Not A Morning Person? Tips And Steps To Wake Up Happy

Skip navigation!

Begin Slideshow

photographed by Michael Beckert; produced by Sam Nodelman; modeled by Selah Fong; produced by Yuki Mizuma.

Are you someone who gets out of bed as soon as your alarm goes off, ready to start your day? Or do you slam the snooze button, dreading that you have to leave your warm bed? If you're the latter, there's nothing wrong with being a morning grouch, and some people are more suited to it than others.

"Sleep is very individualised," says Rajkumar Dasgupta, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. "It’s like how some people can sleep through construction outside their window and some people can’t, some people are morning people and some people just aren’t."

But aside from just feeling better overall, studies have shown that being a morning person can actually be healthy for you (and even help you live longer).

If you don't naturally wake up energised and excited for the day, that doesn't mean you can't get there if you want to. Ahead, Dr. Dasgupta shared a few tips that can help you become more of a morning person (or, at least, less of a morning grouch).

More from Mind

Dedicated Feature

Why Going To The Gallery Is My Secret Self-Care Weapon

The museum first became a safe haven for my mental wellbeing when I was a kid. I remember having to follow my grandad’s slow pace as I held his hand, pat

by Sara Quattrocchi ...

Why Is It So Damn Hard To Keep A Journal?

Welcome to Press Pause. This January, we’re asking: What does self-care look like when it’s not all or nothing? What if we simply pressed pause here

by Kayleigh Dray

I’ve Entered My Boring Era & Couldn’t Be Happier

Welcome to Press Pause. This January, we’re asking: What does self-care look like when it’s not all or nothing? What if we simply pressed pause here

by L'Oréal Blackett

Can These SAD Lamps & Wake-Up Lights Beat The Winter Blues? We Fo...

Sometimes, knowing a dark and gloomy autumn is coming can be more depressing than the season itself. If you’re someone with seasonal affective disord

I Couldn’t Afford To Treat My Mental Health Crisis Without ...

At the end of 2021, I paid £380 for the privilege of a psychiatrist telling me I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This was a huge relief, particularly

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan

The Rise In Manifestation Sounds Is Causing Chaos For People With...

Twenty-seven-year-old Erica Kathleen regularly finds herself making private TikTok videos in the middle of the night to “manifestation sounds“.

What I Learned During My First 30 Days On Antidepressants

Trigger warning: This article contains references to suicide, which could be triggering to some readers. Welcome to Vibe Check, Unbothered’s wellness col

by Kimber Bowman

I Got Sweat Botox In An Attempt To Smell Better

My keen vigilance against smelling like body odour follows me around like a cartoon fart cloud. I am assured by people around me that the smell is all in m

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan

After 6 Years, I’m Taking A Break From Therapy

This is Grace Victory’s personal experience, as told to Sadhbh O’Sullivan Editors’ note: This story has been updated to reflect this is a

by Grace Victory

TikTok’s ‘Burnt Toast Theory’ Is All About Embracing Life’s Frust...

Picture this: You’re making toast in the morning as per your normal routine, only this time, it burns. Maybe you’re distracted, or you set your toaster

by Shaeden Berry

Do Therapists Actually Use Therapy Speak?

Ever wondered what you’d say to a therapist, given the chance? We asked Dr Sheri Jacobson, a retired psychotherapist with over 17 year

by Sadhbh O'Sullivan

Wild Swimming Is The Anxiety Antidote I Never Knew I Needed

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anna Deacon & Vicky Allan (@wildswimmingphotography) on Feb 10, 2019 at 2:42am PST It was nostalgia, not a

by Catherine Renton

R29 Original Series