1. Seek out as much natural light as possible
尽可能在充足的自然光下醒来

The secret to becoming a morning person is exposure to bright light, says Jennifer Martin, president of the board of directors for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. That’s because light suppresses melatonin, a hormone that plays an important role in circadian rhythm. “The sun is the driver of our internal clock,” she says.

美国睡眠医学学会董事会主席詹尼佛·马丁称，早起秘诀是将自己暴露在明亮的光线下。这是因为光抑制褪黑激素，褪黑激素在昼夜节律中起着重要作用。“太阳是我们生物钟的驱动力”。

When you wake up, pop outside for a brisk walk around the block, or sit out back while you sip a cup of coffee. Martin also recommends rethinking the black-out curtains you might use to foster a very dark sleeping environment. If the brightness bothers you overnight, consider wearing an eye mask that you take off as you start to wake up.

当你起床后，可以出来散散步，或者坐在外面喝杯咖啡。马丁不建议使用遮光窗帘营造漆黑的睡眠环境。如果夜间亮度困扰你，可以戴上眼罩，在醒来时摘下。

2. Ease in gradually.
循序渐进培养早起习惯

There are two ways to approach your journey to early rising, Martin says. You could plunge straight into getting up at your desired time every day, knowing that you’ll feel tired during the transition but will naturally start falling asleep earlier within a few weeks.

马丁表示，有两种方法有助于早起。你可以强迫自己在固定时间起床，这种方法在过渡期间会让人感到疲倦，但几周内你会自然早睡。

But for some people—like those who need to drive long distances—those first few days of exhaustion from switching to a new schedule aren’t safe. In that case, Martin recommends gradually easing into the early-bird life. “What I’ll suggest to people is to shift half an hour, wait a few days, shift another half an hour, wait a few days, and then shift another half an hour,” she says. “That’s a little easier for people to tolerate.”

但对于一些人来说，刚开始改变生物钟引起的疲惫感是有安全隐患的，比如那些需要长距离驾驶的人。在这种情况下，马丁建议逐渐养成早起习惯。她说：“我建议先早起半小时，再等几天，再早起半小时，等上几天，然后再早起半个小时。这样更容易适应。”

3. Be consistent—even on weekends.
即使在周末也要坚持早起

Becoming a morning person is a seven-day-a-week job. Decide what time you’re going to wake up every day, and stick to it, without exception.

想要成为“早起的鸟儿”，一周七天都要坚持。确定你每天醒来的时间，并坚持到底，无一例外。

4. Wind down in the evenings.
晚上早睡

A consistent bedtime isn’t as crucial as sticking to the same wake up time every day, but it’s still important to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Most people should aim for at least seven hours a night—so you’ll probably need to inch your bedtime forward as you transition to a new schedule.

保持稳定的就寝时间不像每天坚持固定时间起床那么重要，但确保充足的睡眠仍然非常必要。大多数人应该保证每晚至少7小时睡眠，所以当你改变生物钟时，还需要早睡。

Starting at least an hour before you hit the sack, cut back on how much exposure to bright light you’re getting, Experts advise. Research indicates that being exposed to artificial light in the late evening suppresses your body’s ability to generate melatonin, which could interfere with both your ability to fall asleep and your sleep quality.

专家建议，至少从睡觉前1小时开始，降低暴露在强光下的时间。研究表明，深夜暴露于人造光会抑制身体产生褪黑激素的能力，这会干扰入睡能力和睡眠质量。

5. Plan something to look forward to.
计划一些值得期待的事情

To entice you out of bed, Martin suggests treating yourself to something special you can enjoy first thing. “Now is the time to go buy your favorite coffee or pick up some pastries to have when your alarm goes off at 5 a.m.,” she says. “You’re not dreading it if you think of that.”

马丁建议，为了让自己更有动力起床，早餐可以享受特别的美食。她说：“现在是时候去买你最喜欢的咖啡，或者早上5点闹钟响起时，去买一些点心。如果你想到这一点，就不难起床了。”