Over the years, we have heard from countless experts, innovators and leaders swearing by an early morning wakeup. For me, I’m constantly training and working toward one fitness goal or another, and I’ve found the secret to getting there really does lie in that early alarm clock. I found how much more capable and motivated I was once I got there, and I can’t recommend it enough to those looking for more discipline and accountability in their lives. But, getting up at 4am starts with consistency.
The secret lies in what you do during the day
Setting non-negotiable highlights, things that I look forward to and make a priority, helps with my (very) early morning outlook. They are:
- Drinking 4-5 litres of water
- Meditating 20 minutes in the AM and then in the PM (That can be through an app, Vedic breathing, whatever suits you)
- Having a cold shower for 30 seconds every morning
- Eating when I am hungry, and cutting sugar if possible
- Eating wholesome and clean food, with the odd slither of dark chocolate and a small hot chip splurge if I need it (Yes I am human!)
- Training at the best intensity I can for the day
- And of course, 8 hours sleep each night
Setting these milestones during the day, making sure I still enjoy doing them so the motivation is there, sets me up to want to wake up. And of course with my focus on my training, this routine allows me to know that I’m operating my body at the best level I can for my workouts and recovery.
So, my tips for you?
Look to get 8 hours sleep a night. So this means if you’re going to bed at 10pm, you’re waking up at 6am. Then the next couple of nights, aim to go to bed 30 minutes earlier, still getting those 8 hours but waking up at 5.30am. Each week, aim for 30 minutes earlier again until you’re at a 4am wake up time.
Note: Absolutely no good will come from repeatedly waking up at 4am without getting the appropriate sleep. Sleep is absolutely vital to the function of our bodies (learn more about that here) and our overall health and wellbeing.
So whether you’ve committed to early training or you’re just looking to get a head start on your day, a 4am wakeup is a quality of life that is free to anyone. I didn’t just wake up one day at 4am, and instantly love it. Far from it. But I knew if I wanted to start my day productive and with fewer distractions, to make my training a priority, 4am was the goal and I had to find a way to get there.
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