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.
Healthy eating and physical exercise are essential to good health, but many of us overlook the importance of sleep. Inadequate sleep can affect mood, disrupt concentration, and upset hormones that regulate weight.
“Sleep deficiency may also increase the risk for diabetes, atherosclerosis and some forms of cancer,” says Stuart F. Quan, MD, clinical director of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Dr. Quan cares for patients with sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and narcolepsy. Below are tips he shares with patients for sleeping better.
Developing healthy sleeping habits starts with commitment. Tell a friend or loved one that you are making sleep a priority. Telling others will keep you accountable and make you more likely to stick with your goal.
Establishing regular sleep habits can be just as important as how long you sleep. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, even on weekends.
“In terms of how long you should sleep, there’s variability from person to person, but the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommends that you get at least seven hours of sleep a night,” says Dr.
Quan.
Your room should be completely dark while sleeping. Position your bed away from windows and try blackout curtains, or use an eye mask, if the sun wakes you up early in the morning.
“Make sure your sleeping environment is quiet. If you live in an urban area or have noisy neighbors, use a white noise machine, which can counteract ambient sounds,” says Dr. Quan.
Turn off your cell phone before bed, or activate the ‘do not disturb’ setting. In general, try not to use electronics in bed.
Aim to keep your bedroom between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Find the temperature that’s right for you.
Most studies show that regular exercise three-to-four times a week helps improve sleep. It’s usually best to exercise in the morning or afternoon. If you exercise at night, try not to exercise within 2 hours of bedtime, as the adrenaline boost from your workout may disrupt your sleep.
Avoid eating a heavy meal before bed. This includes foods high in carbohydrates, which may lead to heartburn or bloating. Both of these can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep.
Exposing yourself to sunlight each morning will help keep you alert throughout the day. It will also help keep your sleep schedule regular, says Dr. Quan.
In the winter, try sitting in front of a light therapy box for 30 minutes. In the summer, go for a walk in the morning. Leave your sunglasses in your pocket to expose your eyes to the light.
The nicotine in cigarettes increases heart rate and brain activity and can disrupt your sleep. If you are having trouble quitting, you may want to try a smoking cessation program.
“Caffeine is a stimulant and stays active in the body for roughly 6 hours. If you drink coffee at 5 p.m., it’s still having an effect at 10 p.m. when you go to bed.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine, stop drinking coffee or soda around lunchtime,” says Dr. Quan.
Stuart F. Quan, MD
Stuart F. Quan, MD, Clinical Director of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Sleep plays a key role in your overall health. Learn about the relationship between sleep and certain health conditions and get tips for better sleep tonight.
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Morning is considered the most productive time of the day, but there are few lucky ones who manage to wake up cheerful and start the day actively. Igor Evgenievich Cheremukhin, a somnologist at one of the CJSC clinics, told how to improve sleep and make the morning really good.
Getting ready for sleep
- The pledge of a cheerful morning in quality sleep. But to get it, you need to prepare in advance, that is, in the evening. To do this, after 18:00 we exclude caffeinated drinks, alcohol and heavy food from the diet, advises the somnologist Cheremukhin. - At the same time, going to bed hungry is bad. This is what I'm talking about now about the popular phrase "Don't eat after six." After 18:00 you can and even need to eat. The only question is what to eat.
Ideal - a dinner rich in protein, and an hour before bedtime - nuts, or a glass of milk.
We make plans for the next day from the evening
- In order to get rid of unnecessary routine in the morning, we plan and do some things in advance. We decide what to wear, what to have breakfast and the main activities for the day in the evening. Believe me, by solving these issues before going to bed, you will experience more pleasant emotions in the morning, and in general the day will be more organized and therefore more productive, - said Igor Evgenievich.
How to go to bed correctly?
- 15-20 minutes before bedtime, we put away phones, laptops and other gadgets, and also turn off the TV, - we recommend a doctor. - The fact is that the blue light of the displays is similar in its spectrum to daytime sunlight, because of which the production of melatonin is inhibited in the body.
This hormone is responsible for our sleep.
By the way, so that melatonin continues to enter the bloodstream at dawn, in spring and summer, it is better to draw the curtains for the night, and after the alarm rings, open them. This will help you wake up faster. Appeared 10-15 minutes before bedtime can be devoted to reading.
About the pillow and mattress
The shape of the pillow we sleep on is very important - if you sleep on your stomach, the pillow should be very thin. If you sleep on your side, the pillow should be so thick that your head is at the level of the spine - then the cervical vertebrae will not move and pinch the vessels of the brain. For sleeping on your side, a pillow is easy to pick up while lying in front of a mirror.
If you sleep on your back, the pillow should be of medium thickness so that your head does not tip back or forward. If you sleep in different positions, choose a pillow for the position in which you spend most of your time. After all, a pillow should just be comfortable.
This also applies to the mattress. Make sure that it does not bend much, and if after sleep you experience discomfort in the body, then the martas need to be replaced.
About alarm clocks
- The most comfortable alarm clocks are light alarm clocks and wrist trackers, - said the somnologist. - On the alarm clock, half an hour before waking up, the lamp lights up and gradually increases the intensity of the glow. Because of this, melatonin in the body is suppressed and a person wakes up more easily. Such alarm clocks will be especially useful in autumn and winter, when you have to wake up in complete darkness, - said Igor Evgenievich.
- Wrist trackers track sleep cycles and wake you up at just the right time. The fact is that sleep consists of several cycles, and each cycle consists of several stages. The first is slumber, the most superficial stage; the second - basic, then the deep third and fourth - REM sleep - with rapid movements of the eyeballs, during which we see dreams.
After it, the brain wakes up, and the whole cycle repeats again. The trackers wake a person up immediately after REM sleep or during wake up, the most comfortable phases for getting up.
If you use an alarm clock on your smartphone, it is advisable to turn on the gradual increase in volume function. Then the awakening will be soft and gradual. The ringtone should be pleasant and not annoying. Honestly, choosing one call for life is unlikely to succeed. Over time, almost any alarm melody will annoy and thereby spoil the mood of the morning itself. Therefore, I advise you to change the sound as needed.
How to wake up?
- Setting 3-4 alarms every 10 minutes means stressing the body 3-4 times in the morning, so you need to wake up the first time. The alarm rang. Stretch. Do some stretching in bed. Then get up, open the window, let fresh air into the room. Oxygen will help you wake up. You can immediately do a little warm-up, but it's better to jump.
5-minute jumps will benefit the lymphatic system and help disperse toxins that have accumulated overnight faster. Go to the kitchen and drink a glass of water with lemon or honey. And then proceed to the morning chores: washing, dressing and more.
About breakfast
- Breakfast should be full, tasty and healthy, so less fat and too sweet.
How much sleep do you need?
- On average, a normal adult sleep should last between 7 and 9 hours. However, this norm is purely individual, - said Cheremukhin. - There are short-sleepers who sleep for four hours all their lives, for example, they were Napoleon and Margaret Thatcher.
Important advice: try to go to bed and get up at the same time. Firstly, in this way you accustom the body to a certain schedule, and secondly, you will start to get enough sleep, which means that you will get up with ease in your body and in a great mood.
Morning. The subway train takes passengers to work. Their faces express discontent, they themselves are rumpled and sleepy. How do you make sure you don't become one of them?
There is a whole range of actions to start the morning right. You can choose the ones that suit you, you can combine, you can do one thing if it works. We will list progressively: from the moment when you just opened your eyes, to full awakening. For example:
For greater effect, you can perform a set of morning yoga exercises - they can be found freely on the Internet, but it is better to consult experienced teachers.
Let's start with the fact that the optimal time for healthy sleep
is at least 7 hours. If you sleep less than three, then no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to wake up easily. Between three and seven hours of sleep, there is a chance of a comfortable awakening, but the body will be exhausted and tired quickly. Seven hours is the minimum, and you should not experiment with health. What to do if there was no daily routine and now you need to get up early? There are a number of measures, simple and clear. Prepare yourself for morning awakening in advance:
Sounds funny, but it works. Set your alarm for a few minutes ahead. Lie down on the bed and imagine that you are sleeping. When the alarm rings, immediately turn it off and get up. Do this several times - the body will develop a habit and over time it will wake up easier and faster. 
If you feel sleepy despite your best efforts
, you may want to see a doctor.
Stick to your sleep schedule - wake up and go to bed at the same time. In this way, you will consolidate the habit and after months you will be able to wake up without an alarm clock. But if drowsiness appears earlier than usual, do not suffer - go to bed.
Another important point: your awakening depends on how quickly you can fall asleep. As you know, we sleep in cycles of 90 minutes. During this hour and a half, a person manages to visit both the REM and non-REM sleep phases. We will not go into details of what each of the phases carries, but turn to the calculations. To wake up vigorous and full of energy, you need to do it at the end of the cycle, that is, if you go to bed at 23.00, then it will be better to wake up at 06.30 or 08.00. In this way, you will save the length of the cycle, and it will be easier to open your eyes than if you set the alarm for 07.
00. To wake up on time, count this moment - set the alarm for the right time. To fall asleep faster, remember the position in which you wake up. This is the most comfortable position for your body, and in it you will fall asleep earlier than in others.
Daily routine before going to bed, without straining the brain and muscles, will set the body up for the night. Here, brushing your teeth, lightly cleaning the room, playing with pets, or anything else is best. The main thing is to do it constantly, so that over time the body begins to get used to them as preparation for sleep. Quite often, musty or dirty air in the room prevents you from falling asleep quickly. This is due to the fact that the body allocates additional forces for proper air exchange. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to constantly monitor the air quality in a room or apartment. Check if the ventilation system is working
, ventilate the rooms just before going to bed, try not to smoke or ask your neighbors to do it in other places.
If you still find it difficult or uncomfortable to breathe as a result, get an air purifier. And even better - a breather. It is a compact supply ventilation with the ability to heat and purify the air and control parameters from a smartphone. Find your own way to keep
fresh in your apartment.
Stretch. Before going to bed, do some stretching exercises. In this way, they will become more relaxed, and it will be easier for you to get into a comfortable position and fall asleep. Sports will have a great effect on your well-being: swimming, running, strength exercises - all this contributes to the proper functioning of the body and good sleep. Try to look at night photos of sleeping people: in the subway, in class, at work - it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that the person sleeps. Then your brain will feel more tired, it will quickly start demanding a reboot, and you will fall asleep. The average temperature in a room for good sleep is 15-20°C. See to it that it is maintained.
