Do you have a hard time waking up in the morning? Do your alarm clock and its shrill sound feel more like torture than anything else?
It’s not impossible to break out of this bad habit, but it takes some effort. You’ll need to take some calculated steps that will make it easier on yourself and gradually wean yourself off of the snooze button.
Tip #1: Wake up earlier
The first thing you should do is set your alarm 20 minutes earlier than what feels comfortable for you-this will train your body to wake up early without any help from an alarm clock.
Why 20 minutes? Because waking up too early can make you feel groggy, which will only make it more difficult to get out of bed.
Pre-set your alarm to go off at a time that is great for you. If the 20 minutes doesn’t feel good enough right away, try increasing it by 10 or 5 minutes and so on and so forth. You can also try setting your alarm for a few days and see how you feel about the snooze button at this time.
Tip #2: Adequate sleep
It’s important to get enough sleep-around 8 hours to feel rested and energetic in the morning. If you’re one of those people (like me) who have a hard time going to bed on time, try doing a bedtime routine that includes some relaxing activities that will help you feel more tired.
For example, a nice warm bath might help you relax and unwind from the day.
Or whenever you feel stressed out, do deep breathing exercises which will make your body feel more relaxed and help with oxygen intake.
Tip #3: Practice deep breathing exercises
Deep breathing is a great way to feel more awake and energized in the morning.
When you inhale, try to breathe through your diaphragm-you’ll feel your stomach rise as you take a breath. Then exhale slowly for longer than it takes to inhale.
You can also try a morning visualization exercise which involves practicing deep breathing as well.
Just imagine yourself in a relaxing setting and let your mind take you there for a little bit-for example, you might want to visualize yourself on the beach with the sun shining down on you, taking slow breaths of warm salty air.
The more you practice these breathing exercises, the easier it will get for you to get out of bed.
Tip #4: Natural sunlight
If you are having trouble waking up in the morning, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to go outside and let the sun wake you up.
This helps because natural sunlight will give you energy and make you feel more awake after your body adjusts to it.
Spend about 20 minutes outside every morning, if possible.
If you are unable to do that, then try installing an app on your phone that simulates natural sunlight, and waking up to it is a great way to wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
Tip #5: Drink water
Get into the habit of drinking water first thing in the morning.
Drinking a glass of ice-cold water is one of the best things you can do for your body and it’s an easy way to start your day off right!
Drinking water helps flush out toxins, gives you energy, makes you feel more refreshed, and increases your metabolic rate for the rest of the day.
Tip #6: Eat a light breakfast
Eat something light for breakfast like fruits or cereal with milk, yogurt and fresh fruit. This way you’ll still feel satisfied but not heavy early in the morning.
The last thing you want is to feel sluggish if you’re trying to wake up earlier than usual and eating a big meal the first thing can make that happen!
Tip #7: Avoid heavy foods before bedtime
One of the best things you can do to help yourself in the mornings is to avoid heavy foods before bedtime.
Having a big meal right before sleeping will make it harder for your body to digest overnight which will result in you feeling more sluggish when you wake up. Try having something light like chamomile tea or fruit instead.
Tip #8: How to avoid the snooze button
If you can’t make it all the way up without pressing snooze, place your alarm across the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off.
This will prevent second-long naps and will help you get more sleep because if you’re too tired to get out of bed, you’ll go back to sleep and end up sleeping through your alarm.
If you set your phone or tablet on a table across the room or use an old-fashioned alarm clock this will help with not hitting snooze as many times.
Ending note
Over time, waking up early will become easier and easier if you keep these tricks in mind.
If you can get into the habit of these easy steps, waking up earlier not only will become easier but it will also give back to your life by helping you feel less tired throughout the day.
So try one or a couple of them out tomorrow morning and see if your body adjusts to waking up early.
If you’re having trouble, try them all!
You’ll be surprised at how much easier it becomes to wake up when your body is ready.
