Is waking up early without feeling tired even possible? I honestly thought that it was part of life to wake up feeling numb, tired, and zombie-like every morning; that is until I realized that it didn’t have to be like that. The question is HOW in the world do you achieve that? Here, I will give you some tips and tricks that will help you wake up early feeling fresh and ready to start the day!
- Figure out at what time you want to wake up
Make sure the time you want to wake up makes sense for you. Somehow everyone’s bragging about getting up at 5 am these days. To me, that’s too early and it doesn’t make sense for my schedule. Especially during winter. It’s cold, it’s dark and I don’t really have anything to do at 5 am. I’m not a baker nor a rooster.
- Get enough sleep
According to research, an average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep. While we sleep, we go through five stages of a sleep cycle. The first stage is light sleep, followed by a stage that prepares us for deep sleep. Then comes the stage of deep sleep, and it continues to the fourth stage. After these four stages, comes the REM stage. Sleep cycles last for about 90 minutes and it is recommended to get five sleep cycles each night (7.5 hours). If you have to go to bed very late, then it is recommended that you ensure at least three sleep cycles or 4.5 hours of sleep.
- Wake up at the same time every day
The body works very well on a regular sleep routine. A regular routine equals high-quality sleep and a good sleep cycle. So help your body by getting up at the same early time every single day. You’ll actually put your body in rhythm to your early bedtime which means you’ll have an easier time waking up early without feeling tired because your body is getting good consistent restful sleep. (Maybe even without an alarm clock or having to hit the snooze button!) Do that and you’ll never feel tired or sluggish when you wake up!
- Drink a glass of water first thing
Fatigue is a classic symptom of dehydration. This can trigger feelings of sleepiness, changes in cognitive ability, and mood disruptions. Let a glass of water freshen up your entire body before you get moving.
- Stretch out your tired body with yoga
There’s a reason it feels so good to stretch when you wake up. Overnight, during REM sleep, your muscles are literally paralyzed (atonia), and reactivating them releases energy-stimulating endorphins.
