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When waking up is hard to do, consider the following strategies.
We’ve all had those mornings when we just can’t shake a feeling of sluggishness, even when we’ve technically gotten enough sleep. In an effort to perk up on tired days, many of us load up on cup after cup of coffee.
But over-caffeinating can leave us jittery and anxious (not to mention perpetually running to the bathroom).
Perhaps there’s a better way to banish morning fatigue and get on with your day with the energy you need.
That beloved button on top of your alarm clock may not be so helpful after all.
Spending the last half hour or so of nighttime rest in what researchers call “fragmented sleep” has consequences for your ability to function throughout the day.
Pro-tip: Try the 90-minute sleep cycle hack by setting two alarms — one for 90 minutes before you want to wake up and one for when you actually want to wake up.
The theory is that the 90 minutes of sleep you get between snoozes will be a full sleep cycle, allowing you to wake up after your REM state, instead of during.
Fatigue is a classic symptom of dehydration, and even a mild case can trigger feelings of sleepiness, changes in cognitive ability, and mood disruptions. Let a glass of water freshen up your entire body before you get moving.
Pro-tip: If you find you still can’t shake morning lethargy, try upping your intake of water and other noncaffeinated beverages throughout the day.
There’s a reason it feels so good to stretch when you wake up. Overnight, during REM sleep, your muscles are literally paralyzed (atonia), and reactivating them releases energy-stimulating endorphins.
Pro-tip: If you have a bit of time for morning yoga, take it; just 25 minutes has been shown to boost energy levels and brain function.
Cold showers are reported to reduce sick-day absences from work.
If you don’t want to take a full shower, a splash of cold water to the face, to signal a temperature change to your body, may also do the trick.
Is getting out of bed the main problem? Keep a spray bottle or water mist by your bedside table so you can lean over and mist yourself without even opening your eyes!
Pro-tip: One cult-favorite product is Saborino’s Morning Face Mask from Japan, which has essential oils to activate your senses. In one minute, this sheet mask cleanses, invigorates, and moisturizes your skin.
Note: People with sensitive skin may want to avoid this product.
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The jury is still out on whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But research does say that skipping this first meal can negatively affect your energy and ability to pay attention throughout the day.
Food is fuel. Give your body some calories to put it into action at the start of the day.
But if you’re working out in the morning, remember to eat after, not before.
This will (a) burn more calories, (b) boost your metabolism, and (c) help you avoid an unsettled stomach.
Pro tip: Build a fatigue-fighting breakfast instead.Since what you eat at breakfast can affect how you feel for hours, making the right choice is critical for your morning.
Reach for a combination of fatigue-fighting foods like lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, and lower-sugar fruits.
All breakfasts are not created equal, so take stock of your morning food choices. Sugary items like sweetened coffee drinks, pastries, and breakfast cereals can lead to the classic blood sugar spike-and-drop that leaves you feeling drained.
Pro-tip: Pay attention to nutrition labels to see how much sugar you’re getting at breakfast — and cut back wherever possible. Keep whole foods like apples, carrots, and oranges on hand for easy access.
That’s right, we said less coffee — but not none! Though coffee has plenty of health benefits, chugging a lot in the morning may indirectly contribute to increased fatigue later in the day.
Participants in one study reported feeling more tired the day after they had consumed caffeinated drinks. Experimenting with a reduced amount of caffeine in the morning actually may make you less tired.
Pro-tip: Avoid the big mugs. Purchase a smaller cup, if you have to, to help reduce the amount you drink.
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Sunlight bumps up your body’s serotonin levels, leading to improved sleep — and, therefore, increased daytime energy. And, according to a series of studies at the University of Rochester, spending time in nature “makes people feel more alive.”
Sounds like a very good reason to carve out a portion of your morning in the great outdoors.
Pro-tip: If going outside is a chore in the early morning, adjust your curtain so that the sunlight seeps in when you’re getting ready to wake up.
Sure, when you want to crawl back into bed, exercise may sound pretty unappealing — but it may be exactly what your body needs to get help booting up.
Research consistently correlates aerobic exercise with reduced fatigue.
See if you can squeeze in a quick walk or bike ride, or try a longer workout for even more benefit.
Pro-tip: When pressed for time, get your body up with a few rounds of high-knees and jumping jacks. Even 30 seconds of torso twists could do the trick, or plan a short cardio commute on your way to work.
Is it possible that negative feelings about your job or stressors at home are draining you of morning oomph?
You may not be able to fix certain situations overnight, but once you’ve identified them as a source of mental and physical exhaustion, you can often take some action to alleviate them.
Pro-tip: Streamline harried mornings at home by making school lunches the night before, or make time for morning meditations and create calm before your day begins.
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Sometimes all we need for an energy boost is a little excitement on the horizon.
To beat morning fatigue, consider scheduling a phone call with a friend during your commute, penciling in an outdoor walk on your midmorning break, or pre-making an appealing breakfast that calls you out of bed.
Pro-tip: Let another schedule determine yours. Make an earlier morning podcast or radio show part of your wake-up routine.
If morning fatigue becomes a chronic problem, it could be caused by depression or anxiety. People with depression can feel worse in the morning or only feel depressed in the morning.
The only way to know, however, is to track your mood or see a professional.
Pro-tip: Dig a little deeper. Asking some key questions about your mental health state may reveal an underlying condition that needs professional attention.
If your bedtime habits can have so profound an effect on your rest, so too could your waking routine. You’ve probably heard of sleep hygiene — the handful of best practices that help you fall asleep at night.
These include:
Getting up at the same time each morning helps maintain circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that’s responsible for feelings of sleepiness.
Make an effort to rise at the same time every day — even on weekends — to see if you can banish the midmorning slump.
Sarah Garone, NDTR, is a nutritionist, freelance health writer, and food blogger. She lives with her husband and three children in Mesa, Arizona. Find her sharing down-to-earth health and nutrition info and (mostly) healthy recipes at A Love Letter to Food.
If you’ve ever wondered how to wake up early in the morning without feeling groggy, you’re not the only one. Even if you are sleeping on the comfiest, best mattress for your body, feeling refreshed in the morning isn’t always easy.
How to banish morning fatigue: quick tips
1. Don't hit that snooze button
2. Drink water as soon as you wake up to hydrate
3. Open the curtains and let light in - this signals to your circadian rhythm that sleep time is over
4. Do some light stretching to warm-up your body
5. Eat breakfast soon after waking
6. Have something to look forward to
This can lead to a serious snooze button habit, which isn’t great for your sleep (even if it does feel wonderful to sink back under those warm covers for an extra 10 minutes).
Starting the day feeling tired and groggy can also lead to a lack of focus and reduced motivation, so the siren call of caffeine gets all the louder. But as caffeine has a half-life of up to eight hours, it could still be in your system come bedtime. Luckily, there are things you can do to get out of this cycle.
So if you’re tired of feeling tired in the morning and want to know how to wake up early and still feel refreshed, we explore exactly that right here.
The best approach? Take it day by day to avoid overwhelming yourself with too many changes. You’ll soon be waking up early in the morning, feeling refreshed and ready to go.
If you’re addicted to the snooze button, the idea of waking up early and feeling good about it may sound like utter fantasy. Truth is, while it’s hard to begin with, after a while you can train yourself to wake up early naturally (without the use of an alarm clock - yes, really) and enjoy it. Here’s how:
(Image credit: Getty )Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, so the first thing to do is work out how much rest you need in order to wake at your chosen hour.
At first, start by going to bed 15 minutes sooner than you normally would, then gradually get earlier until you wake more easily when the alarm goes off.
While the results might not happen (literally) overnight, experiment a little until you hit the sweet spot. The key is to then maintain this bedtime and wake-time hour to support your body’s circadian rhythm.
A bedtime routine helps prepare your body for sleep by letting your brain know it’s time to switch off. This involves winding down around 60 minutes before bed, so set a reminder to switch off screens, dim the lights and relax.
You could have a warm bath, read or do some breathing exercises. We're big fans of the military sleep method, as well as the 4 7 8 sleep method for falling asleep faster.
Keep your sleep and wake times consistent so that your body gets used to your new routine. You’ll soon find you’re better prepared for sleep, making it easier to wake up once the alarm goes off in the morning.
Pressing snooze can have negative effects on our sleep, as these micro periods of snooze don’t allow the body enough time to fall back into restorative sleep. Not only does this add to ‘sleep inertia’ (that punch-drunk feeling), but, says Reena Mehra, M.D., M.S., Director of Sleep Disorders Research at the Cleveland Clinic , it can have a detrimental effect on blood pressure and heart rate.
(Image credit: Anastasiya Vragova / Pexels)Prioritize getting enough sleep each night so you aren’t creating a sleep debt and can get out of bed without feeling the need to hit the snooze button again.
Bonus tip: place your alarm clock across the room from your bed, so that when it does go off you’ll have to get out of bed to switch it off.
Once up, get your body moving and resist the urge to climb back under those covers.
This is another great cue for your body that it's time to be awake and alert, rather than snoozing. Studies also say that missing out on breakfast can impact your energy levels and ability to focus, but eating early in the morning isn't something everyone can stomach.
If you can't manage a lot first thing, try a small yet healthy snack such as a banana or a small piece of toast with some almond butter. Feeling fuelled at the start of your day will naturally help you feel less tired and more awake.
Your biological clock (circadian rhythm) is controlled by various different factors, including exposure to light - both natural and artificial.
That's why sleep experts recommend going for an early morning walk outdoors to get that light exposure, which in turn lets your body know that it's time to be awake and alert.
So if you get plenty of light exposure early in the day, you'll feel more tired at night and wake up earlier in the morning. Over time, you may even find that you can do this without needing to set an alarm. Just ask Oprah.
When you wake up, get out of bed and open your curtains to let natural light flood in. Also eat your breakfast next to a window that gets good daylight, or consider investing in a light therapy lamp if your home doesn't get much light in the morning.
Cold showers are super-energizing and can make you feel instantly more alert. In fact, research into the effects of cold showers on health and work says that they even help to reduce absences from work due to sickness.
Can't stand the thought of shivering under a cold shower even for just a few seconds? The splash your face and the back of your neck with cold water instead.
It will have a similar affect in waking you up quicker, but it won't be as powerful.
It can take up to ten hours for the effects of caffeine to wear off (for some it’s shorter), which will keep you up at night if you drink coffee into the afternoon. If you aim to have your last cup of coffee by midday, you should be better prepared for sleep. Experiment to find the best cut-off time for you.
On a similar note, eating lots before bedtime can cause disruptive sleep, making it more difficult to wake up early in the morning and not feel tired. Try to stop eating three hours before bedtime, and, if you do need a snack, then keep it light with protein-rich healthy foods like nuts.
You can also drink herbal infusions before bedtime to help you nod off – ingredients such as chamomile, valerian and lavender are all said to promote healthy sleep.
Whether your day starts at the office, taking the kids to school, or with an early college lecture, knowing you'll be rushing around from the moment you open your eyes is enough to make you want to stay in bed.
Instead, plan in an early morning activity that you'll enjoy so that you have something to look forward to. That could cooking breakfast over video with a friend, or taking an early morning fitness class at your favorite studio.
Sleep hygiene includes making sure you follow the same bedtime routine each night, and wake up at the same time each morning. You should also go to sleep in a clean, uncluttered and quiet bedroom.
Your room temperature is also important, with the best sleep temperature being 60-68℉.
Consider opening a window to allow a cool breeze to circulate, or program your heating to a sleep-friendly temperature before bed.
Your bedroom should be dark so that your brain knows when it’s time to switch off for sleep. If the room is too bright, think about investing in some dimmable night lights instead, or if you have the glare of lights coming in through your window, try blackout blinds or drapes or wear a comfortable eye mask.
There's plenty you can do to ensure you're getting good sleep and waking up early without feeling tired, but the main thing is not to worry about any of it too much. If you adopt a good bedtime routine and you stick to it, getting up at the same time early each morning, after a while your body will start doing it automatically. The bonus is that it will help you fall asleep faster at night too.
Outside of this, make sure your bedroom is optomized for sleeping, and that you have the best pillow for the position you like to snooze in.
If your bed has seen better days yet you can't replace it right now, consider investing in a good mattress topper to give you the extra comfort you need to sleep better.
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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsGrace is an experienced sleep writer and mattress reviewer who also contributes to our sister site TechRadar, among other Future plc brands. She's a big fan of organic sleep products and has recently invested in a wool mattress topper that she quite happily describes as "life-changing." (Hey, we're serious about our sleep products). When she isn't testing mattresses or writing about sleep, Grace enjoys reading and creative writing, and incorporates meditation and yoga into her wellness routine.
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Articles
How to wake up early without an alarm clock
By noon, you have already moved mountains, received satisfaction from what you have done and relaxed. 
Or you can simply calculate how many one and a half hour intervals will fit during your sleep. If you get up in 6, 7.5 or 9hours - excellent, and if not, then it is better to adjust the rise time. For example, you go to bed at 23.00, and you need to get up at 6.00. In this case, it is better to shift the time of getting up to 5 am to get 4 hour and a half sleep cycles. After all, waking up in the middle of the cycle, you can feel overwhelmed all day. 
Many successful people understand the importance of getting up early. Here's what time they usually wake up:
There is a lot of talk about the “five o'clock waking up club”, but in fact, it is not necessary to wake up at this time. First of all, you need to take into account the peculiarities of your lifestyle - do you work or study, do you have children or a spouse, what are your hobbies and all that.
So you've picked the perfect time to wake up early. It's time to move on to real strategy. It usually consists of four elements.
Let's analyze each of them.
Realize that you will have to sacrifice a lot in the first month of forming a habit. For example, skip a few parties. Your productivity and energy reserves will suffer. It will not be easy at first, so you will need to set certain goals for yourself.
Goals motivate. They help us when we really want to postpone the alarm for another five minutes. The more emotion you put into your goal, the more it motivates you.
Photo: Unsplash
Goals determine our actions. Each goal should contain a set of actions necessary to achieve it.
For example, you decide to lose 5 kg by the beginning of summer. Your actions are to consume fewer calories per day and exercise.
Set three main goals for yourself for the year and write down what you need to do in order to achieve them. Then you can move on to plans for the evening.
Many people think that waking up starts in the morning, but in fact it is important to prepare for it in the evening. Here are some tips on how to spend your time before bed.
Smartphones, tablets and computers emit blue light, which affects the quality of sleep. Unplug everything 1-2 hours before going to bed.
Don't waste precious morning time preparing, take care of everything in advance. Think about the following:
Time flies quickly, so if you do not think about important things, you will miss a lot. Ask yourself what you did today.
What are you grateful for? What made you happy?
Then think about your ideal morning. This picture will give you the motivation to wake up and stay awake for another five minutes.
Due to busy schedules, it can sometimes be difficult to find time to read, but if you give up gadgets before bed, you can easily find half an hour to read a book.
Photo: Unsplash
Many of us do not know what affects sleep and how we can improve it. Here are some tips.
Avoid alcohol and coffee at least six hours before bedtime. It is better to replace them with green tea or water.
Heavy food burdens the digestive system. It is better to have a light snack, such as nuts and a glass of milk, so as not to go to bed hungry.
You will sleep for 6-8 hours, which means your body needs water.
Drink at least one glass. If you have been drinking alcohol, you will need at least two glasses (one before bed and one in the morning).
If you have been exercising three hours or less before bed, you are unlikely to fall asleep. It is better to do the load early or in the morning.
Buy a good mattress and pillow. Sleep in a dark and quiet room (you can wear a sleep mask). Keep an eye on the temperature in the room - it is better if it is cool.
At first it will be difficult to accustom yourself to go to bed at the same time, because your body will work in the old mode. Therefore, you must go to bed tired. After a few days, you will feel tired by the end of the day and will go to bed at about the same time.
Find the perfect time to go to bed and find out when you have the most energy.
Sleep has several cycles and phases. The first phase is light sleep, then deep sleep, and then REM sleep. A complete cycle lasts an hour and a half and is repeated several times a night.
Choose which strategy you will follow.
You start getting up at the exact scheduled time. The method is quite working, but keep in mind that a sudden change in regimen can significantly affect your energy.
Within 1-3 days start getting up 10-15 minutes earlier than usual. So you can get used to the regime change. If you usually wake up at 8 am, you don't need to immediately set your alarm to 6. First, try getting up at 7:45. Wake up like this for a few days, and then set your alarm for 7:30.
Photo: Unsplash
If the sound of an alarm clock scares or annoys you, it will be harder for you to accustom yourself to getting up early.
Find a slow and positive melody (it is quite possible that over time you will stop loving it).
In the first few weeks, it's best to put your alarm clock away from your bed so you have to get up to turn it off.
Maybe someone you know gets up early too. Call this person and ask them to help control your new habit. Send him a message or call him 10-15 minutes after waking up. Everything is simple.
Mark each habit on a large wall calendar. Put an X on each day you managed to get up early. Soon you will have a chain of crossed days - you will see it and want to continue.
First, drink a glass of water. Wash your face and brush your teeth. Warm up and make your bed. Open a window to let in some light (if it's too dark outside, you can at least add some fresh air).
Attention: Do not check email, news and social networks for several hours.
You will have plenty of time to do this. Remember that the morning is yours.
I have this coffee preparation. I make coffee and sit on the balcony thinking about my plans or reading a book.
The basic rule is that whatever you do in the morning, you need to set aside an hour for each task.
If you set aside three hours for morning activities (such as exercising, reading, watching tutorials, drawing, and working on a side project), you'll just overload yourself and you won't succeed.
In the first few weeks after trying to get up earlier, you may feel that your energy reserve has decreased. This is normal - your body is adjusting to the new regimen. If you suddenly feel low on energy, try taking a 20-30 minute nap.
Sometimes we don't manage to get up at the scheduled time. Such cases are frustrating and spoil the mood for the whole day. Do not worry, because you managed to get some extra rest.
Focus on your next big goal and do better tomorrow.
What about holidays?
It all depends on your preference. At the very beginning of developing a habit, I still advise getting up early and on weekends. Later, you can afford to sleep a few hours longer.
How many times can you skip getting up early?
You have to be careful here. If you have just started to train yourself, then if you do not get up early for 2-3 days in a row, it will be more difficult for you to return to the early schedule.
But if you get up early for a whole month, then even if you miss 2-3 days, you can easily restore the habit, because you have already realized how important it is for you.
What happens if I change my surroundings or travel?
Everything is not easy here. First, don't be too hard on yourself. Try to stick to the habit, but if that's not possible, do whatever you want.
