There will come a time in your life when you realize waking up earlier to get things done is actually the best decision you can make for your productive self.

It’s also very grown up I must say.

Of course, planning to wake up early begs the question of how to actually do it without feeling tired or sluggish all day.

OR, is waking up early without feeling tired even possible?

You’re probably here because you see the power of getting up early but in case you just liked the post title, I’ll let you know that waking up before anyone else in your house (specifically your kiddos) to get work done or anything else you need to do to be productive is life changing.

If you have goals.

If you’re building a business.

If you’re trying to be more organized or even just find time for your own self-care you need these wake up early tips.

Now, there will be a lot of skeptical people reading this post sure that there could be nothing done to prevent being tired once one starts getting out of bed earlier but I’m living proof that it works AS LONG as you embrace the lifestyle changes.

These tips come from a former night owl (me) after hunting, analyzing, and trying to grasp just how to make sure I got out of bed way earlier than I was used to so I could have time to build my dreams.

It’s worked and I’m not looking back.

In fact, I want you to join me in the early morning club.

I want you to wake up at your desired time without having to use an alarm. (gasp)

Since waking up early I’ve been able to:

Bring my work from home mom goals to fruition.

Boost my productivity and get more done.

Slow down my busy mom life and practice self-care.

Have more energy.

Sleep better at night.

12 TIPS TO WAKE UP EARLIER WITHOUT FEELING TIRED

1. GO TO BED EARLIER

No kidding right?

Isn’t going to bed earlier the most obvious thing to do when you’re trying to wake up earlier?

Yes and no.

Not only should you go to bed earlier, but you should also go to bed early consistently.

That means on weekends too! 

If you really want to wake up earlier without feeling tired, then treat your body to a consistent sleep schedule.

If I go to bed later than my normal bedtime, I pay for it the next day by getting tired earlier in the day.

It’s like my body expects me to pay back the sleep or something! 

2. KEEP THE SAME WAKE TIME NO MATTER WHAT

The body works very well on a regular sleep routine.

So help your body by getting up at the same early time every single day.

You’ll actually put your body in rhythm to your early bedtime which means you’ll have an easier time waking up early without feeling tired because your body is getting good consistent restful sleep.

Do that and you’ll never feel tired or sluggish when you wake up!

This get up early tip is probably the most important, if I really stop and think about it (which I just did, ha!) 

3. OUTLINE YOUR TASKS THE NIGHT BEFORE

If you need some motivation to wake up earlier without feeling tired then outline the tasks you’ll work on when you get up.

Having a plan of action every day will give you an energy boost and actually prompt you to throw off those blankets and get to work.

Every night outline the first 3 things you plan to accomplish when you get up early the next day.

4. DO 5 MINS OF STRETCHING IN THE MORNING

After I get out of bed, I stretch for 5 mins.

The house is calm and quiet and those 5 mins of stretching do wonders for releasing any stress I may be carrying from the day before.

When I sit down to work my body is relaxed and I feel awake with a clear mind.

Perfect for getting the work I set out the night before done!

5. PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE

This one is hard.

With the multitude of social media sites and apps to distract you, how do you get over the temptation to look at your phone for a few mins when you get up early?

I always remind myself that what’s happening in the virtual world will still be there later on in the day.

I won’t miss anything.

And, that thought holds true for using your phone before you go to bed.

The key to waking up earlier is to declutter your mind before you go to sleep.

Playing around on your phone only fills you with more information and ongoings of your friends and family that truly aren’t important to tap into at that time of the day.

You’re looking for restful sleep at night and zero distractions when you get up early.

Save phone time for other times of the day.

Which brings me to…

6. READ BEFORE BED

According to this article, reading for only 6 minutes before bed can reduce stress by 68%.

That’s amazing!

I read a fiction book every single night before bed.

I actually get excited knowing I’m heading up to read a couple chapters of my book! 

It’s relaxing, shifts my focus from work and gives my lil ol’ brain a much-needed break.

What does that lead to?

Restful sleep that’s easy to wake up from without feeling tired.

Restful sleep is the most important ingredient to waking up earlier without feeling tired! 

7. DRINK LOTS OF WATER

Most people are dehydrated and don’t even know it.

When you’re not hydrated you feel sluggish and tired.

Even if you’ve gotten 8 hours of sleep the night before!

I challenged myself to drink two liters of water every day and I can’t even begin to tell you how much it’s helped me get up earlier without feeling tired or run down.

I just feel better overall.

Give it a try.

Keep a 1-liter water bottle like this one beside you and sip away at it during your day.

I bet you start feeling energy you didn’t know existed!

8. EAT DINNER EARLY

Eating dinner early is good for your digestion which then means it’s good for your sleep.

Since you’ll digest your food earlier, your body can focus on getting the restful sleep it needs.

A huge thing when you’re trying to wake up earlier without feeling tired.

9. MEDITATE BEFORE BED

I admit I don’t meditate every night before bed.

Sometimes the chaos of raising a family does get in the way, ha!

But when I can get a quiet 10 mins before I hop into bed (often when I’m in the bathroom, ha!) I meditate.

There is nothing more relaxing, calming, stress reducing and spirit aligning then meditation.

Not sure how to get started meditating?

Here are some books on meditation that I’ve read and loved to help you on your journey:

1. 5-Minute Daily Meditations: Instant Wisdom, Clarity and Calm
2. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
3. You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life: Simple 4-Minute Meditations for Inspiration, Transformation, and True Bliss

10. SKIP THE ALCOHOL

Drinking disrupts your sleep pattern because your body has to spend time burning all the alcohol off.

That means you spend less time at night getting good restful sleep no matter how early you go to bed or how fast you fall asleep.

Skipping the drinks means you get more restful sleep making it SO much easier to wake up earlier without feeling tired or burnt out!

11. HAVE AN EXERCISE REGIME

A body that moves stays healthy for so many reasons – most of us know that.

But when it comes to your sleep, exercise can help you feel energized during the day and sleepy when you should be going to bed.

Exercise also reduces stress which means you won’t be up worrying about that big project you’re working on.

If you think about it, exercise ultimately helps your body’s sleep pattern meaning you’re getting that restful sleep that’s important to your getting up early.

Try working out at least 3 days a week.

Your early morning self will thank you for it!

12. TAKE MELATONIN

Your body naturally produces the hormone Melatonin (it regulates your sleep and wake times).

You can also take a Melatonin supplement to help regulate your sleep pattern when you want to start waking up early in the morning.

You’ll fall asleep faster and stay sleeping longer.

You’ll wake up early feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day!

WAKING UP EARLY BENEFITS

If you’re still on the fence about waking up earlier consistently, here are some of the benefits of doing so:

Better quality sleep.

Good sleep pattern.

Reduce stress.

Allow you to be more productive.

You can work on your goals.

Time to yourself for some mom self-care.

Better mental health.

More energy.

Quiet time.

Like anything you do in your life, take your time getting into a routine of getting up earlier.

Start by getting up a half an hour earlier than you do now.

After about a week, get up another half an hour earlier.

Keep doing this until you’ve reached the time you desire to wake up at each day.

Make notes in a journal about how good you feel and what you’ve been able to accomplish in your new found hours!

Waking up early is key to the success of your life goals.

Use some of my tips to help you stick to waking up earlier without feeling tired.

It can be done. You just have to commit to it. 

Are you a self-professed night owl?

What tips do you plan to use to wake up earlier without feeling tired?

Do you have any other tips for helping others wake up early?

Let me know in the comments!