Lauren's List: How to Adjust To A New Schedule

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Have you heard?

CBS4 has launched a 4:30 a.m. newscast!

That's right, you can get your news from us a half an hour earlier.

That means we have to adjust our sleeping schedules accordingly.

In the lead up to Monday's launch, I actually did a few practice runs with my new earlier, wake-up call time.

That got me thinking, what are the best ways to adjust the sleep routines our bodies have become so accustomed to?

Today's "Lauren's List" has a few tips from experts.

Adjust in increments: The most successful way to shift your sleep cycle is to do it gradually, in 15-minute increments. If you have to make the switch and only have a few days to do it, sleep specialists say try 30-minute interval shifts, but no more than that.

Be consistent all week: This is hard for those of us who wake up in the middle of the night all week long. And let's face it, I probably won't follow this advice. But experts say the key to sticking to a new sleep schedule is to honor it all week long, even on weekends.

Stop snoozing: A clinical psychologist tells PsychCentral.com the snooze button is not your friend! The sleep you get between snooze cycles isn't the best quality of sleep, and it actually may make you feel more tired. Just set your alarm to the time you actually need to wake up, and then actually wake up!

Get up: If you are having trouble sleeping while adjusting to your new normal, get out of bed, do something calm, or downright boring, and then try to fall asleep again. Tossing and turning won't do you any favors.

Will you be watching our new, earlier newscast?

Tell me on Facebook or Twitter.

If you have an idea for a future "Lauren's List", send it to lpastrana@cbs.com.