How To Become a Morning Person in One Week

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Accomplish more, be successful, and attack the day - these are the promises of what's in store for you if you become a morning person. I am not sure the promises necessarily hold. However, I have found waking up earlier has made me more productive, healthy, and happy because I have the extra time to do the things that make me productive, healthy, and happy. I now wake up at 5:30 every day, including on the weekends.
Questionnaire: www.chronotype-self-test.info...
Sleep Cycle App: www.sleepcycle.com
📜 Write Up - zhighley.com/morning-person/
📸 Instagram - / ​​
🐧 Twitter - / zachhighley
💌 Newsletter - zhighley.com/newsletter/
0:00 Intro
0:44 Circadian Clock
1:44 Shift Your Clock
5:32 Make Life Easier
Editor: Martino Gasparrini
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Who am I:
My name is Zach. I’m a fourth-year medical student in Philadelphia. I make videos about medical school, studying, and growth. I love trying new things and often mess up. However, every time I screw up I usually learn something. Whatever I learn I post it either on KZbin or on my website 🌐 (zhighley.com/​​).
I write a weekly newsletter 💌 (zhighley.com/newsletter/​​) linking the best things I read, watched, and listened to that week. Join the 4,000+ that read it every Sunday morning.
The Gear I Use to film videos: zhighley.com/resources/#_YouT…​​
What I’m Reading: zhighley.com/resources/#_Booksg

[@ZachHighley]

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: go.nebula.tv/zachhighley Watch my exclusive companion Morning Habits Video (only ever on Nebula): nebula.tv/videos/zachhighley-the-9-best-morning-habits-for-health-and-productivity

[@electguitarz]

For me, it’s not about productivity. It’s about having time in the morning to just chill. Not having to rush out of the house to get to work on time is amazing. I’ve been getting up around 5:30 for 3 years now. It’s amazing. Having time to cook a better breakfast, take longer showers, longer time to exercise.

[@FolkFaninMA]

This was exactly me when I had a job. I had to leave the house at 7:00 to get to work by 8:00, so I would get up no later than 5:30. Like you, I didn’t like the feeling of being rushed. Plus it gave me time to spend with my animals before I had to leave.

[@maddyharvey7414]

You read my mind. I feel so rushed and stressed when I don’t give myself 30 mins to chill in bed before I get up and workout etc.

[@zoepearce1445]

what time do you go to sleep?

[@YokoFuongAnh]

I would love to be a morning person and wake up early but here in Denmark it's so difficult to wake up early when it's so dark and freezing cold 🥶

[@lucreziacimino]

what I really appreciate about your videos is that first you try something and then you explain how you did it and give science based advices to support what you’re saying. you’re not vomiting the same things you hear every time and everywhere just to put up a video. great work Zach 👏🏻

[@hiraansari9001]

I love how you always show yourself trying something and then make another video explaining how to do it (just like the running videos)! Super cool!

[@ZachHighley]

You’ve discovered my master plans

[@zakriaahmad906]

Creative reply my sister

[@EduardoHenrique-nd1ro]

Another amazing video, Zach! Thanks for sharing with us! Cheers from Brazil!

[@dmora2386]

The most valuable here is cold shower in the morning. I cold turkey snapped from 8am groggy as hell, to 5am, ultra alert by 5:30am, workibg/being productive by 6am. COLD SHOWER. I swear on my life it'll change everything. And you don't have to start it freezing cold to where you can't get in. Start it Luke warm/warm to where you can actually get in, then walk it down slowly, u till its cool/cold and where you get a shiver and want to get out. Do that till you can stay in there for a couple minutes. You're morning will completely change. Caveat is... You'll get really sleepy around 7-8pm, sooo not so great if you're younger and all your friends constantly go out late at night. Great if you want to outperform your coworkers/get home stuff done.

[@ivyhhhhh]

I love the tone & manner of your video!

[@afsheentahira3241]

Your videos are well thought out and practical! Great job Zach

[@techmentormaria]

I LOVE MY MORNINGS. I get up without an alarm clock between 6-7am every day and mornings are the best parts of my day because I get more done, I am excited, nothing has happened during the day that could affect me and I'm in full control of how my day could look like later on. Thank you for this video 💕

[@charlareidbodyandsoul]

Hi!!!!!!! Thank you so much for this video! I have scheduled to start waking up at 5am every morning starting next Monday morning. This month I am focusing on trying new things that will improve my body and soul - things that scare me but I know are important to being more productive and starting my day in a positive way. Thank you again and I hope you have a lovely week! ❤❤

[@freeedom22]

How's going? haha, tell us!!!

[@rezaarsenal4532]

Great Work Zack! needed it.

[@annaspeaks373]

Every time when I become morning person I lose my ability to have a life in the evenings. I want to be productive in the evenings🤷🏻‍♀️

[@ZachHighley]

That’s fine, some people are more productive at night time, that’s just not me

[@SilverHawk214]

Ok listen. I'm most productive in the morning when it comes to things I don't want to do but have to do, like homework, chores, or errands. But more productive at night with creative things, like writing. I was at peak productivity in my teens when I was getting 4 hours a sleep. I can't do that anymore, so I cry

[@TheWema2]

You can try to rest in the afternoon ( maybe 1 or 2 hours)

[@marvin_fgl5451]

@@SilverHawk214 It's the very same for me!

[@nisan6937]

Me too 😂

[@safasliceoflife]

There were definitely some great tips here that I'll be sharing with my mom too.she doesn't get much light in the mornings. I loved how informative your video was, definitely need to up my game as I want to create more informative videos too. Thanks for sharing!

[@renza481]

This really helped me a lot thank you. I went from 8am to 7 am now and Im slowly going back to my old routine at 6am. It realy helped with my depression.

[@PEGGYINTAIWAN]

i love your channel because a great number of times you have scientific proof on the things that you are trying to convey to people. Great content and amazing quality of video and editing.

[@icesparklefrost7511]

I’m definitely way more productive in the morning! Once it’s night and dark outside it’s so much harder to be productive and I naturally start relaxing generally.

[@jamesruz6684]

eyyyy just the video i was waiting for. thanks zachy

[@freddyjosereginomontalvo4667]

Thanks for the video and for the advices man. Have a great weekend.

[@ZachHighley]

Thanks, you too!

[@Stone_624]

My Struggle is when I'm in a bad sleep schedule, I'll try to go to bed at a reasonable time, For it to take 2~3 hours to fall asleep, Only to repeat the bad sleep I had the previous night. It's an awful cycle to be in and incredibly difficult to get out of.

[@electguitarz]

I’d like to thank you for giving the motivation to finally start doing what ive been postponing for months. I’ve been binging a lot of your videos. I’m just some lazy 34 year dude stuck in a dead end soul sucking job that pays peanuts. It’s time to change that. To at least add some of what I’m passionate back into my life. Thanks!

[@sofia_paliy]

Maybe I'm late, but I just want to wish you good luck in changing your life for the better. Don't give up, you got this!

[@tristanchilders7615]

How’s it going champ?

[@niky5223]

This came just about right in time 👏👍thanks

[@Krysdavar]

What about weekends, when I stay up later on Friday/Saturday nights? This is when I get to do that thing - go to bed when tired and wake up....when I'm not tired anymore. It's always so hard waking up on Monday though, ugh.

[@gyecedyc]

Awesome and very helpful video, thanks.

[@bethjones9556]

Hi Zach, Super helpful video, could you share some research you have seen on the difference between female and male sleep needs and sleep cycles?

[@squirtlesquad2477]

I learned about this in undergrad, so I think it’s great that you are making this info widely known. I really like the specific examples that dug into advice we hear often. Ie I’ve heard several channels suggest getting more light exposure to sleep better but actually describing how lux content varies between indoor vs outdoor environments was really intriguing. Goooood job Zach!

[@trentconley4374]

yeah i really didn't appreciate the difference in the output of the sun vs inside

[@Ruu555]

Wow, the questionnaire is so insightful. It even told me my natural bedtime which explains a lot and now I don't have to feel guilty about staying up late and going to bed at 1 am. I am a moderate night owl. After 2 am, I get way too sleepy but before 11 pm, I am too alert to sleep. There's other details in the results too which are really helpful.

[@snehalsahni9426]

my constant source of motivation...thankyouuu sooo much Zach!!!!

[@ZachHighley]

You got this!

[@chrisdicre6970]

Love your videos, pls continue ❤

[@BlindGardener]

This channel is gold.

[@Jen-Chapin]

I have tried so hard to break up with the snooze button but it’s so difficult for me. I also find it more difficult to get up early in the winter when it’s so dark. You have some great tips here though, I’m going to download the app!

[@SamuelWeaverr]

I like to put my alarm clock (or phone) where I cant reach it so I have to get up to turn it off.

[@selinatran9384]

You could get an alarm clock that slowly lights up to simulates a sunrise in your room :)

[@victorrodriguez1234]

Good point Zach.

[@saranragav2274]

Great breakdown of the steps to become a morning person! I appreciate the evidence-based approach and the practical tips for shifting the circadian rhythm. Consistency truly is key in making this transition smoother. Thanks for sharing these valuable insights!

[@joshwoods7641]

I've been doing all these things consistently for years, and am still not a morning person. It's just not possible for everyone.

[@PJStrawberry]

great video thank you!

[@beff1015]

i love the darkness and the coldness and the quietness of the morning

[@frantyozorawattilete4742]

Sooo gewd! Thank youuu. Cheers from Jakarta, Indonesia! 🎉

[@user-xp1yu4oo2h]

thank you very much for your videos

[@amfq]

im someone with adhd so i have a completely delayed sleep cycle typically. i can train myself to wake up earlier but i can never commit to going to bed earlier because i’m most at peace late at night when no one can disturb me, so i just end up getting less sleep. currently i’m going to bed between 12-2am and waking up like a half hour before my first alarm even goes off at 8.

[@alistairwall5470]

"Get some early light," meanwhile the UK at 7am: 🌃 I've actually been getting up earlier this week because of these sorts of things, it does really work, cheers Zach.

[@Ssaidak]

Over 8am in Scotland. At 3 am in the Summer after 4 hours of night

[@Herzchirurgie.]

I love your way that you always trying to teach important lessons of our life.................yea , maintaining of circadian cycle is so difficult for a medicos., So I will always trying to maintain it ............♥️

[@nada-24]

unimportant note: You bring me strong feel of peace and calmness ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@nerd26373]

Thanks for this video. This is truly inspiring.

[@ZachHighley]

Thanks for watchingggg

[@greenbillugaming2781]

The islamic routine Wake up just before sunrise. Do your prayer or meditation or reading for 30 min. Then start your day. Take a power nap around 2pm for 1 hour or 30 minutes. This will provide energy for night. Take light meal and Go to sleep around 11 Pm. Adjust according to your needs.

[@Mood_fresh581]

This is a great video I've ever watch it really says something different 😁😁😁

[@purpleworld1545]

love your videos

[@vibingtomusic]

Very informative!

[@jennyjams3734]

Would love a video on sleeping and sleep hygiene or tips when on a night shift at the hospital!

[@karenewing5262]

I don’t know what it was about your video that clicked for me. But 1 morning I woke about 530, thought “half hour till alarm goes off”. Then I remembered I’d need 90 minutes to cycle through sleep not 30 for alarm. I got out of bed and I have not needed an alarm since!! I wake at the end of REM cycle and get up. So much more time to ease into the day. More energy throughout the day too not constantly feeling cheated out of sleep. I just had to share. Thank you!!

[@skylar57]

This video is right on time!! Just today morning I was thinking about how to get up early because I'm unable to do so these days. Perfect!

[@ZachHighley]

You got this!

[@skylar57]

@@ZachHighley thank you!

[@yashasvitripathi4443]

Thanks for this video..... Love you Bro❤

[@ZachHighley]

Love you

[@balochsarparah5237]

May you get more n more success in your life.. your videos are very helpful for me..

[@ZachHighley]

Same to youuuuu

[@rohary1]

perfect timing, need to sort my sleep out asap

[@ZachHighley]

Good luck

[@vanci1111]

Getting in the good stretches and workout too! I had night schedule and maybe my body got ised to it so am more productive however i do lots of creative work. But i live outdoors and am back on night schedule currently to sleep through this record heat we have had. I have to start switching back now 😊

[@32rikysyafandi29]

i watch this on 05:57 and sleep yet

[@nailalouis]

The video I was just looking for

[@katozrippla1497]

My result for the quiz was slap bang in the middle. I'm not a morning or evening person. I'm just right in the middle. Very helpful

[@rontiemens2553]

What did it for me was raising ten children. Now that most of them are grown I find myself up without an alarm at or before 3AM seven days a week after 5.5 - 6 hours of sleep and I am good to go. No excuse not to hit the gym now so that's what I do before work.

[@michaelkopacz]

Needed this video! 😅

[@ZachHighley]

Glad to help!

[@DuyNguyen-mc2tt]

Thanks for the video. I want to change my schedule so I can study for MCAT and prepare for med school application better!

[@ZachHighley]

Best of luck!

[@fedorm5961]

Nice summary of the Huberman lab podcast :)

[@TheLukasll]

Awesome video! I am a morning person and am fine getting up early, but how do you do it with night shifts in the hospital? I just started working as a doctor as well and find this extremly hard

[@NO-wr8ro]

Thank you so much for your videos Zach. You are so inspiring. I also have a few questions: 1. do we need to shift our sleeping time as well while shifting out waking time? (sorry if you've already mentioned it in the video) 2. I am a dental student and I have my finals in March. After seeing patients during the day in our clinical rotations, I become extremely exhausted and find that I can't study or revise once I get home/to the library... Do you have any tips on productivity/combatting fatigue and exhaustion after clinics especially for final exams? Thanks in advance :)

[@ZachHighley]

Yea shift your sleeping time as well and aim for whatever total sleep goal you have. I’ve been there many times, I would say force yourself for 1 hour after clinicals or try and find time during the clinical or before the clinical to do the work. Go hard on the weekends

[@NO-wr8ro]

@@ZachHighley Thank you :)

[@CitiesTurnedToDust]

I've had to work every shift you can imagine. It always baffles me how so many people think they're stuck with only one possible sleep schedule, and act like they can't adapt to anything else. The people I know who have this problem don't even try all the things available to help them adjust. One group seems to be the ones who insist on staying up all night partying every weekend, when they have morning shifts all week. But of course it's easy for me to say that when I don't like partying at all.

[@sarahelbliety6028]

what app are you using?? also thanks for the tips, love ur videos

[@kgal1298]

I've relented to being a night person. If time is a construct of society so is the need to be a morning person. People should work when they're the most productive regardless. Circadian rhythm was only created because of light and dark, but then you'd have to live in an area that has an average day/night hours and that's not everywhere in the world. Kind of interesting when you think about it in a geographical sense.

[@beback3731]

Well, most offices and business operate either 8 or 9 to 5 in any part of the world, so?

[@basabisarkar1271]

Thanks for sharing this motivational video. Brother Your video always inspire me. Have a great day.

[@ZachHighley]

You inspire me

[@basabisarkar1271]

@@ZachHighley :)

[@_rogue5855]

Its a more important video. Thank you

[@juveriakhan2063]

It's something I needed as exams are near ND my habit of waking up early got stopped due to 🥶 but will again start from tomorrow means today 😂 Thnk u💛

[@navyac3362]

VIDEO IDEA: Top STOIC habits for students

[@Brandyrose111]

Also eating too often throughout the day and eating too close to bed time can throw off your circadian rhythm. So can not being hydrated enough. So practicing healthy fasting and good hydration to help. At least that’s what helps me.

[@Lottiya]

I’m a night owl but my classes force me to wake up at 5:30-7am… I hate it because I can’t focus during the day even if I slept 7-8h. I’m normally productive between 8pm-1am. So with waking up this early I loose almost all those hours to sleep/getting ready to sleep etc

[@gabrielcuric1938]

This guy is great. Sleep app should sponsor him asap 😉

[@saltyfries8845]

I feel like I can live with any sleep schedule as long as I have at least 5 minutes to wake myself up even if I only slept a few hours and when I took the questioner it proved this by saying that I was in the middle range

[@mattthomas1217]

I used to be a night owl, but I started going to sleep earlier and earlier and, over time, was able to get up earlier. I have to be up early for my job, so now I wake up between 5:30-6:30 every day. I get more done and not tired after I wake up. It takes time to get in an early morning routine. I'm just more productive in the morning and prefer to work out in the morning as well.

[@jennifermiranda6023]

I hope this will be me. Always been a night owl, but want to adjust to be more productive and energised.

[@Anna-vu9rz]

what time do u go to bed

[@JohnVianneyPatron]

Hey Dr Zach, I take a high dose of benzo before I go to bed each night. Could I become a morning person? Should I even try?

[@scriptyshake]

I live in the Netherlands and in the winters the sun only rises at like 8 AM, so how would I wake up at 6:30 AM and expect to be exposed to light? I understand for summer, but winter? Are there alternatives to sunlight for winter?

[@syedhasan4572]

Oh man! The life in the evening and / or at night is a big fat illusions. All we do is either hang out with friends, munch food or the most common worst habit is spend our time watching screens. This watching screen typically includes, binging on tv series, playing games, browsing internets, writing and reading comments on YT, Twitter etc, checking social networking sites or simply browsing internet. Overtime, this starts to erase our purposes in life, creates lack of motivation, in many cases results in depression, and physical health also starts to deteriorate. On the other hand, waking up early in the morning after a good night of enough amount of sleep gets one roaring to get going on the day, the morning vibe itself fills one with motivation and wasting time on screen at this point is hard for many of us. The benefits of early to bed and early to rise is indeed the way to be healthy and wise.

[@cathyl3526]

I don't actually need to be a morning person, but I'm going to use these tips to try to break the habit of going to sleep at 1-2 am when I need to get up at 7😳

[@humaira917]

I have given up on this because as a junior doctor I have to work 9-9, night shift long shifts etc. You are also a medic so how do we do this?

[@EdK-vv8gk]

Where can I get those exact Rothko paintings + frames???

[@dylanmikonowicz6021]

Im an M1 with narcolepsy and my sleep hygiene is so bad. I get behind on work, or get distracted with my work, and become tired throughout the day. Im starting treatment, but any advice?

[@senorgato70]

Just found your channel. You are adorable. Look forward to watching thru your videos.

[@eiden6744]

I guess I need to start doing this tomorrow! 🤔

[@ZachHighley]

Let me know how it goes!

[@darrenccw]

What do you think of exercising first thing in the morning by after waking?

[@user-pk2ud1rf8f]

that great video from great man

[@ZachHighley]

Too kind, thanks

[@creativelychristine17]

I use a sunrise alarm clock with a gentle sound like birds chirping and it really helps waking up in the morning! The alarm clock mimics the sunrise coming up and uses a warm light

[@erinobrien8793]

Which clock did you purchase?

[@creativelychristine17]

@@erinobrien8793 I found one on Amazon called the wake up light sunrise alarm clock

[@houstishaldorsen469]

Some great advice in here. I see now that my biggest problem is definitely eating 3 house before bed 10:25

[@mistermanhattan5838]

Hey Zach, Love your content. I'm a MS2. I've been using Sketchy for Pharm but it's ALOT. What did you use for Pharm to get through MS2? And how did you apply it to Anki? Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[@ZachHighley]

Hey I have an Anki class on skillshare coming out soon but basically: the Anking deck (search Reddit) and then unsuspending cards after you do the specifically labeled sketchy video. So you watch a sketchy video, go to Anki and find the “tag” with sketchy video (say cephalosporins), then do those Anki cards. I have an old video on it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZXEpax6ed9nqLc

[@mistermanhattan5838]

Thanks! I appreciate it. I’ll be checking out your new service platform

[@user-jx3kr5pr8h]

All premed students have seen in the texts preoptic optic chiasmatic hypothalamus if dont understand the concepts youre not ready for premed .Its discussed in basic human anatomy ,psychology texts,classes. mentioned before in introductory psychology classes.

[@user-qb8bd7wj4w]

So, if according to the questionnaire, I am somewhat an evening person and my natural bed time is around 1 am, is it still possible for me to push it earlier ? I like going to bed later and sleeping till around 10-11 am, but life usually happens in the morning and being a night owl really does not help, as society is made to begin its activity in the early morning, not late morning

[@alcikelly1920]

Would you happen to have any recommendations for SAD light therapy alarm clocks? I have been *really* benefitting from waking up before 6:00am everyday because it gives me time to stretch, drink some cold water, exercise, go for a walk out in nature, practice mindfulness, take a cold shower, eat breakfast, and *all* the wonderful things! However, I live in the northern Midwest (in the US), and winters can be really challenging for me because waking up to a cold, dark environment is... well, hard. And it makes me feel as gloomy as it looks outside! I've found some decent sunrise and sunset light alarm clocks that should help me wake up more naturally at set times, but none of the alarm clocks I've seen also function as a SAD light (10,000 lux). Any pointers help. Thanks in advance!

[@wiktoria468]

Where did you got this Poland cup? Greetings from Poland! 😝

[@asiasnyder6817]

So.... if I have to wake up at 5 to get to work on time, and I need 8 hours of sleep, I need to be asleep by 9, and I have to complete all my exercise 4-5 hrs before bed, so I need to be done exercising by 4 or 5 pm.... but I'm not done at work until, the absolute earliest of 3, but more likely 430... how do I do this??????

[@kevjumbaz]

all the pointers listed in the video demands some form of consistency. what about shift workers? shift workers constantly have to push or completely change their circadian rhythm to meet the demands of the job based on the manpower required. i recall a study being done that said that shift work/irregular sleep being more detrimental to our health than 10 years of consistent smoking/alcohol addiction, if so why do we still implement differing shifts for people?

[@CUPOFCOFFE2008]

Well technically i love waking up early and stuff but i find nothibg to in the moening so i invest that free time in more sleeping because whatever ppl do when they wake at 5 am to 8 am i do from 8 am to 8:15 am

[@DaphneQueen]

I’m a night person, but I work in a hospital. The typical shift in my department starts at 6:30am, so I have to wake up before the sun is up. Basically I need to wake up when I want to go to sleep. Not sure how to fix that

[@hiya511]

Hopefully my daughter won't wake at 4am again thank you for this ♥️ I finish work At 11pm and recently my nearly 2 year old been waking so damn early 😩 and I been getting extreme depression from the no sleep! I don't want to wake up early I just wanted to know more about sleep. Lol I miss it 🤣

[@toliver.99]

I love BJJ which I have recently started but it does play havoc on my sleep, finishing training at 830 ish and then not eating til 9 when i want to sleep at 1030/1100. :(

[@frettchen4615]

Love the video and I am trying to do these things slowly to have a good morning. My only question is, since you are saying we should get daylight in the morning to tell our brain it's time to wake up, what is a good way of doing that in the winter? Here where I live, the sky doesn't get bright until like 8am. And I need to wake up at 6:30 to go to work. Do lightbulbs still work fine in that case? I mean I'm sure it's better than nothing but it seems kind of sad that there is no way to wake up early and get the natural light at the same time

[@SuperPuddingcat]

I would like to know that too. In the dead of winter where I live it only gets light at 9am and on a cloudy day it’s only fully light by 10am.

[@SuperPuddingcat]

I just saw in another comment that you should get a light therapy bulb or lamp. The bulb should have a minimum of 10000 luxe and should be shined on the face in the mornings.

[@nienkehuijbens301]

Some of my friends have special alarm clocks that shine a bright light at you. Not sure if it works but they swear by it

[@fatimajahan6755]

I will ❣️

[@ZachHighley]

Let me know how it goes