Waking up naturally can be surprisingly easy when you establish a consistent sleep routine and take care of your sleep essentials.

After years of relying on alarms, Ally Hirschlag decided to spend a week trying to wake up naturally, guided by advice from sleep researchers.

According to BBC, The first step was finding a natural sleep rhythm. Although adults generally need seven to nine hours of sleep, the ideal amount varies from person to person. Experts also stressed the importance of going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day.

Light plays a major role in regulating the circadian clock. Getting bright light soon after waking helps signal the body that the day has begun, while dimming lights in the evening can encourage melatonin production and prepare the body for sleep.

A predictable wind-down routine can also help. Keeping the bedroom cool, limiting screens and avoiding stimulating activities before bed may make it easier to fall asleep. Hirschlag also reduced caffeine, ate meals at consistent times and avoided alcohol, which can disrupt sleep later in the night.

Her smartphone was one of her biggest obstacles. To reduce late-night scrolling, she blocked distracting apps and switched her phone to greyscale.

Over seven days, her wake-up times varied because of interruptions, late nights and even a couple of drinks. But by the end of the experiment, she was consistently waking around 8am without much difficulty. She also felt less groggy in the mornings.

Her biggest takeaways were simple: maintain a regular bedtime, get morning light, limit screen use at night and make sure you get enough sleep.

The experiment did not make her internal clock perfectly precise, but it made waking naturally much easier. For anyone hoping to shift their schedule, sleep experts recommend doing it gradually, moving bedtime and wake time by around 30 minutes at a time.