How to Make Waking Up Easier
We all have those days where there is no worse feeling than your alarm going off. Either you didn’t sleep well, went to bed too late, or are just too comfortable to find any desire to move from your cozy bed.
But, reality calls and staying in bed is oftentimes just not an option.
What if you could hack your mornings and make it so that waking up isn’t so difficult? Maybe even be able to wake up naturally at the right time without having to sound the alarms and start your morning with your cortisol levels high?
Sounds pretty great, right?
Here are some tips on how to start your day off right so that you set yourself up for a great day ahead.
Tips for Waking Up
1. Create a night routine
How good you feel in the morning depends largely upon how well you slept. The amount of tine you sleep is important, but the quality is, too.
In order to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep that rolls into a good morning, you want to create a nighttime routine.
Here are some of our favorite things to do at night to get ready for an incredible sleep:
- Cut out all blue lights (phones, tvs, computers) at least an hour before going to bed
- Eat dinner at least 2-3 hours before going to bed
- Don’t consume any caffeine after 2 p.m.
- Try to limit alcohol at night
2. Don’t set your phone right next to the bed
It’s too easy to just grab your phone with your eyes still closed in the morning, hit the “snooze” button, and go back to sleep.
To avoid this happening, try to set your phone across the room so that you actually have to get out of bed in order to turn your alarm off.
3. Get sun in your eyes immediately
As soon as your alarm goes off, open up your shades and get the natural light on your face. This helps to regulate your circadian rhythm.
How so?
When you see sunlight upon waking up, your body is triggered to stop producing melatonin. This helps you to feel more awake in a natural and calming way.
4. Keep your schedule regular
Weekends are a tempting time to get off your sleep schedule and stay up late and sleep in late, too. But that makes waking up early during the week incredibly difficult.
While we don’t expect you to be in bed by 9 p.m. every Saturday night, try to stick to a somewhat reasonable bedtime during the week and on the weekend.
5. Create a morning routine you enjoy
It’s hard to feel excited to get out of bed every day to go to work. However, consider what you can do before you jump into your work for the day: your morning routine.
By creating a morning routine that you enjoy, getting out of bed in the morning won’t feel like such a difficult challenge.
Here are some of our favorite morning rituals that you may want to consider adding to your mornings:
- Meditating
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Journaling
- Affirmations
- Gratitude list
- Red light therapy
6. Hydrate first
After not drinking water for 6-8 hours, you are going to be thirsty and low on energy. Start your morning by drinking a glass of water and getting that hydration and energy flowing through your body.
7. Get moving
By incorporating movement in your morning, you will feel more awake and find energy that carries you throughout the rest of the day. Consider signing up for an early morning Pilates class or even going for a walk to start your day.