Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Sarah Garone — Updated on August 25, 2020
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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 sponsorsDavina is an experienced sleep writer and mattress reviewer who also contributes to our sister site TechRadar, among other Future plc brands. Davina'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, Davina enjoys reading and creative writing, and incorporates meditation and yoga into her wellness routine.
Coach Jari Rumer explains in his Medium column why we don't get enough sleep and gives seven tips on how to become a morning person.
Anna Samoydyuk
If you leave your alarm in another room, you have to get out of bed to turn it off. And if you got up and went to another room, it makes no sense to go back to sleep.
Photo: Unsplash
After 8 hours of sleep, your body is dehydrated and you need to drink water as soon as possible. The reason why many people get tired and lose motivation in the morning is dehydration - and no wonder, because our brain is 75% water. Therefore, immediately after sleep, drink two glasses to recharge your energy and productivity for the coming day.
Another tip is to do a little exercise (2-5 minutes). Jump, do yoga, whatever you want.
Active exercise raises your heart rate, your body starts producing cortisol, and blood flow increases. After charging, you will not feel sleepy; on the contrary, you will be charged with energy and strength.
According to recent discoveries in the field of biohacking, your breathing has a big impact on your body, energy and morale. With a single breath, you can influence everything from the immune system to creativity. But for now, we'll focus on how breathing can help you feel energized in the morning.
When you take a deep breath with your belly, you breathe in much more oxygen than usual. And the more oxygen, the more energy. Try doing the Wim Hof breathing exercise in the morning. Its essence is as follows.
Take a deep breath in and out through your mouth for 10-30 seconds without pauses.
It is important to breathe in your belly, not your chest. Most likely, you will begin to feel dizzy, and this is absolutely normal. The main thing is to do this exercise in a safe environment; never do it while driving or swimming.
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Many people reach for their phone right after waking up to refresh their Facebook feed or check their email. Such a habit immediately puts your brain in a distracted state. All the messages, emails and notifications you received at night take your attention.
Instead of deciding how to spend your morning, you are forced to react to what others have presented to you. Because of this, you begin to feel stressed. Not the best start to the day, right? Therefore, do not touch your phone for at least the first 20 minutes after sleep.
If you hate everything about your morning routine, you won't want to wake up earlier and you won't be able to enjoy your morning.
So do what you like.
One of the most obvious ways to learn how to wake up early in the morning is to get a good night's sleep. And that doesn't mean just sleeping 8 hours; The quality of sleep must also be taken into account.
Photo: Unsplash
After a good night's sleep, you will feel a great surge of energy in the morning. Here are some tips to improve it:
Source.
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5 reasons why you don't get enough sleep
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Canadian scientist Carolyn Shur conducted a study of and found that there are only 15% of larks in the world, while owls - 25%. The rest of the people are somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, but still lean closer to owls than to larks.
Despite being a minority, the larks have established a terrible dictatorship in the world and force everyone else to get up as early as they do. To kindergarten, to school, to work - in the morning, at dawn. Larks don't give a damn about the fact that owls, that is, most people on earth, have a hard time getting up early. Larks believe that owls are lazy (a lot of studies have also been done on this topic ).
It is especially interesting that, unlike larks, owls, it turns out, are more calm about the fact that people are different, and these unpleasant larks get so tired by ten in the evening that they usually do not do anything. Owls are more tolerant. Nevertheless, life is arranged in such a way that it is easier for larks in it.
Therefore, there are two types of owls. Some have adopted their own biological clock and assert their right to get up later and work more efficiently in the late afternoon. But there are other owls - owls who worry that they cannot jump out of bed voluntarily, before dawn and in a great mood. They envy larks and dream of retraining. And despite the fact that the fact remains: are you an owl or a lark, it is determined by genetics (there are also numerous research ) and there's not much to do about it, there are still ways to make your life a little easier in the morning if you're a night owl.
Step 1
Before you start adjusting, you need to improve your sleep in general. With a very high probability, you have been sleep deprived for many years, mainly due to the fact that you have the Internet at home (admit it). An adult should sleep about eight hours a day. There are those who need less, but they would do well to try to sleep for eight hours: they would be very surprised at how much better they would feel during the day.
Larks, by the way, are very fond of making an argument about our ancestors, who got up to plow with the sun. But there is a caveat: these same peasants slept an average of nine hours a day. A modern person sleeps an average of six.
Step 2
No screens before bed. The last thing most of us see before falling asleep is a TV or computer monitor. Meanwhile, it has been proven that this is how we fall asleep excited and later than planned. An hour before going to bed, turn it all off, spend time with loved ones, read a book, listen to music.
Step 3
The whole process will take several weeks and should not be rushed. As well as it is impossible to make sudden movements. If you think that just starting to set your alarm two hours earlier is enough and everything will work out by itself, you can try, but you are doomed to failure: you can hold out for a couple of weeks, but you will not feel good about it. So, in order to rebuild without stress and stay a morning person for more than a couple of weeks, everything needs to be done slowly.
Step 4
It is necessary to minimize the possible causes of morning stress. The morning should be calm. For example, start preparing the clothes you will wear tomorrow in the evening. In the evening, decide what you will eat for breakfast. Write yourself a list of morning tasks in the order in which you can do them more effectively. So you can minimize the time that you spend in the mornings rushing around the apartment in one sock with a toothbrush in your mouth. Less stress in the morning - less anticipation of morning stress before you go to bed.
Step 5
Do you remember when you were a child, voluntarily and unaided, getting up earlier than usual if something pleasant was waiting for you? For example, on your birthday, when the earlier you get up, the earlier you will receive gifts. Or maybe dad promised to take you fishing? This trick, although not as effective, works with adults as well. Getting up is easier when you are waiting for what will happen in the morning.
We will not give you long lectures, you yourself know that it is easier to get up to your favorite job than to your unloved one. But you can approach the issue not so globally. You don't have to change jobs right away. Start with something nice for yourself. Maybe you like to drink cappuccino in the morning, but usually there is not enough time to brew it in the morning. Or a bubble bath instead of a shower - anything that you can promise yourself in the evening: I’ll get up early and have time ... (insert a pleasant action for yourself). A good motivator, by the way, may be that if you get up before the rest of the family, you will have an extra half hour to yourself.
Step 6
Once you've gotten your sleep back on track and are now sleeping eight hours a day (or at least seven, let's be realistic), you'll probably notice that getting up is much easier for you. Now you can move on to the next step. We set the alarm clock 20 minutes earlier than usual. This is the maximum time it is recommended to shift the rise time at a time.
After that, nothing can be changed for at least a week. That is, it will take at least three weeks to start getting up an hour earlier.
Step 7
As soon as the alarm goes off, try to start moving right away. This will speed up blood circulation, breathing, heartbeat, and you will come to your senses faster. It's best to get up right away, not allowing yourself to wallow in bed, checking your mail from your phone.
Step 8
Don't try to sleep over the weekend. If you get enough sleep during the week, start setting your alarm for exactly the same time on the weekends too. Your task is to start getting up at the same time every day. After two or three months, you will not need an alarm clock at all: you will wake up calmly without it. It is important not to break this regimen and not allow yourself to wallow in bed simply because it is a day off and you are not in a hurry to go anywhere. Get up and take a bath, and then have a leisurely breakfast.
