Getting up early: Tips for more energy in the morning

First of all, we should clarify whether your plan of becoming an early riser is realistic at all. If you look at the theory of different sleep types, you might think that this project is doomed to failure anyway due to the genetically determined biorhythm.

And indeed: If you are an absolute late riser, you will find it difficult to wake up at 5 a.m. all by yourself. But that doesn’t have to be the goal. Often, just 1 to 2 hours more time in the morning is enough to start the day more relaxed, be more productive and meet the demands of the modern performance-oriented society.

Especially if you are a so-called late type (by your standards) and have to leave the house early, getting up between 7:30 and 8 a.m. instead of 9:30 a.m. can contribute greatly to your satisfaction. But if, like most people, you are an in-between type who falls asleep at around midnight and wakes up at 7 a.m., nothing should stand in the way of the 5 AM Club.

If you want to give your day more hours and fill them as productively as possible, you should do this in the morning. Because while we are often less focused and productive in the evening, our brain is already running at full speed shortly after waking up. This is when we are at our most creative. But to gain this time for yourself, you first have to manage getting up early. Here are our 7 tips:

You probably already know why you want to get up early in the morning – whether it’s to have more time to get ready or to enjoy a few quiet minutes before the children get up. The impending rush hour traffic is another reason to get behind the wheel half an hour earlier and drive to work.

To make sure you really stick to your goal, you should always keep your own motivational reasons in mind and set yourself a specific goal. For example: “I want to get up at 6 a.m. so that I have half an hour in the morning to read the newspaper and drink my coffee in peace.”

You could also plan something productive for this time – for example, learning vocabulary in a new language or doing drawing exercises.

Jumping into cold water may be effective for a short time, but it won’t teach you how to swim properly. It’s the same with getting up early. If you naturally sleep late, getting up early just once won’t make it any easier in the long term.

We therefore recommend that you gradually and gently get used to getting up earlier. Set you alarm clock only 10 to 15 minutes earlier at a time and wait until you have accustomed to the new time before making any changes. Do this until you have reached your target time.

A very important point: If you want to get up early, you should also go to bed earlier. Because logically, your need for sleep will not decrease. In fact, you will probably be more tired when you get up earlier than before.

So, if your long-term goal is getting up at 6 a.m., you should go to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. every night from now on – even if you are only slowly getting used to the new time. This will help you establish a healthy, regular sleep rhythm.

Many people find it difficult to get up early, especially in winter. This is because it’s still dark in the morning, which encourages the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. In summer, you can of course simply leave the curtains in the bedroom open. In winter, however, we recommend a daylight alarm clock that slowly brightens the entire room.

In addition to the daylight alarm clock or integrated into it, you should also use acoustic stimuli as a wake-up signal. If you place them on the other side of the room, there is no longer a snooze option for you. You force yourself to get up.

Your morning routine can also make it easier to get up early. You should plan something every morning that you really look forward to. This could be a delicious breakfast, good music or your favourite podcast, which you listen to comfortably on the sofa. You can also listen to the birds in the garden while you enjoy your first cup of coffee. During this time, you shouldn’t be preoccupied with work or other to-dos, but really use some of the newfound time for yourself and your well-being.

You can incorporate our next tip into your morning routine. It will also help you gaining energy for the day and getting your circulation going. To do this, you should start by stretching after getting up. If you are really motivated, you can now do a few stretching or yoga exercises such as the sun salutation.

A contrast shower also awakens the spirits and ensures a good, energetic start of the day. If you’re not so hard-boiled, you can simply run cold water over your face and wrists instead or try dry brushing to stimulate blood circulation.

Even if it seems almost impossible on some days, you should really stick strictly to your new sleep rhythm. Experts say that it takes around 100 days for a new ritual to become a habit. After this time, you should find it much easier to get up early, even if your sleep type is actually different.

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