We all want to increase our productivity, mental health, and overall well-being. In order to achieve the said targets, waking up early can be greatly beneficial.
For many people, even thinking about waking up early seems like a horrible idea. That’s because many of us feel tired and groggy once we wake up in the morning. There are many reasons for this and the main reason for this is not getting enough sleep. It is true that sometimes getting enough sleep and waking up early is a challenging task due to your job, family commitments, or many different reasons.
In this article, we are going to discuss some of the practical tips and strategies that you can use to wake up early without feeling tired every day. So let’s dive in.
Contents
Maintaining a Sleep Schedule
Our bodies love to work on schedule. Hence, establishing a consistent sleep schedule is one of the most crucial factors in waking up early without being tired. It means that you need to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day including your off days. If you maintain a consistent sleep schedule, it can help to regulate your internal clock. This will make it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.
The first step in establishing a consistent sleep schedule is to identify your optimal sleep time. Mostly, it could vary between 07-09 hours of sleep each night. However, you need to consider your personal lifestyle and schedule when determining your optimal sleep time. Not to mention, you will also need to consider if you got any health condition that can affect your sleeping time when deciding your optimal sleep time.
After identifying, you need to plan a sleep schedule as you prefer. Pick a time to go to sleep and choose a wake-up time. Your sleeping time should allow you to get enough sleep to cover your optimal sleep time and your wake-up time should allow you to get your regular tasks done without feeling hurried.
The success of this method is solely based on consistency. Therefore it is vital that you follow the schedule as much as possible, even on weekends or your off days.
Indulging in a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
Another important step that you can take is to create a daily relaxing routine to follow before you go to sleep. Indulging in a relaxing bedtime routine can give a signal to your body that it is time to prepare to sleep. So how can you create a calming bedtime routine? Here are some tips!
- Follow a consistent bedtime – As mentioned above, choose a consistent bedtime that will allow you to cover your optimal sleep time and stick to it always.
- Avoid stimulating activities – You need to avoid activities that can stimulate your mind or body before you go to sleep. For instance, watching TV, using mobile phones, or heavy physical workouts.
- Engage in relaxing activities – You can indulge in calming activities such as reading a book, listening to soothing music, or taking a warm bath.
- Using Aromatic Plant Oils – Aromatherapy is widely popular as a method of creating a relaxing environment. In this type of therapy, you either breathe in plant extracts known as essential oils or apply them topically to your skin. Some people apply the oils to their skin when they have a massage or take a bath. Essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood are widely used by many to promote relaxation.
- Darken your bedroom – By dimming lights in the bedroom, you can create a calming atmosphere that can make you ready for sleep. Instead of lights in the room, you can use a bedtime lamp with a warm and soft glow.
Apart from the above, you can add relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing to your bedtime routine.
Also, you can add any self-care activity that can help you to achieve a good night’s sleep as your personal preference. Read our article “07 Life-changing Self-care Activities to Do Before Bed for a Peaceful Sleep”.
Developing a relaxing bedtime routine can bless you with a peaceful sleep that will further allow you to wake up the next day without feeling tired.
Avoiding Caffeine and Alcohol
Caffeine is a substance that keeps us awake and alert. Once consumed, it can take several hours for caffeine to leave our bodies. Hence, consuming caffeine in the afternoon and evening can affect our quality of sleep, which ultimately leaves us feeling tired in the morning. If you consume caffeine, make sure that you do it in the morning hours.
Many believe that caffeine is found only in coffee and tea. It is not true. Food sources such as chocolate, sodas, and some medications also contain caffeine. So make sure that you identify these hidden caffeine sources and avoid consuming them too late in the day.
When it comes to alcohol, it can make you sleepy at first. However, it will also affect the quality of your sleep and will leave you feeling tired and groggy in the morning. If you are planning to consume alcohol in the evening, make sure you do that within reasonable limits in order to wake up early without feeling tired.
Moreover, it is important that you stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water throughout the day. But it is better to keep away from drinking plenty of fluid in the evening to avoid waking up to use the bathroom during the night which will affect you sleep quality.
Limiting Screen Time
Electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers emit blue light, and using such devices excessively in the evening can affect the production of Melatonin, a hormone that aids in regulating our sleep.
Therefore, make sure that you set boundaries to limit your screen time during the evening in order to get quality sleep which helps to wake up early without feeling tired. Also, stay away from electronic devices for at least one hour before you go to sleep. This will make it easier for your body to prepare you for sleep.
If you have to use electronic devices in the evening or at night, switch the screen to “night mode” which will reduce the amount of blue light emitted by the screen. Another option to avoid blue light is to use blue-light-blocking glasses.
Instead of using electronic devices, spend your evening time with family or friends, or choose a hobby such as reading a book or listening to music.
Creating a Morning Routine of Positive Activities
Another step that you can take to wake up without feeling tired is to create a morning routine full of activities that can cheer you up for the rest of the day. You can incorporate the following activities into your morning routine and start your day off on the right foot;
- Waking up at the same time every day
- Making the bed
- Engage in physical exercises
- Dressing well
- Have a good meal (Healthy diet).
- Listening to music.
- Making a to-do list.
- Meditate
- Try something new.
Every setting sun shows the reality of the end, while every rising sun shows the new beginning. Hence every morning should be fresh. So, it is better to stay motivated every morning. Read further on our article on how to create a positive morning routine and wake up every day feeling fresh and energized.
Sometimes, whatever you do, you may not be able to stick to a certain routine. For example, imagine having a late night out with friends. In such an instance, you may not be able to sleep early and as a result, your next morning may be groggy. If this happens, you should not beat yourself up. Instead, you need to be kind to yourself and not get discouraged by setbacks. You can always re-evaluate your routine and make changes and improvements if necessary and as you like.
To conclude the article, if your aim is to wake up early without feeling tired, you need to have a good night’s sleep. It is beneficial not only in waking up early feeling fresh but also to your overall health and well-being.
Following above mentioned tips consistently will be beneficial to you to improve your sleep quality which will ultimately assist you to have a fresh morning.
