Ever meet someone with extra pep in his (or her) step, no coffee required? If the concept of being a “morning person” is pretty difficult to wrap your head around, we’ve got some good news: How you stock and arrange your home can help ease you into the morning routine. Read on for 10 simple tips that will energize your A.M.
Choosing the right bedroom color might have an impact on your rest and wakefulness. Some experts recommend yellow, green, or orange paint to boost energy and concentration. So if your serene blue bedroom walls find you curling up in bed come sun-up, it might be time for a new paint job.
A good night’s sleep ought to leave you energized for the new day, right? So if you’re waking up, not only tired, but with an achy lower back, your current mattress needs to go. Before buying, be sure to test the new mattress on the showroom floor and check the return policy–a mattress that feels perfect in the store for 10 minutes might not feel the same after a week at home.
For a sunnier disposition first thing, enlist the help of natural light to wake up. Try moving the bed in front of window, or leaving the curtains open before you go to sleep. If you’re if you’re the type of person who needs closed black-out curtains to fall asleep, invest instead in an alarm clocks that lights up the room like the morning sun.
Related: How to Become a Morning Person
One simple rearrangement of the bedroom can be the key to a better night’s sleep: Lose the television. Left sitting at the foot of your bed, a TV screen can tempt you with hours of binge-watching your favorite show until you doze off. More than just delaying your curfew, research shows that the blue light from the screen can disrupt how well you sleep if used within an hour before bedtime.
Related: 7 Things Morning People Do Differently
Yes, it’s easier to stay in a bed than get out of one when it means touching icy, cold floors with your bare feet. But adding a plush area rug in the bedroom–even investing in heated flooring–is positive reinforcement, rewarding you every time you get up, especially in winter!
And after you leave your plush bedroom flooring, set the rest of the home to a comfortable temperature. A smart thermostat that learns your wake times can adjust the heat before you move about the house. As your body warms up, it’ll wake up.
If the smell of breakfast cooking wakes your senses best, invest in programmablekitchen appliances. Then time your coffee maker to sync up with your alarm clock, and the smell of java will keep you from hitting snooze. Also prep an automatic rice cooker before bed for ready-to-eat oatmeal in the morning — you’ll never leave for work without breakfast again.
A wake-up playlist is the prequel is to a better morning. If you’re always hitting snooze, consider trading in your traditional alarm clock for a newer device. SoundRise is an alarm, a USB charger for your phone, and an FM radio. The best part? It’s very, very hard to ignore!
One less thing to worry about before running out the door: The hassle of a morning chore. But you don’t need to sacrifice a clean room for extra minutes in the day. Switch your bedding to a duvet cover that attaches to the top sheet, like this one from Crane and Canopy–you’ll be able to make your bed in just a few tugs!
In a frenetic weekday morning, each “one last thing” adds a bit of stress. Yes, certain tasks–say, brushing your teeth–are more or less unavoidable. But many can be eliminated from your A.M. routine, thanks to smart home products that can do them on your behalf. One such time-saver: the WeMo line of light bulbs and light switches enable you either to put your home’s lighting on a schedule or to kill them from a smartphone after you’ve already left home.