The early bird apparently does get the worm. Christoph Randler, a biology professor at the University of Education in Heidelberg, Germany, found that morning people are often more successful because, as a group, they tend to be proactive.
“People find morning hours useful because it’s time you have to yourself before everybody else wants a piece of you,” Vanderkam says. Waking up earlier to work out, make headway on a creative project or enjoy a stress-free cup of coffee (without a smartphone in your hand) can help reframe your morning, making it easier to accomplish more without sacrificing time for yourself.
Here, some advice from experts on how to pull it off.
FIGHT SLEEP INERTIA
When you wake up in the middle of the night, a physiological state called sleep inertia helps you fall back asleep. But that same state is responsible for your morning grogginess. To get your body going, Michael Grandner, a sleep expert at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, recommends doing some stretches, drinking some water or taking a shower right after your alarm goes off.
MIND YOUR LIGHT EXPOSURE
Morning light exposure can help recalibrate your internal clock and regulate your levels of the sleep hormone melatonin, making you less out of it when you rise. The opposite is also true: nighttime light exposure (yes, even the light from your smartphone) can perk you up–and interfere with your brain’s transition into rest mode.
BRIBE YOURSELF
Humans do not naturally gravitate toward punishment, so if your morning routine feels like one, it’s time to change how you start your day. Instead of warring with the snooze button, motivate yourself with a reward. Vanderkam suggests you treat yourself to something–a few moments in a favorite chair, a fancy latte–that will get you moving.
GET MOVING
Studies show that you’re more likely to stick with an exercise regimen if you do it at the same time every day, and working out first thing in the morning just makes sense, as it’s less likely that something will come up suddenly to derail your plans. “Our mornings tend to be more regimented,” says Vanderkam. Plus, getting it out of the way before work means you need to shower only once.
PILE ON THE PROTEIN
You know the saying: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” So if you’re trying to make mornings more bearable, a cup of coffee isn’t going to cut it. “After sleeping all night, our metabolism and blood sugar are at their lowest; we need a healthy breakfast to re-energize us,” says Rebecca Scritchfield, R.D., a Washington D.C. based nutrition. Her breakfast of champions consists of a protein, a colorful fruit or veggie, and a whole grain (Think: Greek yogurt topped with fresh blueberries topped with granola and chia seeds).
DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN WORK (OR THAT FEELS LIKE WORK)
Some of the most successful larks Vanderkam has interviewed say they start the day doing something they truly enjoy. So instead of rolling over and reading the news on your tablet, consider meeting a friend for a jog, reading a chapter of a novel or writing in a journal. “It’s a lot easier to get up and do something you want to do than something you don’t,” says Vanderkam.
This is adapted from an original article that appeared in the March 20, 2017 issue of TIME.
