Five ways to become a morning person

Are you a lark or are you a night owl? Some 30 to 40% of the answer depends on your genes. Researchers examined data from almost 700,000 people and found 351 genetic factors that could contribute to helping some people feel more alert in the morning and others more so at night. But your internal clock is mostly determined by other factors, like your age, sex, environment, and oddly enough the distance from your snooze button.

A few people are extreme larks or extreme night owls, most people fall somewhere in between. However, there are a lot of good health reasons to be an early riser. Research has linked early bird life to better mental health and a lower likelihood of conditions, such as depression, and even schizophrenia. Other research has found that morning people tend to be more proactive than late risers. Plus, waking up early is often the only chance for some people to claim time and space for themselves.

If these ideas pique your interest, you might want to try to rise with the sun, or simply catch more of the morning, knowing that transitioning to this new schedule will require time and effort, such as the five things listed below.

Seek out as much natural light as possible. Bright light exposure is critical in the a.m., because light suppresses melatonin, a hormone that induces sleepiness.

Ease into early rising gradually. You can approach early rising in one of two ways. One is by plunging straight into an early wake-up time, knowing that you’ll feel tired during the transition, but will naturally start falling asleep earlier within just a few weeks. Or, shift your wake-up time in half-hour increments, then wait a few days and shift another half hour, and then you keep shifting by half hours and before you know it you’re up before dawn.

Be consistent seven days a week. Becoming a morning person is something that should be consistent. Even on the weekends. Decide what time you’re going to wake up every day and stick to it without exception.

Wind down in the evening. It’s suggested that adults get at least seven hours of sleep at night. As you enter bedtime earlier, you should start limiting the exposure you have to bright lights at least one hour before you go to bed. You may have already heard that research indicates that artificial light exposure late in the evening, suppresses your body’s ability to generate melatonin. This reaction could interfere with your ability to fall asleep, and even your sleep quality.

Look forward to something in the morning. To entice you to get out of bed, how about treating yourself to something special you can enjoy when your alarm goes off? It could be something like a favorite tea or coffee or a special pastry or a new breakfast frittata recipe. Having an encouraging reason to rise, will make you more excited for the day. Not to mention, starting the day with a nutritious meal can leave you feeling full longer, with more energy for the day ahead.

Getting up early may offer some important benefits, but there’s no need to sacrifice a good night’s sleep. “Early to bed, early to rise” isn't just for birds so think about making changes as we change our clocks back this week.