They felt like punishment for most of my life. I was not an average “not a morning person” — I was the snooze-button-high-scorer, wake-up-negotiating, would-the-world-be-different-if-we-really-tried kind of sleeper. No matter how early I went to sleep, getting up before dawn seemed impossible. Then a shockingly simple routine reversed everything almost overnight. I didn’t think it would work — and certainly not so quickly — but it has fundamentally changed the way that I begin my days, as well as how I feel during the rest of them.
The habit wasn’t an early-to-rise ritual, a harsh alarm system, or one of the “drink water as soon as you open your eyes” tricks. It was this: I began to expose myself to morning light within 10 minutes of awakening. That’s it. No gear, no supplements, no heroic discipline. Just getting to the nearest window, stepping out onto my balcony, or going for a brief walk outside as soon as I opened my eyes. It moved so fast that even I was skeptical of it.
What I didn’t realize back then, however, was that the morning light is a reset button for your internal clock. Natural light first thing in the morning helps signal your brain to turn off melatonin, the hormone that makes you groggy, and to release cortisol — not the bad kind, but a natural jolt similar to your morning Starbucks fix that helps get your brain going. The result is a genuine boost in physical alertness, not just wishful thinking. Once I began doing it regularly, I didn’t have to force myself out of bed; my body simply complied.
The first morning I did it, I walked out there for maybe two minutes disheveled and half-awake, getting mad at myself for believing in another “life-hack.” But something felt different. I didn’t go back under the covers. I didn’t feel foggy. I wasn’t snoozing my alarm on the second morning. By the end of the first week, I was waking before it. And the weirdest part was that it felt so natural — no struggle, no willpower, no guilt.
I also realized that I was reaping a bonus benefit: now that my mornings were more leisurely, so were my nights. My body was more ready to fall asleep at night, and I didn’t sit up doom-scrolling or get lost in late-night productivity. I shifted my whole rhythm back by hours without forcing a single thing, and the new regularity was making me feel more alert during the day. But I wasn’t needing as much caffeine, I wasn’t crashing at 3 p.m., and I wasn’t waking up exhausted, no matter how long or well I slept.
A few other small habits began to develop around this one change — even though I never intended them. I started stretching casually while waiting for my coffee to brew. I ate breakfast and didn't skip it. I noticed I was even more patient in the morning, likely because I wasn’t starting my day with a crisis. It was all just smoother.
For a lifelong card-carrying night owl, this still feels like a personality rewrite. I made no effort to become a morning person. I didn’t adopt a rigid schedule or read some “life-changing” productivity book. I just went outside a bit earlier every day and let my body clock do the rest.
If you’ve been wanting to wake up a little earlier or more alertly, but can’t commit to any elaborate routines, this may be the least effortful place for you to begin. No meditation mandates, no ice baths, no 4 a.m. hustle culture. Oh, just let your eyes meet the morning light, and your body feel the signal. It’s indestructible.
I thought it would take years and certainly not work, much less overnight. But here I am — a lifelong snoozer turned honest-to-goodness morning person — evidence that sometimes the tiniest change is the one that finally works.
