Pia Lamberg embraces the morning on her Ajna Meditation Cushion

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Morning holds some of the day’s most beautiful and peaceful moments. In the summer it’s always easier to greet the day - dawn comes sooner and the warm temperatures make leaving out cozy beds less daunting. In the colder months it becomes exceptionally challenging to embrace mornings and greet them with optimism and excitement. Most people are not naturally programmed to be early risers, but there are some small tips and changes that we can incorporate to coax out that side in all of us. While in transition to embracing the mornings, it’s important to make it a positive and peaceful experience. Remember to be gentle with yourself and pick the right tools and tricks that will best ease you into this new routine and keep the process light and full of gratitude for the newfound time in the day.  

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1. Have your coffee machine setup and ready to brew. If you’re lucky enough to have a coffee machine with a timer, start setting it to start an hour earlier than your usual wake up time. There’s nothing quite like the aroma of fresh coffee and the gurgling sound of the coffee pot to lure you from your sleep. By eliminating one task from your morning routine waking up will already seem easier.

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2. Set two alarms (and pick nice tones!). Set the first alarm fifteen minutes prior to your real wakeup time. This first alarm is intended to bring you out of your deep sleep and create a time cushion for you to mentally prepare to rise. You could take this time for gratitude, to stretch in bed, play some wakeup tunes or to just slowly start to flutter your eyes open. When that second alarm goes off that’s when the covers go down and the feet hit the floor. You’ve had your 15 minutes of mental prep and it’s time to start the day. 

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3. Lay the Ajnamat Acupuncture Mat out next to your bed. When you make your way out of the covers and onto the floor (to go get the fresh-brewed coffee), take five minutes to stand on the Acupuncture Mat to help stimulate your senses and wake your body. Take this time to stand in mountain pose, make some slow neck and shoulder rolls and bring your body and mind out of the sleepy state. THis could be a great opportunity to start a morning podcast or playlist that you intend to listen to as you make your way to the kitchen and have your coffee.

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4. Get soft lighting - twinkly lights are highly recommended. Turning on bright, high-powered lights can be jarring first thing in the morning. Keep things soft and gentle to ensure that you’re bringing your mind into a peaceful state and not one that creates anxiety. You may even decide to incorporate a candle into your morning ritual. I would recommend keeping it at your bedside and lighting it when the first alarm goes off so that you have fifteen minutes to enjoy its scent and notice the crackling sounds. Don’t forget to blow it out when you’re done on the Acupuncture Mat and you leave the room!

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5. Sign up for a virtual yoga class that has a hard start time. Registering for a sunrise yoga session will hold you accountable to get out of bed, get dressed and make time for your mat. This accountability will also ensure that you are using your newfound morning time for positive shifts and not for scrolling through your phone. When selecting a class time just make sure that you’re being realistic - leave enough time for your coffee, Acupuncture Mat and 15 minute alarm schedule. You don’t want to arrive on your mat rushed and flustered. As you begin this routine leave more time padding than you think you would need and maybe you could even take the time to set up your mat and space for yoga the evening before so you’re ready to go!

Becoming a morning person won’t happen overnight (pun intended), but hopefully with these tips and tricks you can slowly start to set that alarm earlier and make small shifts that see big, positive impacts in your daily routine.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dominique (Nico) Klimek resides in New Jersey with her Chiweenie, EmmieLou and is a Marketing Manager at CLIF Bar. She's a summer surfer, winter snowboarder and enjoys running, biking, skating and yoga in between! You can follow her adventures on Instagram @neeks.peeks and reach out for a surf or skate session when you're in Jersey!