Early birds who wake up as early as three have opened up about their productive morning routines. Photo / Getty Images
Early birds who wake up as early as three have opened up about their productive morning routines. Photo / Getty Images
When the alarm goes off in the morning, the temptation is often strong to hit snooze and try waking up again at a more agreeable hour—but getting up with or before the sun can have a big payoff.
Early birds who wake up as early as three—even though most could afford to sleep in a little longer—have opened up about their productive morning routines, detailing everything they do with all their extra hours of alone time.
Some view their early mornings as a way to spent time for themselves before the rest of the world awakes, and devote them to activities such as stretching, meditating, praying, or reflecting.
Lindy L, a 47-year-old educator, told Self she typically wakes up at 4am, though "on a good day" she might even get out of bed around 3:45.
She begins her day by taking "a moment to reflect on [her] body, [her] thoughts, and [her] feelings", before performing five minutes of deep breathing exercises.
Lindy then makes sure to drink water before carving out five minutes to "think about [her] goals for the day, say [her] morning prayers, and do a five-minute meditation".
Her early mornings also enable her to do some gentle exercise and stretch for a total duration of 10 to 15 minutes, before getting ready for the day.
Before she leaves for work, Lindy, who usually goes to bed between 10 and 10:30pm, also has time to journal and make herself a smoothie.
"Mornings are magical," she told the magazine. "They're such a special time, and the great thing is, you get to decide how to spend them."
For others, an early wake up time is a chance to get in a workout before a busy day, sometimes in combination with mindful activities.
One Reddit user said they typically wake up at 5:30 and immediately go into the kitchen to get some oats started in the microwave and make coffee.
"While this prepares, [I] go through emails on my phone,' they wrote in a thread dedicated to morning habits.
"After about five-10 minutes, I eat my oats and drink coffee while I read something (non-fiction, reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius [at the moment])."
That same Reddit user then goes to the gym from 6:15 to 7:15, before drinking a protein shake and eating breakfast—all before starting work by nine.
Most people who opt to wake up significantly earlier than their nine to five peers make sure to have an early bed time so as to get a decent amount of shuteye before the alarm rings.
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night according to the National Sleep Foundation, while teenagers between 14 and 17 should aim for eight to 10 hours.
Wendy P., a prosecutor, lecturer, and author, finds that her early morning routine works so well for her, she typically doesn't even need an alarm to wake up at 3am.
She told Self she has a cup of coffee right after she gets up, then works for an hour before having breakfast at 4am.
Wendy, who goes to bed at eight when possible, has time to do more work, such as "writing articles, creating presentations, and so on" before going to the gym with some of her colleagues at six.
In order to preserve her productive mornings, the lawyer watches her schedule to ensure she can go to bed at a reasonable time.
"The trick to my 8pm to 3am sleep schedule is monitoring my post-work activities to make sure I can actually get to bed by 8pm," she said.
Some people have found ways to make their early mornings easier. For one Reddit user, this meant buying a piece of exercise equipment to be able to work out without leaving the comfort of their apartment.
"Becoming a morning person was a learned behavior for me; I was a night owl until I had kids." Photo / Getty Images
"[On] work days I have two alarms. One at 5:30 and the other at 6:15. Two or three times a week I'll get up on the first one and do fasted cardio," they wrote.
"Sometimes it's hard to get motivated for that because my bed seems so nice and warm at the time, but I've made it easier on myself by buying a used exercise bike so I don't have to leave my apartment."
At 6:15, the Reddit user then has breakfast, gets ready for the day, and leaves for work at 6:55—in time to start their work day at 7:10.
One early riser even explained how she manages to fit in not one, but two workouts in a single morning while also completing the school run.
Heidi M., 43, told Self she gets up at six to exercise, which can involve lifting weights, doing sit-ups, and stretching, or watching a workout video, or at times running with her dog.
The therapist, who has a private counseling practice, journals and meditates at 7, has breakfast at 7:15, and at 7:30 takes her children to school.
At 8, she can then run, either outside or on a treadmill if the weather calls for it.
"Becoming a morning person was a learned behavior for me; I was a night owl until I had kids. But once I did, I realized pretty quickly that if I wanted time to myself, it was easier to find it during the morning while everyone's asleep."
Several people find that getting up early is a way to spend time with their families before the day gets busy, or cross a few items off their to-do list.
Tameika D., 45, is an attorney, consultant, and elected official who gets up at 4am, giving herself four precious hours to go through various tasks before she leaves for work.
Her day starts with starting a load of laundry before doing 15 minutes of light yoga and meditation. She then has time for a 30-minute workout, leaving her to shower at 5am.
Between 5:30 and six, Tameika typically does dishes, cleans her house, and answers emails, all before her children wake up at six.
By the time she ensures her little ones get to school, Tameika has been up for three hours. She uses her last hour before she has to go to work to check the news and have breakfast.
The attorney finds getting through so many tasks in the morning rewarding, in addition to being just more convenient.
"Getting these things done early brings me a sense of accomplishment," she said. "Plus, it's easier to just knock these things out first thing in the morning when it's quiet."
HOW TO GET OUT OF BED IN NO TIME EVEN ON EARLY MORNINGS
By Olivia Elgart for DailyMail.com
1. Drink water
Before you go to bed, leave a glass of water or water bottle out on your nightstand for the next morning.
When you wake up, drink water to help your body get hydrated, plus it helps kick your body's metabolism into gear.
When your alarm clock is right next to you, within an arm's length, whether it's a phone or an actual clock, makes it easy to just tap it to snooze.
So, place the device further away from your bad, so that when your alarm goes off, you can't just reach over and tap it. Instead, you're actually forced to get up, get out of bed and turn it off.
3. Open the blinds
Seeing the sun peek through your windows in the morning can be frustrating and annoying, but it's a simple way to alert you that it's time to get up.
Before going to bed, open up your blinds so that by the time you wake up in the morning, the sunrise is bursting through your windows.
When it's time for bed, your body temperature decreases in order to initiate sleep.
So, by setting a specific temperature to your bedroom, you can actually facilitate a better sleep. The ideal room temps for sleeping are 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
5. Wear your alarm clock
There is nothing worse than the loud dreaded sound of an alarm going off. The jarring loud noise can quite literally wrench you out of your sleep in a most uncomfortable way, meaning that your first experience in the morning is one of shock and adrenaline, rather than feeling like you are well rested.
Enter wearable alarm clocks, the perfect alternative for people who struggle to cope with the abrasive noise of their phone or clock every morning.
You can invest in a watch which silently wakes you up by vibrating or other tech products like a pillow case that vibrates when it's time for you to seize the day.
If you start lying around in bed all day to do stuff other than sleeping, your mind will stop associating your bed with relaxation and sleep, instead connecting it with a time during which different tasks are accomplished, making it harder to go to bed at night.
7. No alcohol or caffeine
After a long day of work, sometimes unwinding with a glass of wine just seems like the right thing to do.
However, if you want to wake up early feeling refreshed, you're going to have to pass on the caffeine and alcohol. Instead, swap the beverages for a hot cup of caffeine-free herbal tea such as chamomile or lavender.
This may seem surprising to many people, but taking a bath before bed as a way to wind down can actually have the reverse effect.
Since your body temperature drops at bedtime, the hot water from the bath will actually spike your body temperature, which your body then has to cool down again. So, if you want to indulge, take a bath at least an hour before bed.
9. Make lists
Many people do the most thinking while they're tossing and turning in bed, whether it's working out a problem that they have been struggling with all day, or making plans for the next morning.
However, making lists in your head late at night, and then trying to retain all of that information until the following day, will likely keep you up into the night, and stop you from being able to relax enough to get a good night's sleep.
To prevent this, keep a notebad and pen next to your bed, and set aside some time before bed to write down all of the things you have to get done the next day, that way your lists won't keep you from getting some shut-eye.
And, if you happen to come up with a genius idea in the middle of the night, you can simply reach for the pen and paper to jot it down, meaning the thought will be fresh in your head the following morning.
10. Set your coffee pot
Buy yourself a coffee pot, or brewing device, that has a built-in clock and timer. Then, before bed, set it to start brewing five minutes before your alarm is due to go off.
That way, when you wake up in the morning, it's not just your alarm that's waking you up, it's the delicious aroma of morning java, which is sure to entice you out of your warm bed.
11. Convince yourself you can get up
Instead of grumbling about how awful it is to get up, and how much you are dreading your next early morning start, instead, talk to yourself positively about the mornings.
Describe getting out of bed as the greatest thing ever, and start thinking about the most positive aspects of the day—whether it's a meeting you are looking forward to, a meal you're excited to eat, or plans that you can't wait to make and do; this simple trick really will prove the adage 'mind over matter' and you'll be surprised at just how easily you bound out of bed in the morning.
12. Take melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone made naturally in your body that regulates sleep and wakefulness.
So, taking the supplement is a natural way to put you to sleep when your body needs the extra push. Plus, melatonin supplements come in different varieties including pills, tablets, gummies and liquids.
13. Turn the screen off
Turning off all electronics such as the TV, laptops, and your phones can drastically make a difference on your sleeping habits.
Instead of scrolling through social media before bed, set aside a half hour to turn electronics off, switching on the Do Not Disturb button on your phone, and unwinding naturally.
If you need something to keep you occupied once you're in bed, try reading a book, writing in a journal, or even working on a coloring book. All of these no-screen activities will help to soothe your eyes and your mind and get you ready to snooze peacefully.
