The Early Bird...Hits the Snooze Button?
You set your alarm an hour earlier than usual, determined to override your anti-morning ways and become the elusive "morning workout person" you've always wanted to be. (You know, the one who seems to have her entire life together by 9 a.m.) But how often do you actually wake up when the alarm goes off, just as motivated to get to the gym as you were the night before? Answer: Not often.
But there's reason to strive for that "morning person" label: research shows those who wear it proudly are happier, more reliable and emotionally stable, have a lower risk of being stressed and overweight, and are better problem-solvers. Not to mention moving your workout to the early hours has been linked to increased fat burn, reduced unnecessary calorie consumption, lower blood pressure, and lower diabetes risk.
It's not an overnight transformation, though, and it can take a while to coach yourself into rising with the sun. That's why we've compiled a month's worth of tips and tricks to helping you slowly—but surely—become the morning workout person of your dreams. The main strategy: Move your bedtime and wake-up time up by 15 minutes each day until you reach your goal wake-up time, then hold on to that schedule until it sticks. Along the way, take note of how much sleep you need to function at 100. "Sleep need is like height. We are all different and it is, to a large degree, genetically determined," says Neil Stanley, Ph.D., a sleep expert who's studied the area for for 33 years. "Most people need between seven and nine hours to feel at their best, but some need more or less—whatever allows you to feel awake, alert, and focused during the day."
Keep tabs on the hacks that work best for you, and use them to keep that morning grind going long past the 30-day mark.
Article source:fitnessmagazine
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