Have you ever found yourself standing in awe of your friends or colleagues who are morning people and wondering what strange breed of humanity they are? Puzzled over what their secret to early rising is and wishing you knew how to wake up naturally in the morning? Well, there's hope for you night owls out there. You, too, can learn to welcome the morning sun.
So, if you currently feel as though you struggle to know how to wake up, know you're not alone. From tossing and turning to simply not feeling motivated in the morning, waking up can sometimes be a struggle. Although you can't substitute much for a good night's sleep, there are a few ways that you can get your body ready to go in the morning. Here are some tips that will help you to stop dreading the mornings and have you waking up eager to start the day.
How to Wake Up Early And Naturally
1. Don't Press Snooze
You should consider forgetting that you have a snooze button available to you. Going back to sleep for another 5 or 10 mins isn't going to make you feel any less tired. You'd need another hour or even 2 hours of sleep to make a difference.
Allowing yourself to fall back to sleep after waking up is referred to as sleep fragmentation. This fragmented sleep isn't a good thing, as it can leave you feeling even more tired and worn out during the day.
But there's yet another reason to get up promptly when you first hear that dreaded beep. You see, when you rise and go to bed at the same time every day, you'll be helping to keep your body's internal clock in sync.
This internal clock makes you feel energized in the morning and tired and sleepy at night. If you keep reaching for that well-loved snooze button, your internal clock will gradually become confused and won't know when to make you feel tired.
That's why it's a good idea to avoid using that snooze button on your alarm clock. You might even try keeping your alarm clock somewhere where you can't automatically reach it. That way, you'd have to get out of bed to turn it off. And considering that's the most challenging part of waking up, you've already made the first big step.
Doing this might seem like a little thing at first, but by making minor changes to your morning routine, you will defeat the sleep demon.
2. Use Sunlight to Wake Up Naturally
Right after you awaken, open the blinds or curtains. Greet the morning sun. If you're up to it, you could even throw on a robe and slippers and step outside for a few minutes. Having open blinds when you go to bed at night could also help you learn how to wake up naturally.
Natural light gets your brain working and also helps keep your body clock on track. If it's a rainy day outside, then turn on the light. Even a digital light-up alarm clock can help. Plus, it'll be less startling than a loud, noisy alarm as you battle morning brain fog.
Doing this is an excellent measure to take if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder or depression. You can also try using a sun lamp. The light can elevate your mood and make you feel more wakeful.
3. Get Some Music Going
If you feel like you're dragging your feet in the morning, it may be time to work on a wake-up playlist. Having a morning groove going can help you wake up and feel more energized about the day.
Unless you're trying to let the other members of your household sleep, have a playlist that's ready to go. It could be an energized, upbeat playlist or something more mellow. Regardless of what you choose, play it when you get up. You'll find that your body will naturally do this for you with the beats when you don't know how to wake up.
Most wake up playlists includes positive songs you can dance to. So, don't be afraid to start a little morning dance to help energize you. It'll be a great way to help stretch your body so prepare you physically for the day.
Be careful with waking up to the same song every day. You'll eventually resent that song because it makes you do something you're still learning how to do: wake up. So, if you play music to wake you naturally, mix up the playlists or pick a different song each day.
4. Try Aromatherapy
Many people are choosing to diffuse essential oils in their homes. Not only can this make your space fresh and clean-smelling, but it may also actually be energizing. You can use a small diffuser in the room with a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Some of the scents that tend to be more stimulating include mints, citrus oils, clove, and patchouli. You can use them on their own or even create your blend. Keep in mind that some people may be sensitive to essential oils, so make sure they don't bother you or anyone in your household.
Having scents turn on at a specific time can help you wake up to the smell in the morning. You can also use an aromatherapy shower head to help you wake up with a fresh scent when you shower in the morning.
5. Stretch to Wake Up Faster
Have you ever woken up in the morning and stretched your whole body out, feeling that this helps you wake up? If so, consider doing this each morning.
Stretching is a great physical activity that helps you get the blood flowing to your muscles, so it's a simple way to wake your body and get you ready to face the day. You don't have to spend much time stretching either.
Some enthusiasts may try some yoga in the morning, but you can do a few simple stretches to get started. Consider adding some stretches to your morning routine, and you can even do them without leaving your bed.
Expand your legs and arms at different angles. Turn your head from side to side. Angle your upper body to make almost a lower case r. Shake your body to get some groove into your newly stretched body. You'll notice that it feels good to get that kind of a stretch. And if you pay close attention, cats and dogs often stretch when they wake up naturally in the morning.
As you stretch, consider trying this morning meditation on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Mm8_Af4KQ
6. Get Out of Pajamas
Pajamas are a great joy in life, but they're not conducive to waking you up in the morning. If you stay in pajamas throughout the day, then your body is naturally going to remain tired. They're undoubtedly comfortable, but even if you're working from home or don't necessarily need to change, make yourself put on clothing.
You can still wear comfortable clothes or loungewear, but by changing out of your pajamas, you're telling your body that it's no longer time to be in bed.
The act of getting dressed can feel burdensome if you're feeling tired, but doing this signals to your brain that you're ready to wake up and start your day.
7. Have a Smart Breakfast
Having breakfast, in general, can help you get ready for the day, but the type of breakfast also matters. You've probably read before to have some protein for breakfast, but do you follow that advice
Proteins are the building blocks of cells, so it just makes sense to start your day off with a protein-rich breakfast. A hardboiled egg or protein shake is a simple but effective way to get some protein in your day.
Instead of turning to a sugary muffin or doughnut that will probably make you more tired, having protein first thing in the morning may help you wake up and keep your energy levels sustained.
Avoid only drinking a cup of coffee for breakfast too. You need nourishing foods to help set you up for the day. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so indulge in a filling and healthy morning meal.
8. Keep a Consistent Routine
You've probably noticed that after you go to bed early and wake up at the same time each day, it's easier to get up in the morning. This tactic is why so many sleep experts recommend that you stick with the same waking/sleeping schedule, even on weekends.
Most people don't stick with a strict daily routine all week long. However, if you can stick with a schedule, your body's natural sleep cycle will adjust. Over time, you'll find that you start to wake up at the same time naturally, and it's less of a struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Even if you can't commit to waking or sleeping at the same hour, aim for a similar time most days.
Going to bed early will help you wake up naturally in the morning. Avoid indulging in revenge sleep, which is where people try to stay up late to make up for the lost hours from working all day. It's only going to make waking up harder in the morning.
9. Avoid or Limit Alcohol
This piece of advice always seems like it goes against common sense. After all, having a drink in the evening typically makes you tired. However, drinking later in the day can disrupt your sleep cycle and prevent your body from getting REM sleep or deep sleep.
Think about how difficult it is to get up the day after you've had a few too many drinks. Probably one drink in the evening isn't going to prevent you from sleeping, but you should try to limit your alcohol intake and not drink too close to your bedtime.
Knowing how to wake up also means knowing what can affect your sleep cycle. Alcohol may disrupt natural sleeping and waking patterns.
10. Prep Your Morning Coffee
Having some caffeine in the morning may seem like a crutch to some, but it's not a bad way to get your body ready to go in the morning.
Make sure that you drink water as well since being dehydrated can make you more tired. A glass of water with lemon upon waking up can rehydrate your body after a long night's sleep.
However, after you've gotten up, make yourself your favorite caffeinated beverage, whether that's coffee or tea. As surely, a caffeinated drink will quickly wake you up.
Some people who struggle to get out of bed find that having an automated coffee maker is a great option. You can choose to wake up to the smell of coffee, which may help you jumpstart your morning and give you some extra motivation to get out of bed.
11. Get More Sleep to Wake Up Early
If you're using the steps above and find that you still can't get up in the morning, then the problem may not exist with your sleeping and waking habits.
Thousands of people today find that they don't get enough sleep at night. You can always try to catch up on the weekends, but most people probably need at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Women also need more rest than men do, so that this number may be higher for you.
If you're experiencing a stressful time, your body may need more time to process information and recover from exhaustion.
Sleeping more may be easier said than done but consider options to try and increase your sleeping. For example, if you can't go to bed earlier or wake up later, are there times for you to take a nap?
Just 30 minutes can be refreshing and may help your overall sleeping and waking habits. Ancient philosophers used to take a nap every day after eating lunch. Try this on your next lunch break.
12. Consider a Sleep Study
For people who struggle with knowing how to wake up well, the problem could be something unexpected. When these solutions haven't worked out for you, it may be time to get professional help.
Once you've tried these wake up methods and still struggle to get out of bed, consider talking to your doctor. A straightforward way to assess your sleeping and waking habits is to participate in a sleep study. This study can help diagnose a sleeping disorder that may be to blame for morning fatigue.
Conclusion
Now that you have some simple but effective ways to wake up in the morning, what are you waiting for? Use these tips to help you get out of bed and start your day feeling energized and refreshed. You'll probably still have some tired mornings occasionally, but following these tactics can improve your morning routine significantly.
