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On Becoming a Morning Person: Should I or Shouldn't I?

I've never been a morning person.

Never.

As long as I can remember I've wanted to cozy up in my covers and stay in bed as long as possible in the mornings.  I still feel that way.  And it would have worked out okay, I suppose, since I also married a night owl and we had a night-owl-child, but then we had our second child.

Yep, he's the one morning person in this family of four.  I'm pretty sure God's still laughing over that one.

Since growing up, I've certainly realized the benefits of being a morning person--just because one isn't one doesn't mean that you don't have to actually get up and function like one.  It's just really hard.

And as I've grown older I've also come to realize I just don't like to talk to people for a couple of hours after I get up.  It's my processing-this-whole-waking-up-thing time with my coffee.  Of course, that doesn't always work out so well as a mother.  Sometimes I am brutally awakened by wide-awake children wanting things like breakfast and clean clothes.  I want those things, too, I just want someone else to make them happen for me;).  If I'm to get some quiet time alone in the mornings, I'm going to have to get up much earlier, right?

Yes, truth hurts.

Why can't I just be like Martha Stewart and be able to function on only four hours of sleep a night--making me both a night owl and a morning person simultaneously?!

So can a life-long night owl actually change her ways and become an early-to-bed-early-to-rise kind of person?  I'm actually quite productive in the hours between the kids going to bed and my going to bed.  But I really want to be more productive in the hours when I first wake up.

Believe me when I say that I have read much on this matter.  And then morning came and I hit the snooze button.

There are lots of good tips out there on how to "become a morning person".  Some of them I really don't like, but I think I've decided to try them.  Here are a few:

  • Start going to bed a little earlier each night (this means I don't get as much "personal" time after the kiddos go to bed to watch my English murder mysteries)
  • Eat something for breakfast with protein (it helps your brain function)
  • Exercise in the morning (ugh, ugh, and ugh .....but I just might try it)
  • Streamline your morning routine by doing some of those things the night before (deciding on clothes, setting the timer on the coffee, etc)
  • Let more light inside in the mornings (throw open those window blinds!)
  • Turn off the electronics at a little while before your bedtime to help your mind prepare for sleep (yes, a really tough one, I know)
OK, let's stop there before all of us late-night folks are completely overwhelmed.  We can only handle so much reality at a time, right?

Baby steps.

So, I am determining right now to begin taking some baby steps toward adjusting my sleep habits.  I know it won't be easy, but I think it's the right thing for me to do.  

Now I have to get back to nursing my cup o'coffee for just a little longer...
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