The most common habit of healthy people is that they wake up early every morning.  

 Your body will thank you for it – our bodies were designed to sleep when it is nighttime and to be awake during the day when the sun is up. Getting up earlier, around the time the sun rises, is more in sync with our natural circadian rhythms.

Better sleep leaves you more able to deal with the stresses of the day. By not getting enough sleep, you are putting stress on your body and more cortisol is produced.  

 More cortisol means two of the hormones that help regulate appetite – Leptin and Ghrelin – begin to function ineffectively.

ACTION PLAN

1.  This is best started immediately. If you have a big day coming up or are worried about being tired, schedule it to start over a weekend instead.  
2. Decide on what time is early in your part of the world and count back 8 hours from there. This is your new target bedtime.  
3. About an hour before bedtime, you want to switch off your laptop, TV and cell phone. If possible, dim the lights in the house. (If you don’t have a dimmer, wear a pair of sunglasses – yes, seriously!) Artificial light is very stimulating to the brain and interferes with your body’s production of melatonin – the hormone that makes you sleepy.  
4. Do something relaxing leading up to bedtime like reading a book – just not a best seller.
5.  Go to bed when you are feeling sleepy – if you do not fall asleep within about 15 minutes either get up and start reading again (don’t forget the sunglasses) or, if you are able to, just relax in bed. It is important not to get caught up in how much sleep you are getting.  
6. Set the alarm early and disable the snooze button.  
7. When the alarm goes off, jump out of bed, open your curtains and bask in the sunlight. If possible, go outside for five minutes as well.

Please refer to the book for more details on this activity.