Tips for Dating a Morning Person

If you're like me, being chipper and social first thing in the morning doesn't come naturally. These strange creatures called morning people live their lives in ways that we don't understand, and nor do we want to. But what happens when you discover that the person you're dating jumps out of bed with the sun, ready to greet each day with enthusiasm? Even worse, what if he wants you to join in this before-noon rush of productivity? Here are some tips for dating a morning person that will help the both of you keep your sanity.

1. Don't spend the night, or limit your morning togetherness.

In the early stages of a relationship, it's easy enough to not spend the night together. If you know that you have different sleep patterns and biorhythms, you can politely leave by telling your morning person that you know she has to get up early and that you don't wish to disturb her sleep by staying.

Later on, your sweetheart may take offense if you don't want to stick around after an evening of shared intimacy. For many couples, waking up together is a bonding experience. If you find yourself dating a morning person for whom this is an important issue, do stay the night, but plan to leave first thing. Your morning person may be disappointed by your inability to chat or your unwillingness to venture out to a breakfast hotspot. Make a concerted effort to mask your displeasure at the sun for daring to rise, and depart so that you can begin your own routine of waking up more slowly. You don't want to spoil the joy of waking up in the same bed by grouching around and demanding coffee.

2. Compromise on shared activities.

When you're dating a morning person, some of the activities that you enjoy doing with a partner may be very different. For example, you may like to close the 4:00 a.m. bar on a Saturday night, while he may like to go out to breakfast on Sunday morning. See the conflict?

Fortunately, there are ways to compromise without experiencing severe sleep deprivation. Instead of closing the bar, only stay until midnight. Instead of going out to breakfast, meet for lunch instead. Or you could even split weekends. One weekend, you get to plan the dates. The next weekend, the morning person gets to make the plans. You may even find that you enjoy peeking in on each others' lifestyles. You can also try scheduling most of your activities during neutral times of the day when you both are awake, alert, and feeling your best.

3. Hold your ground on your right to sleep in.

While dating a morning person means that you're both going to have to make some adjustments and compromises, don't let your sweetheart's schedule take over your life. If the relationship becomes serious and you're spending a great deal of time (and nights) together, sometimes you're going to have to be firm about your own sleep needs.

Every couple negotiates this territory differently, but there are some universal tips that can help you get the sleep you need. First, pencil some alarm-free days into your schedule. That way, your sweetheart can spring out of bed at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday, and you can snooze until noon. Second, work with your sweetheart to minimize disturbances in the bedroom for those times when you're sleeping on different schedules. Lastly, consider alternative sleeping arrangements if you take the plunge from dating to cohabitation. A second bedroom that one of you can use to conk out early or sleep in late sometimes can do wonders for a relationship struggling with internal body clock differences.