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How to Start a Morning Routine (Even If You’re Not a Morning Person)

Does the idea of a chipper 6 a.m. wake-up call make you want to bury your head under the covers? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us simply aren’t natural morning people. Perhaps you’ve tried before to become one of those early risers doing sunrise yoga, only to hit the snooze button repeatedly. The good news is: you don’t have to transform into a full-fledged “morning person” to enjoy the benefits of a morning routine. Even if you love sleeping in or feel groggy at dawn, you can still create a gentle, effective morning ritual that works for you. This section will show you how to start a morning routine step by step – without pretending to be an early bird before you’re ready.

Embrace Your Chronotype (and Work With It)

First, let’s acknowledge an important fact: some people are biologically wired to be night owls rather than larks. Your internal clock (chronotype) influences when you naturally feel most awake. In fact, extreme “morningness” or “eveningness” is largely genetic, which means turning a hardcore night owl into a bright-eyed morning person can be challenging. So, if you’ve always found mornings hard, cut yourself some slack – there’s nothing “wrong” with you. You don’t need to change who you are to have a good morning routine; you just need to adapt your routine to suit your style.

Instead of forcing yourself to wake up hours before your usual time, start by choosing a wake-up time that is realistic for you and fits your schedule. For example, if you usually roll out of bed at 8:00 a.m. for work but do so in a rush, aim for something like 7:30 a.m. at first. You can gradually move it earlier if needed. Remember, the goal of a morning routine isn’t to punish yourself – it’s to make your mornings smoother and more pleasant. Quality of your morning activities matters more than how early they start. If you’re most alert at 8 a.m., your “morning routine” could start then. The key is what you do in that time frame that sets a positive tone.

Start Small and Gradual

One of the biggest mistakes non-morning people make is trying to overhaul their mornings overnight. If you’re not used to waking up early, suddenly setting a 5 a.m. alarm and scheduling a dozen tasks before breakfast is likely to backfire. Your body and mind will rebel (and you’ll probably end up back in bed). The key is to introduce change gradually.

Try moving your wake-up time 15 minutes earlier each week until you reach a time that gives you enough space for a routine. This slow adjustment gives your body clock time to adapt, so those wake-ups feel less brutal. For example, if you currently wake at 8:00 and want to wake at 7:00 eventually, start with 7:45 for a few days, then 7:30, and so on. Those small shifts are far more sustainable than a one-time two-hour jump. As the Calm wellness blog notes, “shockingly early wake-ups can feel unsustainable, but gradual change allows your body to adapt naturally”.

Likewise, start with just one or two simple morning practices instead of a long list. Maybe for the first week, your only morning goals are: 1) Get up by 7:30, and 2) Drink a glass of water. That’s it. Once you consistently manage those, you can add another element, say 5 minutes of stretching or a quick shower and skincare routine. By easing in with small steps, you build confidence and prove to yourself that yes, you can do this! Over time, these tiny wins add up to a solid routine.

Prep the Night Before

If you’re not a morning person, anything you can do ahead of time will make your mornings easier. Think of it as helping out “morning you” while “evening you” has the energy. For instance, lay out your clothes the night before so you’re not groggily hunting for a decent outfit at 7 a.m. Pack your work bag, set out the kids’ school supplies, or prep the ingredients for your breakfast smoothie in the blender jar and put it in the fridge. These little steps eliminate the need for decision-making in the morning when your brain is still warming up.

Planning ahead can significantly reduce morning stress. Experts note that if you often feel pressed for time in the mornings, doing a bit of prep in advance is key. As one health resource suggests, if you’re worried about having enough time, “plan ahead the night before and iron your clothes or pack your lunch so you have one less thing to do in the morning”. It’s amazing how much calmer you’ll feel when you wake up knowing that a bunch of tasks are already handled by your past self.

Another part of evening prep is your bedtime routine. Being a night owl, you might get a second wind late at night, but try to avoid staying up into the wee hours if you need to be up earlier. Establish a relaxing wind-down routine to cue your body that it’s time to sleep a bit sooner. Maybe that means shutting down electronics, reading a book, or taking a warm shower before bed. If you push your bedtime earlier gradually, your wake-up will be easier too. Remember, not getting enough sleep can place unneeded stress on your body and make you more sensitive to everything. Prioritizing a consistent bedtime will make becoming a morning routine person much easier.

Create a Gentle Wake-Up Routine

When morning does arrive, make the wake-up process as gentle and appealing as possible. If loud, blaring alarms make you cringe, consider alternatives: a light-based alarm clock that gradually brightens like a sunrise, or a favorite song as your alarm tone. Some people find placing the alarm across the room helpful (so you have to physically get up to turn it off), but if you’re the type who might just crawl back in bed, pair that strategy with something rewarding once you’re up.

One trick is to give yourself something to look forward to upon waking. For example, you might set your coffee maker on a timer so the smell of fresh coffee greets you. Or maybe you have a podcast or playlist you only listen to in the morning, so you’re eager to tune in. It could even be a tasty breakfast treat waiting for you. These little incentives can nudge you out of bed by adding a spark of joy to your morning.

Next, build a short routine of activities that help you feel alert without overwhelming you. Here’s a simple template for non-morning people:

Hydrate and Energize: Start with water to rehydrate (add a squeeze of lemon if you like). Splash your face with cool water or do a quick wash – it’s surprisingly effective at chasing away that groggy feeling. Some people also swear by a bit of light exercise to wake up: 10 jumping jacks, a few stretches, or a short walk outdoors can get your blood flowing and signal to your body that it’s go time.

Keep It Short and Sweet: Your entire routine could be as short as 15–20 minutes at first. That’s perfectly fine. For instance, you might spend 5 minutes stretching, 5 minutes brewing coffee and making toast, and 5 minutes sitting in quiet thought or journaling a couple of lines. Even a brief routine can impart a sense of structure and calm to your morning.

Stay Offline Initially: Resist diving into emails, social media, or news the moment you wake up. As a non-morning person, you have limited mental clarity early on – don’t fill it immediately with external stress. Give yourself a cushion of tech-free time, even if it’s just the first 20 minutes, to fully wake up and focus on yourself. The work messages and news can wait a little bit; the world won’t end if you check them at 8:30 instead of 7:00.

Leverage Natural Light: Open your curtains or go outside for a minute if you can. Natural morning light signals to your brain that it’s daytime, helping to suppress the sleep hormone melatonin and make you feel more awake. If it’s dark out or you wake before sunrise, turning on bright indoor lights can mimic this effect (or consider a dawn-simulator lamp).

Importantly, keep your routine flexible and easy-going. If one morning you’re dragging more than usual, it’s okay to simplify. Maybe you skip the stretches and just do a warm shower to wake up, or trade journaling for simply sitting with your coffee quietly. That’s totally fine. The point is to reduce morning stress and gradually build better habits, not to be perfect every day.

Stick With Consistency (But Be Patient)

Because you’re not naturally a morning lover, consistency is going to be your best friend. Try to wake up at around the same time every day, even on weekends if you can manage it. A steady wake-up time helps set your internal clock so getting up becomes a bit more automatic over time. It might take a few weeks for your body to adjust to a new schedule, so be patient during this transition period.

One strategy that helps is keeping nighttime and morning routines relatively consistent too. Our bodies thrive on rhythm. If you do similar activities each night before bed, you’ll start getting sleepier at a more regular time. Similarly, a consistent morning routine (even a short one) can train your brain to know what’s coming, making each step a little easier. For example, if every morning at 7:30 you turn on the same upbeat playlist and stretch your arms overhead, your brain starts associating that music and movement with “it’s time to wake up.” Routine cues are powerful for habit-building.

Don’t get discouraged if you slip up or if progress is slow. Maybe you oversleep one day because you had a late night – it happens. Maybe you intended to try a morning jog but felt too sluggish and skipped it – that’s okay. Rather than concluding “I’m just not a morning person, I can’t do this,” treat each day as a fresh start. A routine is built by regular practice, and it’s perfectly normal to have off days. If you miss a day of your new routine, just try again the next day without beating yourself up.