It’s easy to set the ambitious goal of waking up earlier, but the actual act of waking up is a whole different story. If you find it difficult to rise and shine in the morning, here are some tips to make it easier.

Move the alarm goal: When your alarm clock is within arm’s reach of your bed, it’s all too easy to switch it off and fall back into a deep slumber. That’s why we suggest you place it on the other side, which will essentially force you to get up to turn it off. Once you’re up, it’s much easier to stay up and start your day.

Develop a regular sleeping pattern: Going to bed at roughly the same time each night and keeping the alarm set at the same time, even on weekends, will help you establish a regular sleeping pattern. This will give your body the chance to get used to this pattern and will make it easier to wake up early overtime.

Practice: Getting up early is much easier on auto-pilot rather than having to put conscious effort into it. That’s why you should push yourself to get up immediately upon waking and turn it into a habitual routine that requires no conscious thought. It may not sound appealing in the morning when you’re all comfy and warm in bed, but if you practice doing it every morning, it will get easier.

Harness natural light: If you can, adjust the blinds so that natural light can come in in the morning and help wake you up. Why? Natural light stimulates your body to stop the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it easier to wake up when it’s time to crawl out of bed.

Try a natural light alarm clock: During the dark winter months, it may not be possible to harness natural light. The good news is that there are natural light alarm clocks that are designed to mimic daylight. These clocks simulate the breaking of dawn by gradually increasing in brightness over a pre-set time prior to their alarm going off.

Plan your sleep in cycles: As described by LifeHack, sleep cycles last around ninety minutes. That’s why you should aim for a length of sleep that is multiples of this to prevent trying to wake up mid cycle. When you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle, your body will naturally get up easier.

Get moving as soon as you get up: Whether it’s a run or yoga, getting your body moving as you get up will stimulate your brain and body, allowing you to shrug off the sleep immediately.

Freshen up: Taking a shower that alternates in temperature between hot and cold will stimulate the lymphatic system and put your body into an active state. In essence, you’re ‘rinsing’ off the sleepiness.

Have an incentive: When you have something to look forward to after waking up, like a delicious breakfast, it can be much easier to jump out of your cozy bed.

Try to get quality sleep: When you have a night of deep sleep, your body will simply feel more refreshed and energized when your alarm clock goes off. Minimizing noise and light pollution, and keeping your room at a cooler temperature than your living areas can help you get quality sleep. In addition, try to avoid stimulants like caffeine later in the day, and limit alcohol. Lastly, avoid eating heavy meals late in the day as this will keep your body busy trying to process them rather than resting.