Do you ever wake up feeling energized? How often do you wake up without hitting the snooze button?
One thing worse than going to bed early is waking up tired. There are some factors that contribute to feeling tired in the morning and some habits that drain your energy.
In this article, we will explore some solutions that can help you wake up earlier and more refreshed, and turn them into habits that can last. Let’s get started.
1. Stop hitting the snooze button
Hitting the snooze button doesn’t actually give you more sleep. It doesn’t make you feel better when you wake up, and it has no beneficial effect.
Every time you hit the snooze button, you wake up feeling more tired because our sleep cycles are made up of 90-minute cycles. When you fall asleep for such a short period, your alarm wakes you up in the middle of your sleep cycle, which makes you feel groggy and exhausted.
Our recommendation is to download an app called “Sleep Cycle”. This app wakes you up when your sleep cycle ends.
It does this by tracking your movements throughout the night and sounding the alarm only when it senses that your sleep cycle has ended. This way of waking up makes you feel more energized than waking up in the middle of the REM phase.
2. Get enough sleep
Our bodies need a certain amount of sleep every day to function properly. This may seem obvious, but we tend to oversleep or under-sleep.
One reason for this is that we go to bed at inconsistent times. One day, we go to bed at 10 pm, and the next day, we go to bed at 3 am.
However, it’s important to sleep and wake up at the same time every day of the week. This way, your body gets used to it and you wake up naturally at the end of your sleep cycle.
Everyone requires a different amount of sleep to feel energized. If you want to find out how many hours of sleep you need, go to bed at the same time every day, wake up without an alarm clock, and note how many hours you slept.
You can use this information to figure out what time you need to go to bed to get enough sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
3. Rehydrate and get the blood flowing
Drinking water first thing in the morning is important.
After going 6 to 8 hours without water, you may become dehydrated, which can cause tiredness.
To combat this, always keep a glass of water on your bedside table before you go to sleep. This way, you have water readily available when you wake up. The goal is to rehydrate your body and brain after hours of sleep deprivation.
Another important thing to do is to engage in some light exercise as soon as you wake up.
Any physical activity that raises your heart rate and gets your blood flowing will increase your energy levels. This could be a quick jog, a few stretches, or some yoga. Doing this will help to wake you up and make you feel more alert.
4. Get natural light exposure
When we wake up, we need natural light exposure to set our circadian rhythm. Our body needs to know when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep.
Getting natural light exposure in the morning, especially within the first hour of waking up, can help to regulate our body’s natural clock. This can be achieved by taking a walk outside or sitting near a window with natural light exposure.
Conclusion
Waking up feeling tired every morning can be frustrating and affect your productivity throughout the day.
However, there are several simple steps you can take to improve the quality of your sleep and wake up feeling energized.
First, avoid hitting the snooze button and instead use an app like Sleep Cycle to wake up during a lighter sleep stage. Second, establish a consistent sleep schedule to help your body develop a natural sleep-wake cycle. Third, rehydrate your body by drinking water immediately upon waking up and engage in light exercise to get your blood flowing. Finally, reduce screen time before bed and create a relaxing sleep environment to promote deeper and more restful sleep.
By implementing these tips and making them a part of your daily routine, you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
FAQ
Q: How much sleep should I be getting each night?
A: The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, but most adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal health and wellbeing.
Q: Why should I avoid hitting the snooze button?
A: Hitting the snooze button can disrupt your natural sleep cycle and leave you feeling even more tired than if you had gotten up immediately. Using an app like Sleep Cycle to wake up during a lighter sleep stage can help you feel more refreshed and energized.
Q: Can drinking water immediately upon waking up really help reduce fatigue?
A: Yes, drinking water upon waking up can help rehydrate your body after several hours of sleep and reduce feelings of fatigue and grogginess.
Q: Is it important to create a relaxing sleep environment?
A: Yes, creating a relaxing sleep environment can help you fall asleep faster and promote deeper, more restful sleep. This includes keeping the room cool and dark, reducing noise and distractions, and avoiding screens before bed.
