How To Transition From A Night Owl To An Early Bird
How many times have we internally chanted the sentence, "I am going to wake up early tomorrow." in the middle of a busy day, only to receive an abnormal amount of supersonic energy at 1:30 am paired with feelings of world domination? The longer we stay up at night, the faster our bodies go into the routine us trying to push us awake to handle the task at hand, when in reality, there is nothing to be done. So how do you make the necessary switch from staying up into the wee hours of the morning to waking up from a good night's rest at sunrise? Develop a productive winddown routine. The last sixty minutes before bed should be your most productive hour of the day. A healthy winddown routine triggers your bain by saying, "Hey, let's get ready to rest!"
Find Your Why
Why do you want to become a morning person? If you do not have a clear idea of why you want to change, your resolution will be nothing more than a phase. Productive hours vary between individuals, but when you accomplish the majority of your tasks and errands at the beginning of the day, it frees up so much more of your time later in the afternoon for hobbies or family activities. So write this sentence down and place it somewhere you will see it every day for the next seven days and start becoming the morning star you were meant to be!
“ I want to become a morning person because __________________”
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender scented body washes and lotions, help release melatonin to the brain. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. So during your last hour of the day, try to incorporate lavender by melatonin pill intake, lavender essential oil diffusing, scented body washes, or lotions. Sleepy Shower Cream from Lush Cosmetics has a smooth calming texture to slow down even the more wild brain activity. Pair it with Sleepy body lotion, and you will be zombie walking to the bed tonight ready to catch some serious Zzzs.
Sleepy Shower Gel + Body Lotion.
Stop Screen Time
It is vital to stop blue light from reflecting into your eyes one hour prior to bedtime. Cellular devices, computers, and televisions emit blue light. Screen light affects the body's internal clock. Pushing the brightness into your retina tells your brain it is still daylight + you need to focus. Relax your eyes with an audiobook or some light journaling about your day.
Set The Skincare Mood
Devoting the last hour of your day to your skincare routine is not only incredibly relaxing, but it is also the best thing to do before you actually fall asleep, and your skin cells begin to rejuvenate. Lavender candles burning, soft instrumental music playing, delicate creams and serums work together to show you the best version of yourself when you wake up and look in the mirror, who would not want that? Do not deny yourself the simple gift of relaxation before bedtime. A colossal mistake individuals make is thinking they can jump straight from a critical mind-stretching task to magically waking up from a good night's rest. The key is, there is a process.
Wake Up With Intention
This step is often overlooked. Who says mornings have to be quiet and solemn? Rock out! As soon as that alarm goes off, (try not to snooze) have Alexa play one of your favorite jams while you get your stuff ready for a great morning shower, which leads to the next step.
Mint + Citrus Fruit
Lavender oils provide a sleep aid to lull you to sleep. Mint, orange, lime, and lemon oils have the opposite effect. These essential oils offer the zest you need to get ready for a new day. Diffuse one or a blend of these oils before you start getting ready.
Breakfast Is Key
So you have woken up, made your bed, had a piping hot shower citrus shower, you have moisturized, and you are dressed in your best boss babe outfit, now what, breakfast. The most important meal of the day. You do not have to have a five star French omelet with fresh Florida orange juice delivered straight to your doorstep. A light granola bar and coffee will do, really breakfast can be anything, as long as you have some nutritional intake before you get up + go. With breakfast, you are guaranteed more energy and productivity throughout the day.
There you have it. The easiest way to make the switch is to stick to a simple winddown routine. It does not matter which 60 minutes of the day you use (I use the hour of 8:00-9:00). Take the time to take care of yourself, treat your body well.
