Jay Summer is a health content writer and editor. She holds a B.S. in psychology and masters degrees in writing and public policy.
Dr. Singh is the Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders.
The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias.
More than half of adults hit the snooze button when waking up in the morning, suggesting they find waking up to their first alarm difficult. Many who snooze may do so because their sleep was disrupted or they are naturally “night owls.” Others struggle to wake up when they want due to sleep or mood disorders.
We cover expert-tested tips to wake up earlier and feel refreshed and ready to start your day.
Waking up early consistently can be a challenge especially if you’re used to being a night owl. However, becoming an early riser comes with many benefits – extra productivity feeling more energized, etc.
If you want to learn how to wake up early and stick with it, follow these 15 tips
1. Set an Early Bedtime
You need adequate sleep if you want to wake up early feeling refreshed. Most adults need 7-9 hours per night. So if you want to rise at 5 am, you should be in bed by 9 or 10 pm. This ensures you’re getting enough rest.
Stick to your set bedtime even on weekends to regulate your circadian rhythm. Turn off all screens an hour before bed as well. The blue light interferes with your body’s sleep cues.
2. Avoid Late-Night Snacks
Eating too close to bedtime disrupts sleep. To wake up early, stop eating 3 hours before bedtime. Especially avoid sweets, fatty foods, and anything spicy as these are hardest to digest.
If you get hungry before bed, have a light snack like yogurt, chamomile tea, or a banana. The nutrients help you sleep while keeping blood sugar stable.
3. Say No to Late-Night Alcohol and Coffee
It’s tempting to unwind with a nightcap or cup of coffee after dinner. But both disrupt quality sleep, making an early rise tougher.
Alcohol reduces REM sleep cycles. Since REM sleep helps you feel energized, less REM sleep leaves you groggier in the morning.
Caffeine’s stimulant effects also hinder falling asleep quickly. Stop consuming both 6 hours before bed for easier early rising.
4. Open Your Curtains
Letting natural light into your room first thing prompts your brain to wake up. So open your curtains before going to bed. When early morning sunshine floods your room, it signals to your body that it’s time to rise.
Exposure to sunlight also ceases melatonin production. Since melatonin makes you feel sleepy, less of it in your system makes waking up easier.
5. Exercise Regularly
Physical activity not only tires you out for better sleep, but it also boosts your energy levels. When you wake up early to exercise before work, those endorphins motivate you to get moving instead of hitting snooze.
Try to exercise 3-4 times a week – even just brisk walks or bodyweight circuits for 20-30 mins. But don’t exercise too close to bedtime.
6. Have a Consistent Wake-Up Time
Pick a set wake-up time and stick to it daily instead of waking up whenever. This programs your body clock to expect to rise at that time every day.
Consistency is key – maintain your set schedule on weekends too. After a few weeks, you’ll automatically start to wake up minutes before your alarm.
7. Get an Early Night Owl Accountability Partner
Ask a friend, partner, or family member to be your accountability partner. Check in with them before bedtime and as soon as you wake up. Knowing someone expects updates will motivate you to stick to your sleep schedule.
Ideally choose someone who naturally rises early. They can share what strategies work for them too.
8. Set Multiple Alarms
Place your main alarm clock far away from your bed on the other side of the room. This forces you to get up to turn it off versus hitting snooze.
You can also set backups on your phone, Alexa device, etc. The more alarms, the harder it is to keep sleeping through them all.
9. Pick an Uplifting Morning Playlist
Music boosts your mood and energy first thing. Make an upbeat playlist of your favorite feel-good songs to play as soon as your alarm goes off.
The rush of endorphins from singing and dancing along makes it harder to crawl back under the covers. Pick songs that get you excited to start your day.
10. Develop an Appealing Morning Routine
Have motivating activities lined up to enjoy in the morning. For example:
- Make coffee/tea and enjoy it on the patio
- Meditate or do yoga stretches
- Take a quick shower to feel refreshed
- Cook a healthy breakfast
This gives you things to look forward to besides work. It’s easier to wake up when you have a relaxing routine.
11. Prep the Night Before
Your morning will be less frantic if you prep the night before:
- Lay out clothes/shoes/bags
- Pack lunch
- Review tomorrow’s schedule
- Set coffeemaker/slow cooker timers
With your routine and supplies ready to go, you can head out the door faster. This prevents morning rushing which improves your mood and focus all day.
12. Go to Bed Earlier on Sundays
It’s tempting to stay up late and sleep in on weekends. But the irregular schedule confuses your body clock, making Monday morning torture.
Go to bed 1-2 hours earlier on Sundays to ease into your weekday routine. The transition back to early rising will be gentler so you’ll feel well-rested.
13. Try Sleep-Promoting Supplements
Talk to your doctor about supplements that can make an early rise easier. Melatonin helps regulate your sleep cycle. Magnesium promotes muscle relaxation. Lavender capsules also encourage drowsiness.
Take these about 30 minutes before bedtime. Never exceed dosage recommendations. Let your physician know of any other medications or health conditions first too.
14. Stick With It
It takes a few weeks to adjust to a new sleep schedule. So even if early rising seems unpleasant at first, don’t give up! The longer you stick with it, the more your body adapts so it gets easier.
You’ll likely be tired at first. Take short naps early in the day if you need to until your body acclimates to less overall sleep. In time, early rising will feel natural.
15. Be Patient with Yourself
Don’t beat yourself up if you hit snooze sometimes or occasionally sleep in late. The transition to early rising has its bumps. Expect setbacks and treat yourself kindly.
The most important thing is persistence. Keep pivoting back to your new schedule. As long as you maintain the routine more often than not, you’ll see the benefits!
Set an Earlier Bedtime
Over one-third of U.S. adults Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. View Source do not get the recommended amount of sleep, which is seven or more hours per night. Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source Trouble waking up in the morning may indicate that you haven’t yet slept enough that night.
By going to sleep earlier, you can give yourself the chance to sleep more before your alarm goes off in the morning. You’ll know you’re going to bed early enough when you begin waking up feeling refreshed.
Going to bed earlier may even provide health benefits. Research shows that the timing of when people sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source is tied to health and adults who get their sleep earlier in the night have fewer negative health issues.
Eat Meals Earlier Rather Than Later
If you struggle to wake up in the morning because you stay up late, altering when you eat may help. Earlier meal times have been found to help people shift their bedtimes and wake times earlier. In one study, participants successfully shifted their sleep schedule two hours earlier by eating breakfast shortly after waking up, eating lunch at the same time every day, and not eating after 7 p.m.
Shifting meal times earlier can potentially impact your sleep schedule by affecting your circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are biological fluctuations that occur in the body over each 24-hour period and can impact when we feel tired or alert. The timing of factors like meals, light exposure, and physical activity can alter human circadian rhythms.
