Episode 127. 3 Hacks to Become a Morning Person

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I want to give a warning before we start this episode. This may not be for everyone. I understand you might be in a stage in your life where waking up early will just not work for your life. However, maybe listen with an open mind to what God does want you to do. There may be something in here that sparks some revelation for your life. Also, this is not meant to be a guilt trip and be one more thing for you to work on or get done. This episode is to help you optimize your mental and spiritual health so you can begin to think in a higher and holier way. One way to do that is through becoming a morning person. Now there are a ton of other ways to optimize your mental and spiritual health too, this is just one I am focusing on now. 

There is a ton of research that says waking up early is good for your health. In fact a lot of the research says that if you can wake up and get the morning sunlight exposure it will help you regulate your sleep-wake cycle. This helps your body get in a rhythm of healthy sleep patterns. This morning sunlight has been proven to strengthen your immune system, reduce stress and support your mental health. I mean haven’t you heard that quote from Benjamin Franklin that says, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise?” So the new research is just a confirmation of what people have known for years.

Prophets and apostles allude to it being beneficial as well. In fact, I found this story about Elder Marion G. Romney that was fascinating. As a new General Authority, Elder Marion G. Romney (1897–1988) felt inadequate in fulfilling his important calling, so he sought advice from his friend Elder Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The counsel offered that day both surprised and motivated Elder Romney. Elder Lee said,

“If you are to be successful as a General Authority, you will need to be inspired. You will need to receive revelation. I will give you one piece of advice: Go to bed early and get up early. If you do, your body and mind will become rested and then in the quiet of those early morning hours, you will receive more flashes of inspiration and insight than at any other time of the day.” Years later, reflecting back on that experience, then-President Romney said: “From that day on, I put that counsel into practice, and I know it works. Whenever I have a serious problem, or some assignment of a creative nature with which I hope to receive the influence of the Spirit, I always receive more assistance in the early morning hours than at any other time of the day.”

We know that waking up early is a good thing but I understand if you have ever tried doing it and actually felt worse. Especially if you aren’t used to getting up early. That’s why I wanted to do this episode. When people find out what time I wake up they often ask me how I manage to get up at 4:30 every morning. I usually give them three pieces of advice that have really served me well.

Keep in mind, I wasn’t always a morning person, especially when I had newborn babies. I would get the sleep anytime I could when I was waking up in the night with babies. Then, as they started to sleep through the night I started waking up earlier. I didn’t go from waking up at 9:00 am to 4:30 am overnight. This has been a 10 year process. But the reason I got there were these three tips. 

 Find something to wake up for that benefits you

If you are waking up for the sake of waking up, it won’t work. This morning time is one of the most beneficial times to pour into yourself and receive back tenfold what you put in. When I first started waking up early I wanted to exercise with my friends. They were doing it early in the morning so the connection I made with my friends and the benefit of exercising got me out of bed. 

Eventually, I started wanting to connect with God as well. So I gave myself an extra 5 to 10 minutes before I went to work out to read a scripture or two. Pretty soon I realized the benefit of that too and started wanting to spend more time with God as well as exercise. This is actually where my Seeking Personal Revelation Journal was born. I started seeking out different ways to connect with God in meaningful ways and I was led to creating this journal.

I will say, the benefits of using my Seeking Personal Revelation to see the hand of God in my life, receive His help and receive the revelation I need to survive my day far outweigh the sleeping in. I notice the days I miss my connection with God which motivates me to get back to it. So if you want to become a morning person, find something to wake up for that pours back into you in ways you can’t live without. 

Start with small 15 minute increments.

Like I said earlier, I didn’t go from waking up at 9:00 am to waking up at 4:30 am overnight. In fact, when I started working out with my friends, I didn’t even go everyday. I even still allow myself some days to “sleep in” if I wasn’t able to get to bed early enough, I am sick, or I know my body needs more rest for whatever reason. I am never shooting for perfection, just consistency. 

Can 15 minutes really make a difference? Yes! Yes it can! Remember that is is through small and simple things that great things are brought to pass. Well it was starting with 5 minutes for me that sparked my interest in personal revelation and look where I am now. You too can make such a difference with 15 minutes. Don’t let the thoughts of the natural man tell you that 15 minutes won’t make a difference so don’t even try. That type of thinking will only keep you where you are at now, making no changes.

Even small 1% changes add up over time (remember that talk from conference). So what CAN you commit to that gets you closer to your goal? Can it be 15 minutes on one day a week? Can it be 15 minutes on a few days a week? Focusing on what IS possible will get you farther than focusing on what ISN’T possible.

Create a night time routine

Remember that quote by Benjamin Franklin? He gave a clue there; he said, “early to bed AND early to rise”. When I am working with people in my therapy office on their sleep hygiene (that’s what we call it) I first start with their night time routine. Your ability to wake up in the morning has a lot more to do with HOW you went to sleep than it does with WHEN you are waking up. This is called preparation. The gospel is littered with examples of preparing yourself in order to be ready. It is no different for waking up early to receive what you need in the morning.  

A good night time routine involves doing similar things each night to train your body that it’s time to sleep. Mine is taking a bath. That triggers my brain that it’s time to turn off the day and enter rest time. Also, remember that you can’t just wake up early and still go to bed late. Sleep is your body's time to restore itself. You still need 7-9 hours of sleep to restore your body to function at optimal level each day. So whatever time you plan to wake up, count backwards and give yourself a minimum of 7 hours. This preparation will serve you well in the morning. 

Alright there you have it, three hacks to becoming a morning person. If you would like to have something to motivate you to wake up for my Seeking Personal Revelation Journal or my Meaningful Prayer Journal which is actually a mini version of the revelation journal, area great option. Both will help you connect with God, see His hand more in your life, and receive the revelation He has for you.