Where Did the Mornings Go?

I used to be a morning person — up and at ’em, go‑go‑go, no hesitation. And I remember exactly when that changed.

Almost a year ago, I was deep into my most consistent fitness era. I was running a lot, planning my 10K, feeling strong and structured… until suddenly, I wasn’t. Out of nowhere, I was tired. Not “I stayed up too late” tired — but bone‑deep, dragging‑myself‑through‑molasses tired.

Getting out of bed became a negotiation. Some mornings I actually did get up, pushed through my workout, finished it… and then went right back to sleep for a couple of hours. That’s when I knew something had shifted.

After a couple of months, the fatigue eased a little — or maybe I just adapted to it, I honestly can’t tell which — and I kept up with my routines. But everything changed again when daylight savings ended.

The combination of heavy fatigue and early darkness was too much. My body wanted sleep. My brain wanted sleep. And that’s where the spiral began.

My mornings started slipping. Then slipping more. Then disappearing.

Fall turned into winter, the darkness stretched longer, and the cold made it even harder. I wasn’t getting out of bed until I absolutely had to. And I told myself it was fine — I could still squeeze in a workout later. Most days, anyway.

But that’s when my consistency cracked. And that’s when my body started to change.

Now here I am, mid‑spring, in a much better place physically and mentally than I was six months ago… and still struggling to get out of bed. Six months later and my mornings still haven’t come back to me. I’m still fighting for that version of myself — the one who woke up with energy, structure, and momentum.

And honestly, I’m struggling to get my consistency back too. Not in a dramatic way — just in that quiet, frustrating way where you know what used to work, but your body isn’t responding the same way anymore.

So I’m left wondering:

Am I not a morning person anymore? Or is this just another chapter in the larger story — the one where routines evolve, bodies shift, and identity isn’t as fixed as I once believed?