Topics: Healthy Sleep
Feeling alert as we open our eyes is something all of us want. Starting our day after a peaceful night’s sleep and feeling attentive in the morning can prepare us for the challenges ahead.
But, in stark contrast to this, many of us struggle to get out of bed and find it taxing to prepare for work, school, and other responsibilities. We experience initial grogginess, called sleep inertia, which makes mornings difficult.
However, feeling alert and minimising the effects of morning grogginess by making small lifestyle changes is possible. Here are a few tips to make mornings easier.
How to feel alert and attentive in the morning?
1. Consistent sleep schedule
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, is recommended. It helps regulate the body’s internal clock, responsible for making you feel sleepy at night and awake in the morning. When this schedule is disrupted and not aligned with the sunrise and sunset, leaving bed in the morning can emerge as a challenge.
2. Do not hit snooze
The urge to wake up and hit the snooze button to bag a few minutes of extra sleep is understandable. But are you aware of the harm this habit does to you? When your alarm buzzes for the first time, your sleep is disturbed. When you drift off again, the sleep you acquire is fragmented and does not provide the same benefits. Thus, instead of setting multiple alarms, set it to go off a little later and avoid hitting the snooze button.
3. Soak in the natural light
People struggling to get up in the morning should increase exposure to the sun. The sunlight hampers the production of melatonin and helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. People aiming to achieve this should consider going to bed with the curtains slightly or partially open. This way, you will wake up refreshed and alert in the morning.
4. Get enough sleep
One reason people struggle to wake up in the morning is that they try to get up from incomplete sleep. But, catching a few minutes of extra snooze time is not an efficient way to treat chronic sleep deprivation. Instead, you must focus on catching at least seven hours of good-quality rest. If you struggle with this, maybe take a sleep apnea test. For those wondering what is sleep apnea, it is a breathing-related sleep disorder where the patient experiences pauses in breathing while sleeping at night.
5. Listen to music
Experts suggest that waking up with a melodic alarm reduces inertia while opting for neutral-sounding alarms enhances it. According to them, it is primarily because melodic music follows a predictable pattern, making them easy to sing and more stimulating to wake up with. So, to wake up refreshed and alert, experiment with different alarms and identify the tune that makes the transition from sleep to wakefulness easier.
6. Get a shower
Many believe taking a cold shower in the morning refreshes and prepares them for dealing with the entire day. Experts maintain that starting the shower at their preferred temperature and spending 30 to 90 seconds in the cold water boosts energy levels. The effect is described to be similar to what coffee does for your body.
7. Exercise daily
Exercising every day is beneficial for sound sleep. When you work out daily, you fall asleep quickly and catch quality rest. This reduces the struggle to get out of bed. However, when exercising, you must remember to not indulge in heavy exercise 2-3 hours before bedtime. Gentle workout sessions consisting of yoga and stretching are recommended.
8. Eat a healthy breakfast
Having a healthy breakfast can increase your morning energy levels. People who eat a healthy breakfast report feeling more alert and attentive compared to those who skip the first meal of their day. A healthy breakfast should include proteins, whole grains, fruits and veggies, and low-fat dairy products, as they enhance your sleep-wake cycle.
9. Good sleep hygiene
A good night’s rest helps ensure you don’t struggle to open your eyes every morning. If you are wondering how to get good sleep and catch seven to eight hours of rest, following good sleep hygiene is recommended. This includes:
- Follow a relaxing nightly routine that includes reading a book, stepping into the shower, and practising yoga before calling it a day. These calming activities can prepare you for resting well at night.
- Optimising your bedroom promotes sound sleep. Create dark and quiet surroundings and set the right room temperature to fall asleep. You can also use an eye mask or dodow to fall asleep faster.
- Smartphones, computers, or tablet screens emit blue light that disrupts the sleep-wake cycle, which ruins sleep. You must remove these devices and avoid bringing them to your bedroom for a peaceful night’s rest.
- To ensure good-quality rest, avoid drinking certain beverages like alcohol and coffee. They make falling asleep difficult.
Waking up and leaving bed in the morning is one the most difficult things people feel they do in their entire day. To reduce sleep inertia and make getting up easier, introduce these lifestyle changes. If, despite altering these habits, you still struggle with opening your eyes every morning, speak to your doctor or try our one sleep test.
