Don't snooze the alarm. Jump out and get some cold water (drink, splash your face, or shower), and/or tug your hair. Once you are out of bed but still sleepy, make the bed, get some bright light, work out, have a coffee, eat a high-protein breakfast, and dance to your favorite fast-tempo music, or try aromatherapy. Of course, you can also take measures to make your mornings better. For instance, you can get quality sleep aligned with your internal clock and manage stress.
Supercharging your mornings: Here is how to wake up when not feeling like it
If you are a morning person, you may have an easier time waking up in the morning than night owls. However, it is not just night owls that have a problem waking up. More often than you might want to admit, you feel tired in the morning and struggle to wake up. Are you not getting a good night's sleep, or are you struggling to wake up due to medical conditions like narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or another sleep disorder? Perhaps sleep medicine or another prescription you are taking is making you feel tired in the morning. If you rule sleep disorders or medication conditions out, you may simply be tired and can follow some proven ways to wake yourself up. So, how do I wake myself up? If this is you, read on and find practical things to wake you up.
20 Things to Wake Yourself Up in the Morning When Tired
Stop snoozing your alarm
Splash water on your face
Use a bright light
Make your bed
Drink some water
Take a cold shower
Work out
Have a cup of coffee
Try aromatherapy
Turn on the music
Follow your chronotype
Revise your sleep hygiene
Empower yourself with breakfast
Manage stress
Make use of re-focusing techniques
Set your goals
Limit alcohol consumption
Breathe deeply
Take your clothes off
Ease in
1. Stop giving in to the “five more minutes” urge
How many alarm clocks have you broken by knocking them over when you hit the snooze button, but it keeps going? When you hit snooze, you only make it harder to wake up and maintain a productive day. Those extra 10-15 minutes cause sleep fragmentation, meaning you won't enjoy full-cycle sleep. Sleep fragmentation means you wake up during a REM (rapid eye movement) state, which impacts your balance and productivity for the rest of the day. If you often hit the snooze button, try the following hacks. First, place the alarm across the room, meaning you have to step out of bed to snooze it. Second, use your PC as an alarm clock – it is more costly, meaning you'll hardly knock it over, and since you have to use the mouse and look at the screen, hand-eye coordination will help you wake up.
2. Use cold water
A water splash right on your face is among the best ways to wake yourself up. Cold water splash shocks the body, triggering an adrenaline rush. The adrenaline rush makes you more alert, and you can quickly wake up.
3. Make use of a bright light
You keep your smartphone away before bed to avoid the light, but do you know why? The light elevates your moods and helps with cognitive function. This means its exposure makes you more alert. This can help in the morning when you are struggling to wake up. Blue light exposure during the day also helps you maintain a healthier circadian rhythm. Besides such light, opening the curtains wide and letting natural sunlight in can help. Go to the window and let the natural light help beat sleep inertia.
4. Make your bed
Once you make the bed, the temptation to crawl back under the covers won’t be irresistible. Moreover, it gives you a sense of accomplishment. Yay, one thing down; what's next? This can motivate you to keep going and, besides staying awake and alert, can help you be more productive throughout the day.
5. Have a glass of refreshing water
Water, in or on your body, is among the top ways to wake yourself up when tired. You've been asleep for hours and haven't taken water, meaning you are probably getting dehydrated. You know what dehydration means to your body and sleep; you feel tired and dizzy. A glass or two of water can help rehydrate and jumpstart your system, allowing you to wake up, be more alert, and progress more efficiently.
6. Enjoy the chills from the cold shower
You’ve splashed your face with water for an instant response, but how do you stay awake if you are still feeling a bit off? More water; a cold shower will do the trick. Your body will be exposed to the cold water for about 2-3 minutes, which is more effective in helping you wake up when you are tired.
7. Engage in a workout
Stretch, do some yoga and cardio, play with your pets, or take a short walk outdoors to get some fresh air. This will get your heart pumping, make you alert, and even improve your mood with rising energy levels. Regular exercise isn’t just one of the great wake-up hacks; it helps you be more productive during the day and stay healthier.
8. Have a cup of coffee
Coffee can give you the jolt needed to wake up. However, it would be best if you were careful; too much, and you'll feel tired later in the day, impacting your productivity. You should also avoid coffee later in the day since it stays in your system for hours, making it harder to fall asleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, you won't get restful sleep even after going to bed early, causing more problems in the morning.
9. Try aromatherapy
Do you include black or green tea in your morning routine? Enhance the experience by including some energizing scents. Aromatherapy, with selections such as rosemary, peppermint, eucalyptus, and citrus, added to your tea or in shampoos, body washes, or essential oils, can help you wake up, feel energized, and remain alert.
10. Enjoy the music
Your favorite tracks, especially the fast-tempo collection, can help get your blood pumping, allowing you to wake up and feel energized. Crank up the volume, but not too high, forcing the neighbors to report you for disturbance. Don't just listen; make some moves. Dancing to the music further makes it easier to wake up, even when you are tired. Feeling refreshed, you will be more likely to enjoy an active day.
11. Follow your chronotype
A chronotype is your body's natural tendency to sleep at a given period. This is what many refer to when they say, "I am a morning person." Besides the sleeping tendency, chronotype also impacts other aspects like core body temperature and appetite. Chronotype helps you understand your natural circadian rhythms, which are the behavioral, physical, and mental changes that occur in every 24-hour cycle. Circadian rhythm is in response to light and dark, which makes it easier to follow a routine that allows you to enjoy improved sleep quality and have fewer problems waking up.
Talk to a pro if you are having trouble understanding circadian rhythms. A sleep specialist can help you learn more about your circadian rhythm and follow your habits. This will ease your quest to develop a better sleep schedule aligned with your body clock. Sleep cycles in line with your body's internal clock mean you are more likely to enjoy sound sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Besides following a sleep schedule aligned to the internal body clock, sleep specialists can also recommend other measures following your situation, such as using a breathing device to help you stay asleep at night when battling conditions like snoring or sleep apnea. The devices help avoid sleep problems such as regular awakenings. The episodes affect your sleep-wake cycle, and while they may last only a few minutes, they could make it harder to wake up in the morning. Professional help can make it easier to avoid such interruptions and get enough sleep for seven to nine hours, making it easier to wake up fresh.
12. Take care of your sleep health
What's your bedtime routine? Are you making it harder to fall asleep, maybe even causing sleep deprivation, such as regular bathroom visits? Excessive sleepiness makes your morning wake-up quest challenging and could be caused by ineffective sleep habits. Some of the hacks to help you fall and stay asleep include:
● Resist smartphone temptations: Today, mobile devices are at the heart of our activities, including work. However, resist the urge to check or reply to those emails just when you are about to go to bed. The light, as earlier stated, keeps you alert, which makes it harder to sleep.
● Limit coffee: Coffee, especially later in the day, should be a no-go. Coffee stays in your body for hours and could be stimulating you to stay alert, hence difficulty catching the ZZZs and getting enough sleep. This can interfere with your circadian rhythm since the extra juice pushes you beyond the mark.
● Water: Hydration is crucial, but ill-timed water intake can ruin your sleep. Frequent bathroom trips can significantly impact your sleep, and when you don't get enough, you struggle to wake up in the morning. This could be what wakes you up in the middle of the night, so avoid water before bed. Take it earlier, and as the first thing in the morning.
● No to up late: Staying up late means you only get a few hours of good night’s sleep. The continued sleep deprivation can take a toll on your body, and before you know it, you are having a hard time waking up and staying productive half the day.
● Warm bath: Falling asleep after a tiring day can be difficult. Adding a warm bath to your bedtime routine can help. Take a bath, ideally one and a half to two hours before hitting the bed. You'll feel more relaxed and sleep much faster, allowing you to wake up in the morning with fewer struggles.
Practical sleep habits help significantly improve sleep quality, ensuring you are getting enough rest.
13. Empower yourself with breakfast
Breakfast gives you the energy boost to wake up, manage the morning routine, and start your day. Skipping breakfast can make your day frustrating due to an energy deficit. If your energy levels aren't high enough, you'll only feel more fatigued and drowsy. A high-protein breakfast does the trick. It doesn't have to take time to prepare and take the breakfast since you can even gather the ingredients and make a smoothie or omelet, which are delicious. A healthy diet, including the first thing you eat in the morning, impacts your overall wellness and ability to fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed.
14. Manage stress
We face stressors daily, but you shouldn't let them go unmanaged. Stress impacts how you manage your day-to-day activities. If the levels go high, you could be overly anxious, easily irritable and angry, lose your appetite or overeat, and affect your sleep patterns. Mental health can impact your ability to fall asleep or wake up and get out of bed. If you are often moody, getting out of bed could feel like scaling a mountain; managing stress is among the things to wake you up since you’ll enjoy quality sleep. Talk to a professional or leverage modern tools such as apps designed to offer personalized stress management guides. This makes stress management productive, keeping your mental well-being in good shape, which impacts other faculties of your life, including better sleep patterns.
15. Try re-focusing techniques
You are trying to get out of bed, but your brain has a different idea. Re-focusing it on some more exciting activities can help you wake up faster. Grab your phone and play your favorite game, like puzzles. Hit social media, and browse through memes. Such simple techniques can help you re-focus and wake up. A bonus; you can, for example, enjoy better moods after laughing the first thing in the morning as you look at those funny memes. After managing a puzzle level, the sense of accomplishment can also add to your happiness and confidence, making it easier to cruise over your day.
16. What are your goals?
What wakes you up in the morning? Do you have something to look forward to, or are you simply trying to get out of bed since it is morning? Goals can give you the motivation needed to be among the early birds. It doesn't have to be global. It could be as simple as making sure the kids don't miss the bus or tidying the house before going to work. When your activities aren't powered by goals, you will be easily distracted, including sleep inertia. Set smart and achievable goals; as you accomplish one, the next becomes easier since you are more confident and motivated.
17. Limit alcohol consumption
You don’t need hangover elaboration, but that is not all that alcohol contributes to, making your morning a struggle. Alcohol leads to reduced REM sleep. It causes sleep disruptions, meaning if you drink before going to sleep, you are likely to experience sleep disorders like insomnia and, in the morning, feel excessively sleepy and tired. Moderating your alcohol consumption if you must drink is among the recommended healthy habits for overall wellness. It also keeps hangovers at bay and makes it easier to enjoy good quality sleep.
18. Breathe deeply
When you’re feeling anxious, deep breathing helps. The same applies as you strive to wake up. Deep breaths help raise the oxygen levels in your blood, which in turn lowers the blood pressure and slows the heart rate. This helps improve the blood circulation that supercharges your mental performance, making it easier to wake up and feel energized.
19. Take your clothes off
Your pajamas keep you warm, but as you struggle to wake up, this could be working against you. That cozy and warm feeling you are hanging on to could be the main culprit behind the struggles. So take them off; the cold will stimulate your body and make your wake-up efforts more manageable.
20. Ease in
You are struggling. Immediately, you see some light shut-eye hits. Make the struggles more productive by easing in, such as sitting on the bed, grabbing the remote, turning on the TV, or opening the curtains. Your phone can also be helpful, especially considering the blue light. How about rewarding your progress now that you can stay awake for a minute? A few minutes of TV won't hurt; just don't give in to the idea of a marathon. If you struggle with how to wake yourself up, easing in works miracles. Waking up is a lot more than opening your eyes; you need to ensure you are fully alert, especially to avoid dangers such as drowsy driving that could see you in an accident. Don’t let the struggles get in your way of leading a happy and productive life. We can help you wake up on time and, most importantly, get enough quality sleep, especially by leveraging your circadian rhythm.
Wake up in time and have good sleep with Eleviate
Eleviate is your go-to digital mental wellness space, providing a personalized approach to help you stay on top of your game. Besides healthier sleep and easing your quest to wake up in the morning, Eleviate can help improve other faculties. You can benefit greatly from a balanced mental state, improving your self-esteem and nutritional and physical activities that boost your overall wellness. Click the link to download Eleviate from the App Store or Play Market!