Everyone needs to get enough sleep. It helps to keep our mind and body healthy, but many of us will try to squeeze as many extra minutes of snooze out of the morning as we possibly can.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all wake up early, feel great, make the most of our days and become even more successful in the process?

Waking up early is actually a common trait among successful CEOs like Apple’s Tim Cook, Yahoo!’s Marissa Meyer and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey. They all swear by an early morning routine, meaning they’re up and at it before their competition have even gotten out of bed.

But how can you replicate them?

Here are some of the best tips to get up early in the mornings.

 

Give yourself a reason to wake up early

Making sure you have motivation is one of the most important elements of getting out of bed in the mornings. This could be making sure you give yourself time for that morning run, a more relaxing journey into work, making the most of your job, or giving yourself something exciting to look forward to each day.

 

Go to bed early at around 10 pm

America’s National Sleep Foundation has suggested that those of us aged between 18-65 should be aiming for 7-9 hours to actually get a good night’s sleep every night. If you get enough uninterrupted sleep then you’re less likely to struggle to get up in the mornings.

 

Avoid stimulating your brain

The less you stimulate your brain in the hours before you go to bed, the better night’s sleep you’ll have and the easier it will be to wake up early in the morning. Avoid exercising or eating close to bedtime. Also, make sure to put away your smartphone! Your bedroom should be a gadget-free zone.

 

Turn out the lights

This may sound obvious, but make sure that your room is a place of darkness to give you the chance to fully switch off. If you read before bed, make sure it’s in another room.

 

Your body will adjust to your routine

Just by sticking to a schedule, you will be able to train yourself to become tired at certain times. You can readjust to waking up early by gradually setting your alarm back by 15 minutes at a time.

 

Exercise in the morning

Morning exercise can help to energise you and get you ready to start the day. Exercise later in the day to help you rest, relax and get to bed on time.

 

Make sure you eat breakfast

Many people rush the most important meal of the day. Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast. Why not make the time in the morning to really appreciate breakfast and start the day full of energy.

 

Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room

You can get alarm clocks that run away from you so you have to get up and find it to turn it off. Alternatively, just put your alarm clock across the room so you have to get up to turn it off. Then you’re up, out of bed and ready to start the day.

 

Just do it

Jump out of bed as soon as you wake up. Apparently, Oprah Winfrey does it. Not everyone has her enthusiasm and get up and go, but why not try it out and see if it works for you.