8 Life hacks that will turn you into the ultimate morning person

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who can easily wake up before 8 am with a positive attitude, and normal human beings. Sorry, early birds - but that's just the truth of the matter.

However, as weird as these early-risers may be, they do have a distinct advantage over the rest of us. They're able to prepare themselves for the day ahead better than us night owls, be more productive without having to wait for that first hit of caffeine to kick in, and they have an overall better mood in the morning - something that may seem alien to anyone who dreads their alarm going off each day.

But being able to kickstart the day with a positive attitude isn't some innate quality that we either do or do not have. In fact, anybody can train themselves to be a morning person; you just have to follow a few simple rules...

1. Don't use the 'snooze' function

As someone who deliberately sets their first alarm for 30 minutes before they actually have to get up, I feel this one. And yes, it's easy to convince yourself that you're somehow winning at life by hitting snooze and catching some extra Zs, but going back to sleep and then waking up multiple times will do nothing to help you actually get out of bed, and can actually make you tired for the rest of the day.

2. Refrain from using technology right before bed

Before I hit the hay each night, I tend to do one final check of Twitter, Instagram, and Whatsapp before putting on a podcast to fall asleep to - and I know I'm not alone in doing so. While a lot of us find this to be a good wind-down, however, it's actually a very unhealthy habit to have. This is because the blue light emitted from phone and computer screens can interfere with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, essentially making it harder for your body to be fully at rest.

3. Get up and moving ASAP

Ok, let's say you already abide by the first two tips on this list: you wake at your first alarm, and you don't spend hours on Facebook before going to sleep. That's all very well and good - but it won't help much if you don't actually shift your butt as soon as you wake up. Even if that just means going to the bathroom or walking over to open your curtains, getting yourself moving will wake up the rest of your body and prepare you for the day ahead.

4. Go outside

This obviously isn't possible for everyone, but if you have a garden, it can help to step outside and breathe in some fresh air in order to let your body know that it's daytime. Even opening your window or letting a lot of daylight into your room can help, as you want to do whatever you can to stop your body believing that it is still night.

5. Avoid dehydration

Even if you are someone who is able to wake at the crack of dawn without a problem, this tip will come in handy. Dehydration can cause us to become sleepy and sluggish at any time of the day, but we are especially dehydrated in the morning after we've gone 6-8 hours without drinking anything. In order to combat this, try to drink water before bed (but not so much that you'll need to wake in the night to use the bathroom), and keep a bottle on your nightstand to take a swig from when you wake up.

6. Meditate

This tip won't be for everyone, but many people swear by meditation as a method for dealing with tiredness. Rather than stressing about the day ahead from the moment your alarm goes off, try taking some time to clear your mind and relax your body. There are a number of apps or YouTube videos you can use to assist you in this, but it's also totally fine to do it in silence.

7. Establish a set routine

Human beings are creatures of habit. Each of us has a preference on what time we like to eat, how long we spend watching Netflix each evening, and even which side of the bed we prefer to sleep on. And, when something gets in the way of that routine, we tend to feel the effects in a negative way. It stands to reason then, that we should stick to the same routine when it comes to getting up each day - even on the weekend, if possible. The more you are able to do the same tasks at the same time each morning, the less they will feel like a chore.

8. Be positive 

Let's be real for a second: this is the hardest tip on the list. It's all very well and good saying "be positive", but if you struggle with that in general, you're going to have a tough time doing it at 7 am when it's still cold and dark outside. However, you can make it slightly easier for yourself in a few ways. Maybe you could put a photo near your bed that makes you happy, or alternate some of your favourite songs to play as your alarm each day. Just making this one tiny change can literally influence your mood for the entire day, so it's worth a shot.

So, to my fellow night-owls, I wish you the best of luck in trying out these life hacks, and to the early birds, I leave you with this: please be patient with us while we change our routines. We're trying our hardest.