Caffeine is the drug of choice for most people. If you're hooked on your morning cup of coffee to jumpstart your brain, why not try these drug-free techniques?
- Sleep with your window shades open: Even if the sun is shining outside, you'll have no idea if you are sleeping in cave-like darkness.
If you keep your curtains slightly open, as the sun rises outside, it will gently pour in and gradually wake you up. - Snooze on purpose: I don't know how people can wake right up after their alarm goes off. I set my alarm at least 40 minutes before I actually have to wake up. That way, I can snooze many times, and it gets my body and mind used to the idea that soon I'll have to get out of bed.
- Exercise in the morning: If you can, set your alarm even earlier so you can get up and go for a walk, or jog, or pop in a workout DVD. By doing something you want to do, you won't be so aggravated about having to wake up.
- Stop eating 2 hours before you lie down at night: Not only is this good for sleeping, but it's a great tip for losing weight. So when you wake up, your hungry belly will inspire you to get up and fill it with some yummy breakfast.
Want to know what else may help? Then read more
- Avoid caffeinated beverages and spicy foods late at night: They'll prevent you from getting to sleep at a decent hour, so when it is time to wake up, you won't feel rested.
- Get to sleep an hour or two earlier: Get this - you may be tired in the morning because you're not getting enough sleep. I don't mean to be sarcastic but not everyone needs 8 hours - some need less and some need more.
- Avoid taking naps during the day: If you take a power nap in the late afternoon, you won't feel tired when it's bedtime. Then, you'll fall asleep much later and if you have to wake up early, won't get a full night of sleep. It's a vicious cycle.
Fit's Tips: If you're not a morning person, there's really nothing you can do to change that - it's part of your personality. Hopefully some of these tips can help make your mornings a little less traumatic. Be sure to let me know if there are any other tips that have worked for you. Together we can conquer mornings.
7 For All Mankind
Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti
Levi's
very much agree with not eating two hours before bed. i avoid eating after 8pm, i'm so busy with work there is not much time for the gym, so i personally believe that not eating late has helped. and while i'm not skimping on the necessary nutrition for my pregnancy, i haven't gained much now either!
1I'm lucky that I don't need to use the alarms, but it really helps for me to gradually get up. When I wake, I do not get up right away and usually lay there for at least 10 or more minutes to get myself adjusted to the idea of it. On the idea of napping, I'm actually trying to nap because a lot of studies have shown a 20 minute nap in the middle of the day (8 hours you wake) is completely refreshing for the brain and body.
2I do that with the alarm, too (I have a double...to work out, I get up at the 4:15 alarm, to not work out, I get up at the 4:50 alarm)...good plan, huh? Haha, I hit the snooze roughly 8 times and wake up going "Crap! Baby, go yell at the kids to get up, I gotta get ready!!
I have the best of intentions, really!
3I work at night and nothing of this works to make me sleep... at no part of day...
4So like are you allowed to set your alarm early to work out, but let the snooze go off 3 or 4 times?
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5"If men could only know each other, they would neither idolize nor hate" Elbert Hubbard
I find that if I wake up an hour and a half before i need to be up, and go do yoga for an hour it really helps me get up in the morning. It's nice because I don't end up all stressed out running around trying to get ready. I also pack a nice healthy lunch the night before, so that I'm not just grabbing a burrito and donut on the way out.
6I have a problem with leaving the shades up- living in the city, I need it dark to sleep!
"Save the makeup, save the world..."
7i set like 3 alarms. one on my hi-fi and on my mobile phone, then i've got a reminder to wkae up..sometimes i manage to slp thru all 3 of them!!
i have very thin curtains in my room, last week before our clocks went forward i managed to get up easier because it was litghter outside but now its REALLY hard to get up cause it's still dark outside!!
8This is so helpful to me I wish I was a morning person I'm always so tired in the morning and can't get everything I need to get done on time.
9i set my alarm to go off at least 30 mins before i have to wake up. that way...i can snooze at least 4 times!
10I've tried most of these tricks, and they just don't work for me. I just hate getting out of bed in the morning. If I have an important meeting to get to, I have to have The Hubs call me (he leaves WAY before I do) until I get out of the bed.
11this is so funny to me b/c i thought i was the only one who could sleep through 2 alarms going off for an hour
i hate getting up and it is a struggle every day! the FL sun is to bright to leave the curtains open, at least on the weekends! but i will try some others.
12I read that contrary to earlier beliefs, it's ok to eat before bed (or a few hours before you go to bed, whatever), that this does not affect weight gain.
13...but maybe indigestion?? LOL
14I read an interesting study which showed that the more times you hit 'snooze', the worse you felt when you finally get up, as if each delay was removing a percentage of alertness. Do you think I can find it now? Gah. This page pretty much backs it up: http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?type=article&article_id=2...
I know if I get up on the first alarm, I feel better during the day, but it's a constant battle. Plus Mr Peet keeps hitting snooze before I register the alarm's gone off.
15I'm a morning person so I can get up when my alarm goes off. I can only do it if I motivated to do something. Like if I know I have to take a shower than I'll wake up. Sometimes I just like the feeling of waking up early.
16I am going to start getting up earlier to work out. Thats a great idea! Although, I'm already a monring person. It drives some people nuts!
"I wear my sunglasses at night so I can, so I can watch you live and breathe your storylines"
17I tell most everyone to try working out first thing in the morning. It's really a hard task while you're waking up and it's so simple just to crawl back into bed but after you get it done and over with that meal afterwards tastes like the best meal EVER but don't gorge either. I have to watch what I eat while others may not have too. Drink plenty of water and then a cup of tea (or one of coffee if that's your thing) but be sure to have plenty of water because you don't want to dehydrate yourself. It may not work for everyone but that's what works for me when me job allows it.
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