Sleep has a number of stages to it, each with their own distinct function and features, like the amount of body and eye movement, breathing rate as well as the ease from which you can wake. However Dragging yourself out of bed can be difficult, especially if you struggle with sleeplessness and don’t feel refreshed. So if you’re looking for ways to wake up fresh starting the day full of positive energy, the following tips might prove helpful.
Allow Light To Filter
Ever notice how there's a huge difference between waking up in the middle of the night, when it's nice and dark outside and you can easily fall back asleep, and waking up to sunlight streaming through your windows? Even if you pull the covers over your head, it can be really difficult to drift off again. And that's because — apart from it being bright — the brain reacts to sunlight in a way that basically screams for you to get out of bed.
According to experts when you wake up due to sunlight, your body will naturally be alert. And as the day goes on, and the light gets dimmer, you'll naturally feel sleepy again. Therefore in order to wake up energised prop the blind open in anticipation.
Ditch The Snooze Button
Don't press snooze on the alarm, your body cannot get quality rest in that amount of time. Once you wake naturally or as a consequence of your alarm, be sure to wake up and get out of bed, that doesn't mean give yourself head rush, it just mean that you are not laying...
Now, maybe it feels good to snuggle inside your blankets for a few minutes more, but, chances are, hitting snooze won't change how tired you are overall. As it turns out, hitting the snooze button isn’t really the quick fix that we want it to be.
These piecemeal sleep fragments from hitting snooze only offer light sleep. Your brain doesn’t have enough time to drift into deep, quality sleep, so instead, you’re kept just at the surface level. That means the snooze sleep isn’t sleep that’ll defeat your drowsiness. In fact, it might make your drowsiness worse.
Enjoy Your Alarm
Waking up abruptly to an alarm clock can potentially raise blood pressure and heart rate. In addition, it can also increase stress levels by getting your adrenaline rushing. An alternative solution is to gradually wake naturally, but that is easier said than done!
A Light-based alarm clock could be a great alternative to a sound base. A light based alarm typically works by raising the intensity of the light they emit shortly before your desired waking time, so as to mimic the effect of a rising sun, giving a more gradual “waking up” process that is more in tune with your sleep cycle.
Another method to help you rise and shine naturally would be to change your alarm sound to a motivational song, maybe Kanye West's Good Morning! Here is how to change your alarm sound on an iPhone
Remain Consistent
Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to get out of bed when you have an exciting day ahead? Recreate that excitement by filling each morning with something you can look forward to.
Reserve a special activity just for your morning hours, like watching the next episode of that show you’re binge-watching. Read your book. Cook yourself a delicious breakfast. Dance along to music while you brush your teeth. Whatever it is, make it something you can’t wait to do and be constant.
Think routine. Relate waking up consistently as important as boarding a flight at a specific time: You can rely on it happening, and if it doesn't, havoc ensues. According to studies, people with a strict wake-up time reported being more content overall in every area of their lives. Meaning that waking up consistently, could be as important as the time you go to bed, this seems obvious, but If you’re not getting enough sleep in the first place, of course you’re going to wake up tired!
Rehydrate
The human body is composed of more than 50% water, so it’s clearly important to keep it fresh and topped up to keep the body working properly. Remember, once the body’s water requirement is not met, it has a variety of unfavorable short-term and long-term health consequences.
Revitalising your body with a glass of water first thing every morning can not only rehydrate, it can make you more alert, help fuel your brain, strength the immune system, flush away toxins, jump start your metabolism, improve skin and hair radiance and prevent a multitude of infections.
Workout & Breathe Deeply
How you start your morning easily sets the trajectory of the day. Working out in the morning, whether that be in the form of yoga, cardio, HIT can be a great energetic start to your day. It helps to improve your mood and mental health, increases focus, beats the heat (depending on your climate,) enhances metabolism and allows you to maintain discipline in order to fulfil your fitness goals.
If you can't workout in the morning, breathing is equally as important. Your mind and breath mirror each other. A quiet mind leads to a quiet breath. A turbulent mind leads to disturbed breath. The same can be said for the effect of the breath on the body as a whole and vice versa. Thus, when you learn to regulate your breath, you can influence both your physical and emotional states.
Early morning is a special time of day to practice breathing. The air is still and sweet, and the birds are singing; all of nature is priming for a new day. Your nervous system is built to respond to the qualities of morning in the same way—ready for renewal. Even if you live in the city, you can still feel that there is something pure about this time of day. The more you tune into the energy of morning, the more it can help you set the tone for a better day. Start your morning on the right foot by developing a routine that includes some breathing exercises.
Enjoy Breakfast
Energy doesn’t always come naturally, but caffeine can help to give you the boost you need, however, don't forget brekkie! Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast.
Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol! It replenishes the stores of energy and nutrients in your body, and people who do not have breakfast may not actually meet their recommended daily intakes of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Avoid Blue Lights Before Bed
All of your electronics, from your smartphone to your TV, emit piercing blue light that wakes up your brain. At least 30 minutes before bed (perhaps as part of your bedtime routine,) step away from electronics and give yourself a break, waiting until the morning to catch up on what you missed.
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