Even morning people can feel groggy and disoriented when the alarm clock rings. Is it a struggle for you to wake up in the morning? It can have a negative impact on your whole day and if the problem continues, it can affect your overall wellbeing. There are different methods that you can use to resolve the trouble you have rising in the morning. Methods that make getting up easier. Try our 5 best tips on how to wake up easier.
1. Sleep cycles and routines
First of all, find out how much sleep you need. Listen to your body - for some people it is 7.5 hours of shut-eye, for some less, for others more.
Plan your sleep so you don't have to wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle. Sleep cycles last approximately ninety minutes. In that period, you go through different phases, from light sleep to deep sleep and REM sleep, where much of your dreaming takes place. Waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle will leave you confused and groggy, so depending on your sleep needs, aim for 6 or 7.5 hours, that lets you finish 4 or 5 complete sleep cycles.
Once you know how much sleep your body needs, you can develop a regular daily routine. Your body loves routines, where one day is no different from the other. Going to bed roughly at the same time each night and setting the alarm clock for the same time each morning (even on the weekends) will probably pay off.
You can do even more to please your body's cravings for routines. Start a bedtime ritual an hour before bedtime, where you dim the lights, turn off your electrical devices and gadgets, take a warm bath, read, meditate or engage in other activities that you enjoy and that relaxes you. This will also affect your waking up in the morning.
2. Wake up in the morning
The best way to wake yourself up when the alarm clock rings is also to follow a routine. Turn on your inner auto-pilot rather than putting conscious effort into it. For instance, the temptation to hit the snooze button on the alarm clock can be overwhelming. Oh, to catch just a few more minutes of shut eye... This fragmented sleep is actually less restful and a sign that you should go to bed earlier. However, you can also use that extra snooze time to let your brain know gently that it is time to wake up.
If you have to fight not to hit the snooze button, place your alarm clock on the other side of the room, so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Once you are out of bed, it is easier to stay up and get going with your day. What ever you do, make sure that you follow the same routine each morning.
3. Get moving and freshen up
As already mentioned above: Get moving as soon as you get up. This stimulates your brain and your body. Take it even further by going for a run, if that is something that you enjoy, or by doing yoga. Besides waking you up, it will leave you with an excellent feeling throughout your day, and you don't have to worry about when to fit in your exercise.
A shower can also be a great way of shaking off the sleepiness. No worries – it doesn't have to be a cold one to be refreshing.
4. Let the light in
If you feel groggy when waking up in the morning, draw the curtains and open the shades first thing. Light makes your brain realise that the day has in fact started, so it can send the right signals to your body. If it is not light outside, consider getting an alarm clock designed to simulate daylight. These alarm clocks gradually increase in brightness over a pre-set time prior to their alarm going off, mimicking the breaking of dawn and the sun rising.
Read more about how light affects your sleep
5. Create the perfect morning
Why start out your day with tedious chores, leaving you with the feeling that life is a treadmill? Decide on making the first thing you do a pleasant one. That makes it much easier to wake up in the morning. It can be meditating, having a delicious cup of coffee, listening your favourite music or something else. Just choose activities that you enjoy and that get you well started.
Have a nice day!
Sources
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/how-wake-immediately-the-morning.html
https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/how-to-wake-up-in-morning/
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/how-wake-immediately-the-morning.html
