every day, it's going to be less of a shock to your body.
3. Eat a healthy breakfast. Energize yourself in the morning with a hearty and healthy breakfast. You'll be less fatigued during the day and more cheerful in the mornings. If you've been living on just black coffee in the mornings, then is it any wonder that you're a grump early in the day?
4. Work up a sweat. Doing a bit of exercise in the morning can rev you up for the day. You'll feel better after your workout, and you'll be able to attack your work with gusto throughout the day.
5. Keep the same sleep schedule all week. Don't mess up your body clock by sleeping in on the weekends. Try to keep the same sleeping schedule you have on workdays to keep the momentum going. Imagine all the things you can do on a day off when you're up a few hours earlier!
6. Relax before bed. Don't watch TV or fiddle around with laptops or gadgets right before you go to bed, because they are shining light into your eyes and maybe even tricking your brain into thinking that it's earlier than it really is. Make sure the light around you is not too bright when it's close to your bedtime. Try not to do anything too stimulating before bed, and instead focus on relaxing activities, like taking a bath or listening to soothing music.
7. Reward yourself. You'll have an easier time of getting out of bed if there's something to look forward to. Whether it's an exciting chapter in a book or a show you've DVR-ed, reward yourself for getting up early. You deserve it!