As a former night owl, I’ve struggled to get sleep early in the night. This would have me waking up groggy for class. And I genuinely hated rushing.
My alarm would go off and I’d already feel behind, like I’d failed the day before it even started.
So, before trying to wake up early, I started focusing on making my nights peaceful. If I could go to bed early and get my damn 8-9 hours of sleep, I knew waking up early would be easier.
I like my mornings because I like being alone. I don’t want to be awake when there’s noise or when other people are hustling about. I like taking my dogs out when nobody is awake, I like drinking my chai in peace.
This has taken me years to do, so I ask you to be patient with yourself and follow the tips that seem reasonable.
This is what has worked for me, if something looks too ridiculous for you, skip it! You do you, babe.
Here’s what actually helped me.
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1. I stopped treating early mornings like a productivity test
I used to wake up and check my emails or rush to do my homework.
None of that, none of that!
The biggest shift happened when I stopped deciding that early mornings had to be “useful.”
I wasn’t allowed to make them another checklist.
No morning routines with 12 steps. No pressure to journal, meditate, work out, read, and plan my entire future before sunrise.
This is what makes mornings detestful. If you detest mornings because you’re giivng yourself work, why would you want to wake up early?
So, take it easy!
Some mornings I just sit on the couch with a blanket and a mug of tea and stare out the window.
Some mornings, I move slowly through the kitchen, making breakfast like it’s the only thing I have to do all day. That’s it. That’s the win.
If you’re trying to enjoy waking up early, this matters more than anything.
The moment mornings feel like another thing to succeed at, you’ll start dreading them again. Let them be a pause, not a push.
One thing that helped was having a simple, comforting drink I genuinely look forward to. For me it’s matcha on weekdays and tea on slower mornings, made in a mug that feels special.
A small thing, but it signals to my brain that mornings are safe now. A cozy ceramic mug like this one from Amazon (this is the mug I use every day) makes it feel nice!
2. I built a morning that only exists for me
I don’t want to wake up for other people.
I know my phone has received a lot of messages by the time I wake up. People send me reels that I have to open on my browser (because I’ve deleted all social media) and so many Whatsapp messages.
But I’m done replying asap to people.
No social media. No messages. No checking what everyone else is doing with their lives. That comes later.
This time is just mine. I move quietly. I don’t talk much.
I keep the lights soft. Sometimes I read a few pages of a book or practice my Duolingo, sometimes I write badly in a notebook just recounting what happened the previous day or how I feel, sometimes I do absolutely nothing productive at all.
The key is that no one else has access to me yet. And that’s rare.
If you live with other people, this might mean waking up before the house does.
If you live alone, it might mean not opening apps that connect you to the outside world too fast.
Early mornings feel peaceful because they’re unclaimed. Protect that feeling.
I like keeping a physical notebook nearby so I’m not tempted to grab my phone. Nothing fancy, just something to dump thoughts into. A simple lined journal like this helps keep my mornings offline and slower.
3. I let myself wake up slowly, without rushing my body
I used to roll out of bed already tense.
Alarm, panic, movement, stress.
Now I give myself time to actually wake up. I sit up in bed for a minute. I stretch. I breathe. I don’t immediately stand up like the house is on fire.
Maybe it’s because I’m 33? I love my 30s, honestly.
This sounds small, but it changes everything.
Waking up early doesn’t mean jumping into the day.
If your body feels shocked awake every morning, of course you hate it. Anyone would.
Soft lighting really helps me. I stopped turning on harsh overhead lights and started using warm lamps instead.
It keeps the mood calm and makes mornings feel less aggressive. A warm bedside lamp can genuinely change how waking up feels. Even my dogs love this light. They’re both old so when I turn on this lamp, they stretch and yawn too and they’re ready to start the day as well, lol.
4. I created tiny rituals instead of big routines
Tiny wins matter. It helps set the tone for the day.
I don’t have a perfect morning routine. I have tiny rituals. Things I do almost every morning because they feel nice, not because they’re impressive.
One ritual is making my drink slowly. Another is opening the curtains and letting natural light in.
Another is sitting in the same spot every morning, even if it’s just for five minutes. My couch is going to get a nice dent in it, that’s fine.
These rituals anchor the morning. They tell my brain, we’ve been here before, and it was okay.
If you’re trying to enjoy waking up early, don’t plan a whole routine.
Pick one small thing you genuinely enjoy and do it every morning for a week. Let that be enough.
For example, reading just a few pages of a comforting book can be grounding. I keep something light and familiar nearby, not anything heavy.
A cozy, easy-read book works better than self-help in the morning, honestly.
5. I stopped expecting myself to feel amazing every morning
As women 28 day cycles, it’s normal to feel sh***y on some mornings.
Some mornings still feel bad. Some mornings I’m tired, grumpy, slow, and unmotivated. And that doesn’t mean waking up early isn’t working.
I used to think enjoying mornings meant feeling inspired and calm every single day.
That expectation ruined a lot of mornings for me. Now I let mornings be whatever they are.
Some days they’re peaceful. Some days they’re quiet but heavy. Some days I just sit there feeling blank. All of that counts. It’s okay. Give yourself some grace.
When you stop demanding a certain emotional outcome, mornings stop fighting you.
Comfort helps on the harder days.
Wrapping up in something soft, sitting somewhere warm, holding something familiar. A cozy throw blanket like this turns even bad mornings into tolerable ones.
6. I made early mornings feel safe instead of lonely
Early mornings can feel lonely if you’re not careful.
Especially if you’re an extrovert or like people noises.
My partner can’t stand quiet. That’s why I started adding gentle background comfort for him. Soft music. Nature sounds. Sometimes just the sound of the kettle boiling.
Silence is nice, but only when it feels chosen according to him.
If you wake up early and feel weird or sad, try adding something subtle to the background. Nothing loud. Nothing demanding. Just enough to make the space feel lived in.
I sometimes play soft instrumental music or ambient sounds while I move around slowly.
A small speaker or sound machine makes mornings feel warmer without overwhelming them.
7. I let early mornings change me slowly
I didn’t wake up early one day and suddenly love it.
We’re humans, not light switches. It takes time to see change.
It happened gradually. Without noticing, mornings started feeling less heavy.
I started looking forward to that quiet time. I stopped snoozing as much.
Early mornings didn’t make me more productive. They made me calmer. And that ended up changing everything else.
If you’re in your 20s or 30s and life feels loud, rushed, or constantly demanding, early mornings can become a small pocket of peace.
Not a solution. Not a fix. Just a softer way to start.
And that’s enough, you know?
