Some mornings, getting up out of bed is just as tricky as it is to fall asleep at night. You wake up feeling groggy, wanting five more minutes of sleep and end up waking up an hour later. Several sequential alarms may just do the trick, but there are much better ways to successful kick-start your productive day each morning when you wake up.
Start a Nighttime Ritual
A nighttime ritual may be the best way to start your sleep cycle and with a solid night of Zzzs, you’ll be able to wake up easy and feel fresh the next day. Before heading off to bed, do whatever you enjoying doing at night whether it’s:
- Reading a magazine or good book
- Having a conversation
- Meditating or stretching
- Drinking a glass of water
- Cleaning and organizing your home
However, it’s not suggested to do the following before bed for obvious reasons that a full stomach and too much caffeine will keep you up at night:
- Eating dinner or a large snack
- Drinking wine, coffee, or other caffeinated beverages
Plan Your Day before Next Morning
Before you fall asleep, take time to plan out what you will be doing the next day. Do you have any appointments, shopping plans, or any other agenda? If you sit down and make a list, it will be out of your head and help you relax at night. Nothing is worse than waking up right before you fall asleep and realize that you have forgotten something crucial. Plus the following morning you will be all set to go with your schedule.
A Fresh Start
To get a fresh start each morning, you should get the same out of sleep each night. Seven to nine hours of sleep at night is recommended but sometimes this may be out of your control. There will be nights that you are up later than usual and don’t get the same amount of sleep consistently, but if you do keep to regular schedule for the most part, you will find it easier to get up each day. Set your alarm at a decent time and if you still have trouble getting up and walking around, place your alarm clock away from your bed so you force yourself to get up to turn it off.
Your body might feel stiff and your head cloudy when you first wake up in the morning. When you feel like this, your body is tell you that you need oxygen and exercising in the morning is a great way to get it into your system to feel energized. If you don’t have time for a workout or prefer exercising at a different time during the day, try some light stretching or yoga instead. If you continue to wake up on the wrong side of the bed with different aches, check out mattress sales in your area. It may be time your bed needs a new mattress.
Be positive and start your day with something you are looking forward to. Even if it’s just waking up to a delicious cup of your favorite coffee blend, it could be enough to get you out of bed and walking around. Still feel sleepy? Splash some cold water on your face or take a quick shower. Actually, water is a good substitute or addition to drinking coffee in the morning. We become dehydrated when we sleep and drinking water to stay hydrated will help you feel energized in the morning.
So, tonight before you go to bed, stick to your ritual and try to clear your mind by looking at your schedule for tomorrow. Wake up with a glass of cold water or enjoy that hot cup of coffee, go for a jog, and start your day on the right foot