Ugh, mornings. It’s cold, it’s snowy and it’s way too dark. Why would anyone in their right mind want to wake up an extra hour early to endure all of that? Because it’s amazing for you.

Working out any time is great, but mornings are a particularly good time to get a nice sweat in for reasons such as better sleep, reduced stress during the day, more energy during the day and better self-control with food choices.

But just because you now know how amazing morning workouts are doesn’t make it any easier to get up to go do them. So here are five easy ways to make those early mornings something you look forward to:

1. Wear as much of your workout gear to bed as you can

This one is kind of interesting because some people don’t like wearing lots of stuff to bed. However, wearing as much as you can stand wearing is really helpful for getting out the door because literally all you have to do is get up and go if you wake up mostly-dressed.

2. Make your breakfast or snack ahead of time

If you like eating before you workout, another great way to make morning workouts easier is to make whatever you are planning to eat before you go to bed the night before. Overnight oats are a great option, or maybe just setting out some fruit and filling your water bottle up is all you need to make your life a little easier.

3. Give yourself something to look forward to afterward

Maybe stop by a smoothie place after your workout or get breakfast with a friend — just do whatever you can think of that will help you encourage motivation for getting up early.

4. Buy body-care products to help your morning after the workout go smoother

This sounds strange, but I like to shower the night before a workout so that I am somewhat clean and don’t have to do as much after the workout when I am rushing to get to class. If I get my body somewhat clean the night before, I can usually pass as fresh for the next day if I have the right stuff around to help out. I like using dry shampoo, body wipes and a nice face-wash. It makes me feel clean without having to take an entire shower every time I work out.

5. Get a workout buddy to help you stay accountable

Having a friend who is as dedicated as you to trying to get to the gym in the early morning is a substantial help. Even if you don’t do your workout with them, having someone who is expecting you to be at the gym at the same time as them makes it a little harder to push that snooze button.

Collegian Active Lifestyle Blogger Katy Mueller can be reached online at blogs@collegian.com.