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Image / Editorial

How To Make Waking Up Easier


By Jennifer McShane
23rd Feb 2017
How To Make Waking Up Easier

Not all of us wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the mornings. Even the sunshine-filled summer mornings won’t entice the best of us out of our slumber. ?We’ve reported many a time on the downsides of?not getting enough sleep, and the adverse effect this can have on your physical and mental wellbeing. ?Unless you’re one of those lucky ‘morning? people, the rest of us struggle and grumpily wait for our caffeine to get us through the early hours. By now, we know the basics of what contributes to a good night’s sleep: regular sleeping patterns are important.?We must also?pay attention to how we use light and darkness both when we’re trying to sleep and when we’re attempting?to wake. At night, we should put our phones and tablets away and turn off the television – otherwise, our bodies can get confused and, thinking it’s light outside, it can be tough to fall asleep. And when the time comes for the day to begin again, these tips and tricks just might’make leaving your beloved bed in the AM easier.

Get The Sleep You Need

It is generally agreed that we need a solid seven hours to have had a really good night’s sleep, but quite a lot of research also points out that it’s important to be aware of your own body; that our sleep need is genetically determined, like height or shoe size.Your body clock dictates whether you are a morning lark or a night owl, which also affects the highs and lows of your mood throughout the day.?Between five and ten hours can be considered normal,?but getting the right amount of sleep for you is key. To work out how many hours you need, pay attention to your alertness levels when you’re active. If you feel awake during the day, then you’ve had enough sleep;?if not, you’re probably not getting enough. Try taking away or adding?an?hour to find your balance, but remember not to owe too much sleep debt.

Stay Consistent

This one means trying to forego you weekend lie-in, particularly if the difference is drastic; don’t fight to get up early during the week and have all your hard work be undone by the time Saturday comes around. By keeping you sleeping pattern regular and consistent, getting out of bed won’t seem so daunting by the time Monday morning’rears its ugly head.

Stay Away From The Snooze Button

Did you know you’re?to absolutely’stay away from the snooze button at all costs? Seriously. We’ve got science to back us up: Once you roll over and start to drift off again, you reboot your entire sleep cycle. Then, when your alarm goes off for the second time, you stand a higher chance of being woken up again during one of the deeper parts of your cycle. This will make you feel groggy like nothing else, and it will be near impossible to get out of bed, so don’t do it!

Be Motivated

What’s your reason for waking up early that you can feel good about? We all get up to go to work, but think of what you have to look forward to (and make it good) so that getting out of bed is that bit easier.?Maybe it’s your favourite breakfast or that coffee you said you’d treat yourself to or the day you’re going to make things happen.

Let The Light In

Easier in the summer thanks to our bright mornings, but if you have blackout blinds and struggle to wake every day, it might be worth replacing them. Your body clock is directly linked to light and darkness, so exposure to bright light (preferably sunlight) first thing in the morning will help you get up and hit the ground running, so open your blinds to gradually invite the light into your room. Then, when you do get up, have a glass of water. Drinking water in the morning to rehydrate after exhaling and sweating (and thus losing water) throughout the night, and getting some exercise – even if it’s just a few minutes of yoga or a short run, this helps get your blood flowing and your energy going.