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:
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.
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.
(Image credit: Pexels)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.
(Image credit: Getty)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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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.
Contents of the article
It is customary to divide people into larks and owls, the former wake up early in the morning without difficulty and are ready to run on business, while the latter like to go to bed late and wake up for a long time in the morning. Many owls are convinced that it is impossible to change their biological clock and get up early in the morning easily. But if you have a goal and the need to change your usual schedule, then everything will definitely work out. We have prepared instructions with which you can learn how to wake up early in the morning. We took some of the useful recommendations from our free course "What prevents us from achieving our goals.
" nine0003
Before you decide to change your daily routine, you need to analyze your daily routine: what time do you start work or school, what household chores do you perform, how much time do you spend with family and friends. For example, if you work until 10 pm, then it will be difficult for you to get up at 5 am, you simply will not be able to work productively later. When you understand what time you need to wake up, then you can proceed to the following steps:
The desire to get up early cannot arise from nowhere, there is always a good reason. For example, you decide to start a healthy lifestyle, eat right and adjust your daily routine. At first, when you start to change your schedule, the body will rebuild, you will be more tired, your efficiency will decrease. In order not to give up at the very start and not return to the usual mode, you need to set goals. It is precisely the clearly set goals that motivate us, they will help to open your eyes at 6 in the morning, despite the fact that you do not want to sleep much.
Also, to the goal, you need to prescribe tasks, by performing which you can step by step come to the result. nine0003
In order to wake up early and feel fresh, you need to prepare in the evening. The first thing to do is put all your gadgets away 1 hour before bed. The bright screen of a smartphone, tablet or laptop worsens the quality of sleep and the speed of falling asleep. Be sure to analyze the past day and think over a plan of action for tomorrow, this will help you sleep peacefully and not worry about problems. Read before bed, reading a book is great for relaxing and helping you fall asleep faster. nine0003
It must have happened to you when you went to bed at the usual time, but woke up rumpled and tired in the morning. The quality of sleep is affected not only by a comfortable bed and an airy blanket, but also by other factors. For example, if you drink coffee 4-5 hours before bedtime, you are unlikely to be able to fall asleep at the right time.
If you eat before bed, then the body will have to digest food all night instead of resting. It is also not recommended to exercise 3 hours before bedtime. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time so that your body prepares for sleep in advance. nine0003
There are two effective approaches to regime change. The first way is to get up immediately at the scheduled time. But then be prepared for the fact that you will become very tired at first, but you can quickly switch to a new schedule. The second way is to gradually change the wake-up time. Start waking up first 15 minutes earlier, then 20, 30, and so on until you reach your goal. This method will take longer, but it will be easier for the body to adapt to the changes. nine0003
The older we get, the more difficult it is to change our lives.
But you can achieve a lot if you move gradually: one month - one habit. Medical expert Jennifer Ashton challenged herself to a year-long challenge by describing her experience in acquiring each habit. With permission from MIF, Forbes Life publishes a chapter from his book
In the past two months, I have been challenging myself to improve the health aspects of sugar consumption and stretching. For both, I mistakenly thought I was close to perfection. I have since discovered new ways to improve my approach to both habits that could help improve my health and happiness. In November, inspired by unexpected discoveries, I decided to repeat the positive experience in relation to another aspect, in which I also considered myself close to perfection. It's about sleep. nine0003
I have never had problems sleeping. During college and medical school, I would put my head on any table and, no matter what was happening around, fall asleep, waking up at the right time - as if I had a built-in clock.
Ask my good friend and classmate Richard - he was so amazed at this ability! During night shifts, my peculiarity aroused the envy of my colleagues: I could fall asleep anywhere and at any time, almost on demand. I never had trouble falling asleep or sleeping in general, and almost never felt tired during the day. What can I say - my energy level is higher than that of most people I know. I pride myself on my consistent sleep-wake cycle, getting up and going to bed at almost the same time nearly every day. This is what experts recommend for optimal sleep hygiene. nine0003
However, life has become more stressful over the past few years. Ever since I got into TV, the 5am wake up schedule has affected my sleep. Previously, I could confidently say that I slept for eight hours - the exceptions were nights with a patient in labor.
People with reduced need for sleep do occur.Scientists even called them short-sleepers. These people have a potential genetic variation that can withstand the detrimental effects of clinical sleep deprivation. But such people are only 1%. nine0037
But this November, I would say that on average I sleep about seven hours, which is also definitely not bad, but still less than I'm used to. I was curious to see if trying to get half an hour or an hour back to sleep would affect energy, appetite, exercise, or mental sharpness. I have always considered sleep to be one of the main values of life, and now that my children are grown, I do not like to compromise on sleep for anyone, unless it is absolutely necessary for work. Thinking about making sleep a challenge for this month, I knew that it would become relevant for many viewers and readers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three Americans are clinically sleep deprived, and I see this all the time in my practice.
I know it's easy to say "sleep more," so when designing the challenge, I settled on trying to get 20 more minutes of sleep. Each of us is unique, but for me, such an increase would be ideal. Of course, the more the better, I decided, but I didn’t want to set myself an unrealistic goal, given the current schedule. I also assumed that I was already at a healthy level and did not even need more sleep. How wrong I was! nine0003
Just one night of insufficient sleep affects mood and energy levels
The first day of the month was extremely busy: broadcasts in the morning, patients in the afternoon and dinner with friends in the evening. I drank two glasses of wine, something that rarely happened after a month without alcohol (since then I try to drink only one drink of alcohol when I'm not at home). In addition, such a load does not contribute to healthy sleep at all.
But I still managed to go to bed at 9:45 p.m., only to wake up at 5:15 a.m. with seven and a half hours of sleep—thirty minutes more than usual. nine0003
The next evening (Friday) Todd's boyfriend came over for the weekend to celebrate his birthday. We had a great dinner and returned home much later than usual, although I had a broadcast in the morning. I had a lot of fun, but I didn’t sleep much, only six hours, and the next day I felt like a squeezed lemon. After the broadcast, I did a little stretching to cheer myself up, then took a 45-minute nap, as I assumed that we would also be walking late that night. And so it happened. nine0003
Sunday morning was free, but my internal clock still wakes me up after 6 am. This meant another night of six hours of sleep and a day when I felt tired, lethargic and mentally drained. Ironically, this brought forth the “great” hypothesis: if I felt significantly worse than usual after two nights of sleeping one hour less in a row, how much better would I feel after two nights of sleeping one hour more?
On Sunday evening I chalked out an impressive 8 hours and 20 minutes by deliberately going to bed as early as possible.
Although the body hardly needed persuasion - I was terribly tired. I know it's impossible to make up for lost sleep, but the next day I woke up deliciously refreshed. nine0003
After the weekend, I thought about how to make this month's call more effective. Suddenly it dawned on me: why write down on paper how many hours I slept at night, if, of course, there is a mobile application that will do it for me? After searching the internet, I settled on a free smartphone app called Sleep Cycle. It tracks total sleep time by sounds and movement. At the same time, it also conducts interesting statistics: the total amount of regular sleep compared to deep sleep. After the “More Steps” challenge, I knew that using the app would help increase my accountability and make me happy to record successful results. nine0003
The next night, I turned on the app and put my phone by the bed in Do Not Disturb mode.
In the morning, I saw that I had slept for 7 hours and 37 minutes - it seemed to me that I had slept no more than 7 hours. Until that moment, I counted the total sleep time: I looked at the clock while falling asleep and immediately after waking up. Now I have a way to track my sleep more thoroughly - how wonderful!
I had no plans for the last night of the week and decided to take advantage of the quiet evening. I did a few push-ups and planks, some stretching to avoid mindless scrolling through social media (see how you can combine three challenges at once?), then, after checking the app, noted 8 hours and 25 minutes of sleep and deliberately went to bed as early as possible. nine0003
After sleeping at least half an hour longer than usual for three nights in a row, I felt better than before the beginning of the month. Thanks to the calm end of the week, I consciously approached the desire to sleep more, and not just rejoice at a random happy opportunity.
The app made me look forward to next week: I'm curious how many hours of sleep I can credibly, accurately, and correctly chalk up.
Water torture is abolished: eight glasses a day and other myths about water consumption
How do you know how much sleep you really need?
For much of the second week I tried to go to bed as early as possible. I don't like wasting time, especially at night, but like everyone else, I can get distracted trying to relax. I tried to be more careful after the Conscious Use of Technology challenge, but sometimes I dabbled in online shopping, watching the Netflix series Fauda, FaceTime calls to my boyfriend or one of my kids. To go to bed this week, I used a tactic I'd tried at the gym and turned my night's sleep into a fun challenge: I wanted to know how many extra minutes I could get if I wasn't distracted by trifles before bed.
On some evenings I did not feel tired, but I still forced myself to go to bed and fell asleep quickly each time. nine0003
I paid more attention to sleep that week because I didn't have any obligations after work. For the weekend, I did not plan any travel, no hockey games, no social events. This happened partly by accident, but once I realized the situation, I deliberately decided not to make any plans in order to concentrate on sleep.
Three nights that week I slept 15 to 30 minutes more than usual. The rest of the nights I was at or above the 8 hour mark - one night I slept 8 hours and 30 minutes, and on Saturday an amazing 9hours 19 minutes. In the morning I did not feel overwhelmed, on the contrary, relaxed - as if on vacation. I still continued to drink more water in the evenings. Luckily, I didn't have to get up more than once a night, and preventing dehydration didn't negatively impact my total time in bed.
Several factors indicated the amount of sleep I personally needed. On days when I slept 8 or more hours, I looked noticeably more energetic than after the standard 7 hours. I also noticed that throughout the day I felt less hungry (hooray, hooray!) and was more positive and thought better. It seemed to me that the skin was refreshed. If these results were maintained for a month, I would have a new challenge: figure out what needs to be changed to get 8 hours of sleep most nights. nine0003
Even now I knew that in order to sleep 8 hours before the end of the month, I need to go to bed earlier, and not try to sleep longer in the morning. The time of my awakening is determined by the ether. Usually it is 5 am, but no later than 5:20, although sometimes it can be 4:20. But if I'm not going to the studio, I still wake up around the same time, a habit I try to maintain.
Going to bed regularly and waking up at the same time is the key to a good night's sleep. So for 8 hours of sleep I need to go to bed between 9and 9:30 pm.
All these experiences and insights were 100% positive. Unlike a month without sugar, no problems were foreseen. And it didn't look like I was going to have to make significant life changes for the sake of significant results.
I also found that I enjoy using the app. Technology supported my responsibility and gave the experiment a scientific edge that inspired me. A simple app turned the challenge into a fun game: knowing my phone was tracking my every move, I wanted to know how early I could get into bed so I could start the next day with a sense of accomplishment at the sight of my results. nine0003
There was another unexpected advantage: the application did not allow using the smartphone at night, because, once in hand, it stopped tracking the results.
And for the sake of the purity of the experiment, I stopped reading messages or checking e-mail.
“If I say I'm tired, they'll write me off”: why men die before women and don't go to doctors
How to be less nervous to sleep more?
The third week started hard. I found a solution to how to sleep more - go to bed earlier. But I didn’t have the technology how to do this if I had plans for the evening. My boyfriend was back in town for the weekend, we were going to have dinner. I didn't feel like suggesting that my friends meet up at 5 or 6 so I could get home by 8:30 pm and go to bed at baby time. Most of the nights we went to bed at 11pm and I woke up at 6pm even though I didn't have to go to the studio. nine0003
The duration of sleep was not catastrophically short, as in the first week of the month.
While Todd was here, I averaged almost 7 and a half hours of sleep. The exception was Sunday - I slept a little less than 7 hours. She went to bed late, and on Monday got up at 4:30 because of the need to arrive unusually early for television.
After the departure of my boyfriend, I slept for 10 hours in a row, crawling under the covers before 8 pm. The reason is not in the call, but in exhaustion. However, this amount of sleep turned out to be a blessing - the next day, at 10:30 p.m., I left for Boston with the children for Thanksgiving. We got to Massachusetts at 2:15, I went to bed at 2:45. I couldn't even turn on the app. Against all odds, I woke up at 7:45 - just five hours later. Can't sleep well after 6am. nine0003
Thanksgiving with friends and family was a great pleasure for me, but after sundown I got really hungry. I was insatiable, and not only because there was a lot of delicious food left.
I ate more impulsively than usual on the holiday, went to bed early and slept for 10 hours and 20 minutes.
The previous night I set an anti-record of sleep - only 5 hours, but this did not upset me. On average, the amount of sleep exceeded 7 hours, and I did not leave the optimistic mood. In addition, I was aware that, no matter how much I planned, life can make its own adjustments. I promised myself that I would go to bed earlier whenever I could. nine0003
I am sensible about the possibility of sometimes missing a night of sleep - for various reasons. But this week, I noticed that the need to survive in a state of sleep deprivation has become annoying. I used to be smarter and livelier, less hungry and irritated, and the consequences of 7 hours of sleep, which used to be the norm for me, have now turned into a negative. And I wanted to avoid it.
When I didn't get enough sleep, my perception of minor problems became more acute.
While the month remained busy, it was not easy to get through the holidays. But after nights of long sleep, the stress seemed better managed. It's not that problems magically dissipated or solutions were found. At the end of three weeks, I already saw a pattern: the more rest, the less stress I felt. And this helped prevent problems from turning into full-blown disasters. In an attempt to sleep more, I kept waking up earlier and meditating—which I knew was critical to keeping stress from getting out of control. nine0003
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How extra sleep can help you lose weight, look younger and feel happier
In the last week of the month, I finally figured out how to lead a social life and still sleep well.
It was a busy week - I was torn between work, parties, morning reports, burning freelance projects and Chloe's weekend hockey games. At the beginning of the week, I decided that I could handle everything if I got home early and went to bed on time. nine0003
I didn’t allow myself to linger at scheduled events or dinners after work—leaving on time, getting ready for bed when I got home, staying away from the phone, and doing little habits that signal to my body and brain that it’s time to sleep.
If I returned home immediately after work, I would prepare for the broadcast and work on other projects. I tried to finish everything efficiently and effectively so that I could go to bed with a clear conscience. This did not require severe discipline from me, but, on the contrary, resembled a fun competition with the clock hands. nine0003
At the end of the month, I had chalked up six consecutive nights of 8 hours of sleep.
The only 7-hour misstep occurred at the beginning of the week, when I had not yet mastered the art of leaving the event at the right time.
I felt amazing. Of course, I did not jump on the walls like a five-year-old child, but I became more collected and balanced and at the same time more energetic - as during a meditation challenge. Productivity has increased, and a new adjective of the month has appeared - “happy”. Improved well-being and life satisfaction. I wanted to communicate more. When I'm busy or stressed out, work and social activities feel overwhelming. During the fourth week I had to participate in several activities and, to my own surprise, I wanted to unwind, see friends and colleagues and make a good impression. nine0003
More sleep gave me the time, energy, and emotional charge to do everything I wanted: daily walks, aerobics, push-ups, and planks.
Every day in the fourth week, I meditated for 20 minutes, aware of the high level of stress. I tried to drink more water and eat more plant foods and less meat and sugar, habits I knew would help me feel better no matter what.
In addition, I no longer feel hungry, and this is not just a placebo effect. At the beginning of the month, using an app recommended by a friend, I started tracking my diet, noting when, how much, and what exactly I ate. Analyzing the data of the fourth week, I was amazed at how long I was fasting between meals - often went for hours without eating and did not even notice it. Usually, waking up at 5 am, I was starving by 10:30 am. But now at the same time, I didn’t even think about food. On the last day of the month, Lisa, the GMA make-up artist, gave me a huge compliment: she said I was glowing. And I noticed it too. At the beginning of the week, for the first time in months, I decided to go without the foundation that I usually use to cover up acne.
However, within the fourth week, I felt that I could do without makeup at all - the slight irritation and redness that usually spills over my cheeks disappeared. I can't entirely attribute this effect to more sleep, but over the past few weeks, the only new habit is more sleep. nine0003
The sleep app helped me a lot. I'm already used to turning it on in bed and not touching the phone all night. I felt responsible for the objectivity of the experimental data and was interested in a positive result. At the end of the month, I received it: the average sleep time for the month (more precisely, from the moment I started using the application in the middle of the first week) was 8 hours 13 minutes - almost a whole hour more than my norm before the call.
This small amount of time has resulted in increased energy, less stress, improved appetite, skin health, and social engagement.
When I analyzed how much more efficient my life was due to the extra hour of sleep, all regrets about “wasting” 60 minutes disappeared. nine0003
The best book about hangovers: how to find a cure for a disease that we ourselves are to blame for
The scientific basis for the benefits of sleep
Lack of sleep can literally kill. I admit that sounds pessimistic, but many do not realize that regular insufficient sleep has a profound impact on physical, mental and emotional health. Even if you think that six hours is enough for you, I can guarantee that you are functioning worse than you could. Here are the reasons science says we need more sleep. nine0003
You are not as efficient as you think after six hours of sleep
One of the biggest myths about health: you can sleep for 6 hours or even less, be healthy and productive.
But doctors are sure: we need at least 7 hours of sleep a night - a smaller amount worsens mental activity and increases the risk of developing arterial hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer, stroke. This is data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chronic sleep deprivation can increase the likelihood of depression and cause brain cell death. nine0003
People with reduced need for sleep do occur. Scientists even called them short-sleepers. These people have a potential genetic variation that can withstand the detrimental effects of clinical sleep deprivation. But such people are only 1%. The remaining 99% (including me) need at least 7 hours of sleep for normal functioning, and many 8 or more. It has been experimentally established that people who slept for 6 hours for two days in a row show the same poor results on cognitive tests as those who did not sleep at all. Their reaction time approached the reaction time of those who had 1 ppm of alcohol in their blood - that is, as with a mild degree of intoxication.
But worse, people who slept for 6 hours thought they were fine. nine0003
Here is another opinion. Somnologist Daniel Gartenberg compares people who sleep for 6 hours to fish in an aquarium - they don't know where they live until they're released into the ocean. Similarly, people who don't get enough sleep don't have a clue about it until they start sleeping more.
You need more sleep than you think
Everyone has heard that you need 8 hours of sleep. Science confirms this. But the need for sleep is individual and partly determined by genes, partly by lifestyle and environment. 9 is enough for somehours, others function perfectly after sleeping 7 and a half. The secret is to find your optimal sleep duration and stick to it as much as possible. The problem, according to the researchers, is that most of us believe we are sleeping longer than we actually are.
