How to Wake Up Early(at 4 or 5 A.M), Even If You’re Not a Morning Person

No, you don’t need to challenge your willpower to be an early riser

I used to be a night owl. I thought I was doomed for life.

I stayed up until 2 or 3 a.m. watching Netflix and browsing the internet. Then I would sleep in until noon or 1 p.m. I repeated this cycle for years. And while it worked for a while, eventually, it started to take a toll on my productivity and my health.

I was always tired and groggy during the day, and I struggled to get things done.

Though the benefits of waking up early weren’t rocket science, I couldn’t follow them. I simply couldn’t make myself wake up early. Waking up early felt impossible and unnatural.

An inner negative voice consumed me, “Why would anyone want to do that?” “It’s too early.” “I can’t do it.”

But God had different plans for me.

The supermarket once offered me the free book “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod as my grocery bills exceeded $250.

No, the book didn’t magically wake me up to my senses to become an early riser. In fact, I didn’t read it for three months. I put it on my bookshelf and forgot about it.

But one day, while cleaning the shelf, the book grabbed my eyeballs. I didn’t have any interesting book to read, so I picked it up half-heartedly.

I was instantly glued. “The Miracle Morning had revolutionary daily success rituals that turns average entrepreneurs into icons.”

I knew I had to prove the author wrong. I am a rebel in that sense — I don’t buy anything mindlessly without experimenting.

So, I made a framework to rethink the mental models that could help me wake up early.

This guide is the most unusual way to wake up early you’ll ever read.

Why? Because it doesn’t rely on sheer willpower (which never works when you want it to).

This guide gives you a step-by-step process to train your mind and body so that you don’t have to challenge your will.

🔑 Why Is It Tough to Wake Up Early?

It’s 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. The alarm clock goes off, and you hit the snooze button for the third time.

You finally drag yourself out of bed, feeling groggy and exhausted. There are a few possible explanations for why this is the case.

First of all, your bodies are programmed to sleep at night and be awake during the day. This natural rhythm, known as the circadian rhythm, can be disrupted by factors like jet lag or working late shifts, or regular late-night calls.

And, it takes time for your bodies to adjust to a new sleep schedule.

If you’re used to staying up late and sleeping in, adjusting to an earlier bedtime can be difficult.

Next, your bodies produce a melatonin hormone that makes you feel sleepy. At night, melatonin levels are higher, making it easier to fall asleep. In the morning, they start to decrease, but it can take time for this process to happen.

So if you’re trying to wake up early, you may be fighting against your biology.

But, the first step in changing your relationship to waking up early is understanding why it’s so difficult in the first place.

For most people, the struggle to wake up early can be rooted in two things:

1. They have a negative association with waking up early. (Discussed below)

2. They don’t have a compelling enough reason to do it. (Discussed below)

Here’s how to address these two main enemies of an early riser.

🧠 What Will You Lose If You Don’t Wake Up Early?

Photo by Thaís Silva from Pexels

The reverse psychology approach works for almost everyone.

Instead of thinking about everything I’ll gain by waking up early, focus on what I’ll lose if I don’t.

For example, if I don’t wake up early, I’ll miss out on:

• An opportunity to harness the highest vibrational energy of the morning.

• A chance to get ahead of 99% of the population.

• The peace and quiet of the morning.

• The opportunity to get a head start on my day.

• The chance to exercise or meditate.

• The opportunity to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in peace.

• The chance to read or write without interruption.

The list goes on…

On the other hand, if I wake up early, I’ll enjoy all of those things.

Additionally, I’ll avoid the afternoon slump that often hits around 3:00 p.m. This is when my energy levels start to dip, and I have difficulty focusing on work.

Waking up early gives me the chance to get more done in the morning to take the afternoon off or have a lighter workload.

According to a study, the brain seeks pleasure. It craves dopamine. It doesn’t care about waking up early.

So, when you think about the factors that kill dopamine, your brain automatically works towards avoiding them.

❓The Clarity of 5 Why’s

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

The “5 Why” method is a powerful problem-solving technique that can be used to uncover the root cause of a problem.

It’s often used in business to help teams identify problems and develop solutions.

But it can also be used on a personal level to gain clarity around why you want to do something.

For example, let’s say you want to wake up early, but you’re not sure why.

Here’s how to ask yourself a series of questions to help you get to the root of your motivation.

Why do I want to wake up early?

To meditate, exercise and get an early start on my work.

Why is that important to me?

I want to be physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy and productive.

Why do I want to be fit?

I want to live a long, happy and fulfilling life.

Why do I want to live a fulfiling life?

I want to be an inspiration for others and show them that it’s possible to juggle a successful career and a healthy family life.

Why do I want to be an example?

I want to make a difference in the world and leave a legacy.

As you can see, the Why’s method can help you uncover some powerful motivators.

When you clearly understand why you want to do something, it becomes much easier to take action and make it happen.

This series of Why’s will uncover a hidden motivation that’ll be strong enough to get you out of bed.

☝️Make “Waking up Early” The Only Option

One of the biggest reasons people struggle to wake up early is that they don’t believe it’s possible. The famous negative self-talk!

They think that only a select few “lucky” people can wake up early and be successful.

But that’s simply not true.

Anyone can wake up early. You don’t have to be a morning person.

You don’t have to have some rare genetic mutation that allows you to function on less sleep.

Instead of engaging in negative self-talk, ask yourself this question:

“Can I gain the benefits of waking up early without actually having to wake up early?”

For example, one of your goals is to exercise in the morning, but you struggle to get out of bed early enough to do it.

Can you exercise at night instead?

Or if you want to wake up early to spend more time with your family but you can’t seem to make it happen, can you spend more time with them in the evening?

When your answer is mostly “NO,” the mind sees no other alternative than to wake up early.

It also boils down to the intense desire to do a particular task/chore/activity in those early hours.

Burning desire is not equal to a wish; it’s a must-do adrenaline rush!

⚖️ Efforts Vs. Benefits of Waking Up Early

Photo by Loic Leray on Unsplash

The answer to this question is different for everyone.

But if you’re on the fence about whether or not it’s worth it to wake up early, ask yourself these questions:

What are the consequences of not waking up early?

Are they worth the effort?

Only you can answer that question. The best way to answer this question in a justified manner is to look at the bigger picture.

What are my long-term goals?

What kind of life do I want to live?

How will the decision affect my future life?

If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, have a happy and healthy family, or make a difference, then the answer is probably “yes.”

On the other hand, if you have no clear time plan or schedule for waking up, it’s not worth it. Why would you want to put in the effort if you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve?

❌ Eliminate This Common Misconception

A common misconception is that you need less sleep if you wake up early.

That’s not true.

You still need proper sleep, no matter what time you wake up.

It might seem like a no-brainer, but many people try to stay up late and wonder why they can’t wake up early.

If you want to wake up early, you need to go to bed early.

It’s as simple as that.

💡An Unpopular Opinion To Think Upon

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Popular opinion: “You are what you eat.”

Unpopular opinion: “Your future is what you eat.”

According to research, what you eat for dinner directly impacts how easily you’ll be able to wake up early the next morning.

If you eat a heavy meal, your body will have to work hard to digest it, making it harder to fall asleep.

On the other hand, if you don’t eat enough, you’ll feel groggy and tired.

The best thing to do is eat a light dinner high in protein. This will give your body the energy to function properly without staying awake at night.

Foods to Avoid after 7 p.m.:

• Spicy foods

• Caffeine

• Alcohol

• Sugary foods

It’s also scientifically proven that the time you eat affects your circadian rhythm because of the metabolic rate of digestion.

🙅 Don’t Make This Most Common Mistake

You woke up to your alarm. And you instantly want to jump out of bed.

DON’T!

It’s a recipe for disaster.

You’ll be more likely to hit the snooze button or go back to sleep if you do this. I can tell you from my experience.

Science has an answer for it:

“Sleep inertia” is what happens when you wake up. It could last up to two hours. That’s why you feel sleepy, and if you don’t get enough sleep, it will be even worse.

Studies have also shown that your sleep inertia will worsen if you wake up when you’re in a deep sleep.

So, slowly sit up in bed and then stand up.

Allow your body to adjust to being awake before you start your day. Give your body some time to build momentum and recover from sleep inertia.

Personal tip: Set a strong intention for the day as you stand up. Be grateful for the day.

The first thought of the morning will dictate your actions throughout the day. It will also set you up for the next day’s waking-up success.

So make it a good one.

📝 Do You Know The Sequence of Actions to Follow In The Morning?

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The most important part of waking up early is to plan what you’re going to do with that time.

If you don’t have a plan, you’ll likely waste time or go back to sleep.

Here’s an example of what your morning routine could look like:

First 15 minutes: Sit up in bed and meditate

Next 15 Minutes: Make the bed, drink water and stretch

Next 30 Minutes: Shower and get ready for the day (or Exercise, morning walk, etc.)

Final 1 hour: Breakfast, Consume high spiritual content (Content that energizes your soul — NO news, TV shows, social media)

The goal is to make your morning routine simple to sustain it.

The more you enjoy your morning routine, the more likely you are to stick with it.

Waking up early is a lifestyle change. It’s not something that you can do for a week or two and then go back to your old ways.

✅ A No BS Checklist to Follow for Consistency

• - Wake up at the SAME time every day (no exceptions)

• - Go to bed at the SAME time every night

• - Follow a simple morning routine

• - Set a goal for why you want to wake up early

• - Make sure you’re getting enough sleep

• - Eat a light dinner and avoid eating late at night

• - Avoid caffeine and alcohol

• - Get up slowly and avoid jumping out of bed

• - Have a plan for what you’re going to do with your extra time

• - Make sure your morning routine is enjoyable

• - Disconnect from technology before bed

• - Sleep without a phone

• - Invest in an alarm clock

• - Drink a glass of water after waking up

• - Brush your teeth in the first 15 minutes

• -Get some melatonin supplements

Repeat the process for at least 2 weeks!

👍 Final Words of Motivation

Are you a night owl? Do you love to sleep in and stay up late?

There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you want to be an early riser, you can!

Nothing can change unless you have a strong:

• Desire

• Intent

• Clarity of purpose

• Failure-proof plan

• Sustainable routine

• A vision of action sequences

Books, motivational speeches, and life coaches can train you, but these six factors ensure consistency and lifestyle.

Those who say you need the willpower to wake up early don’t know how to create a framework for a new mental model.

The truth is, it’s a matter of time, patience, and mental programming.

Let me know in the comments below how waking up early is working out for you!