How To Become A Morning Person

There’s nothing a lot of people dread more than getting up earlier than they must. They dread the morning alarm and cling to their beloved snooze button for as long as possible. Well early mornings are of great health benefits with Scandinavians some of the people who collectively embrace and encourage it due to it’s wide range of health and lifestyle benefits. The Swedish have a lifestyle trend that is all about embracing early rising and this is called Gokotta.

Gokotta, put simply, translates to English as “early-morning cuckoo” and is practised in Sweden from Ascension Day (30th May) right through to midsummer. The Swedish use it as a means of enjoying nature and improving productivity. It is also one of a collection of Scandinavian buzzwords that we have adopted in an effort to improve wellbeing. Other popular, similar ones are hygge, the art of being cosy, lagom, meaning “just enough”, and umage, the practice of “making a bit more effort”.

Gokotta really stands out as there is real science to back it up; our internal body clocks respond to morning light. This is backed up by research from the Sleep Foundation that shows that, as our internal “circadian” clocks are activated by the early-morning light, so too are the hormones, which promote alertness and activity; early risers are also likely to sleep better in the evening, when our brains respond to darkness.

One of the best methods that help make getting up earlier that little bit easier is with some exercise. This can be whatever you are comfortable with, so it can be something as easy as a brisk walk or if you want to get some real cardio in you can go for a jog. You could also use this time to go to the gym and get a workout in and it will leave you feeling fresh and energised for the day ahead. If you don’t fancy heading to the gym or running then give yoga a try. It’s super relaxing and a great way to stretch out and strengthen your muscles.

Another great method is meditation. This can be active, such as doing it while out for a morning walk or it can be stationary in your bedroom or living room and it’s a great way to help clear your mind of anything distracting you and helping you refocus for the day and put you in the right mindset for the challenges of the day ahead.

Try starting the morning by having a quick cold shower to shock your system awake. As little as 30-60 seconds will do and after that you can finish your shower at a temperature that you’re more comfortable with. Ideally though, you should take yourself out of your comfort zone and just stick to a really quick cold shower to wake you up and then you can have a proper shower after your exercise.

A top tip is to get rid of that snooze button. The snooze button is the killer of dreams as it keeps you in bed longer and stops you getting up and getting started with your day and achieving your goals. Try putting your phone on the other side of your bedroom so you that you have to get out of bed in the morning to turn it off. Since you’re up it’s just will power to stop yourself climbing back into bed and time to get the day started!