5 Ways to Wake Up at 4 AM Everyday

When we aspire to clear a competitive exam or do well in our studies, one plan most of us make is to get up early. However, we often find that something pulls us back into bed, as we try to shut down the alarm in the morning. We do know that we can get a lot done if we get up early. We also genuinely want to do it. Still, we find it difficult. How do we get ourselves to wake up early, say, at 4 in the morning? Here are five simple ways to make it possible.

The first way seems so obvious that one wonders how one ever missed it. To get up early, first of all, we have to go to bed early. Only then would we get our required 6 to 8 hours of sleep. If we don’t sleep well and get enough rest, how can we expect ourselves to get up early? Also, we have to train ourselves to go to bed at around the same time every day so that the Circadian rhythm, the natural rhythm of the body, is set. We often don’t give ourselves sufficient hours of rest thinking it won’t make any difference.  However, in reality, the negative effects of sleeplessness are cumulative. Giving ourselves enough rest and care is the first step to performing well.

The second way is to train ourselves to develop a calloused mind. According to the great marathon runner David Goggins, this is just like training our body at the gym. We have to harden ourselves and stick to our plan of action, no matter what. When we hear the alarm go off at 4, we will feel tempted to shut it off and go back to sleep. However, if we set the alarm and place our phones across the room and force ourselves to get up and switch it off, we will be able to work past the resistance we feel towards waking up.

The third point is to reflect on where we are and how to get to the destination. On a scale of 1 to 10, if we are anything but a 10, we should strive to get to that 10. For that, we need to have a clear idea of where we stand, what we are trying to achieve, and how to go about it. Once we have this certainty and know why we are trying to get up early, we will find it easier to do it.

We live in a technology-powered universe and there are a lot of available tools. The fourth way is to use these tools and to design the environment to our advantage. For example, some apps require us to scan a barcode to shut off the alarm. We can also do simple things like leaving a part of the curtains open so that the sun’s rays force us to get up. We can also schedule our mornings in such a way that it forces us to get up early.

The fifth way is to find out our sleep chronotype. There is a test to find this out, popularised by Michael Breus.  Our body has a PER3 gene, based on which we have a natural rhythm to our day. For certain periods of the day, we are at our energetic and creative best, whereas at other times, we feel that we need to rest. We can find this out for ourselves by plotting a graph mapping the time of day and our energy levels at different points of time. This is different for each person. So, waking up as early as 4 AM may not work for all people alike. Each person needs to find out what works for him or her, and then make plans according to it. 

The focus should be on understanding oneself and one’s needs and then designing the environment in such a way that it contributes to one’s growth. That is the key to true belonging. This also means that, if you are a person for whom getting up at 4 does not work at all, there is no need to worry about fitting in. You just need to find out what time works for you. It is useful to pen down your thoughts in a diary or journal. It will help clarify what is important and how to go about it.

Finally, remember that for any new habit to sustain, you need to feel happy about it. Don’t forget to reward yourself when you make progress!

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