Yet another aspect of training to be a morning person involves light. When it comes to setting yourself up for success, exposing yourself to light at the appropriate time of day is essential. After all, we associate darkness with extended hours of sleep.

According to BBC, your goal should be to seek out light in the morning and stay away from light just before bed. “Light exposure is the most important thing by far,” Dr. Nathaniel Watson, co-director of the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center, tells the BBC. “It affects the circadian rhythm (your internal clock) the most. It’s way more powerful than any melatonin or medication that you can take.”

Take extra steps to ensure light exposure during the winter. When it gets light later, it can make it hard to get up. This is why purchasing a light box can be beneficial during darker months. Watson recommends a 20,000 lux light box. Or you can also use a “dawn simulator,” which simulates the light changes associated with sunrise.

You’ll want to plan for a satisfying, nourishing breakfast every single day. A change in schedule means a change in your body’s clock. As a result, you’re going to need energy to get through the day. 

According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a healthy breakfast should include two to three foods from the following food groups: breads/grains, fruits/vegetables and milk/milk products. If you’re planning on leaving home in a hurry, you may want to consider fruit, yogurt and a breakfast bar. But if you have time, eggs, toast, fruit and milk make for a well-rounded meal. 

Plan for extra sleep and try to sleep the same number of hours that you’re used to. And go to bed at the same time every night. Remember that you’re probably going to feel like you want to stay up later. However, this won’t serve you well because you’ll be tired the next morning. After a few days, you’ll be exhausted. This, in turn, will make it tough to stick with your new morning routine. 

So get off distractions like the television and laptops. Resolve to sleep instead of preoccupying yourself with activities. And if you can’t sleep, go into another room and come back to the bedroom later.  

With a little planning, you can (and will) train yourself to be a morning person. You just have to set your mind to it. Think about all of the worthwhile things you’ll accomplish with your new routine.