From Light to Dark

By Austin Schnarrs

When the alarm goes off in the morning do you want to knock it off the table? Do you and mornings have an unbreakable vengeance? Are you consistently scheduling meetings and

appointments in the afternoon and evening because you know yourself too well? If you fall in line with all of these you may not be a morning person. We all know that the winter months bring shorter days and longer months. They bring even colder mornings on top of that all. The time change not only affects us immediately but creates a butterfly effect into the following months. If you already have trouble getting up early it is an especially difficult time for you to adjust as well. The limited daylight can throw off your circadian rhythm and leave you in a hazy cold winter. Although we have already begun this process there is still time to get yourself ready and become the morning person you have always wanted to be (or have been confused by). 

Planning your day out in tighter schedules can help this. Really take the time to divide your day into more precise times. This can make you feel more accomplished and more organized. It will also help to combat that instinctual feeling to stop your important tasks and hit the hay early just because the sun is down. To assist in your scheduling endeavors we would highly recommend a daily planner. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors so have some fun with it! It is important to remember not only to schedule the big tasks, but to add in things you may not think about such as sleeping, cleaning, and other minute tasks. Keep yourself on task and well rested.

Another tip is to really step your alarm game up. We all know that almost everyone has a smart phone with an alarm. We often get so used to these that snoozing them almost becomes habitual. One way this particular writer has found to be very useful is to revert back to the tried and true alarm clocks. Get an old-fashioned ringing bell that really helps you to get awake and stay awake. If you aren’t interested in going and finding one of these maybe try placing your phone across whatever room you sleep in. Make yourself have to swing your feet to the floor in the morning. If you are still O.K. with using your phone to wake up, please avoid this deadly habit when going to bed. Do not look at your phone screen when laying down to go to bed! Don’t peruse Amazon, scroll down twitter, catch up on Facebook, or mindlessly watch Instagram stories. This will inhibit you from getting that necessary deep sleep. It goes the same for watching T.V. too. It’s hard to resist, we know, but just trust us that you will feel more rested and ready to take on the winter!