Waking Up is Hard To Do: Five Simple Tips to Achieve More Enjoyable Mornings

Singer/song writer Neil Sedaka’s wrote the celebrated tune ?Breaking Up is Hard to Do?.  In recent years, the song has been covered by a variety of alternative bands that have changed the lyrics to a more humorous version; ?Waking Up is Hard to Do.?  And it?s true, at one time or another, nearly everyone has experienced the challenge of getting out of bed, a task which has often been described as the hardest part of the day.  However, there are many simple tips for the morning, rising early and refreshed and facing the day with a positive outlook. 

If your morning routine involves hitting the snooze button time and time again, dragging yourself out of bed, and feeling groggy all morning, that indicates a serious imbalance in your life.  If a taxing and slow-motion morning routine sounds familiar to you, this list of simple tips for the morning may make a big difference to your health, and to the quality of your life.

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Five Simple Tips for the Morning:  How to Rise Refreshed and Ready to Face the Day

1)    Establish a consistent routine.  We all know that babies and young children thrive on routines and schedules.  Well, it?s true for adults too.  We all need approximately 7-10 hours of sleep a night.  Anything less compromises our health, our immune system, and our ability to be productive during the day.  Maintaining a regular schedule will normalize your circadian rhythms, enabling you to sleep deeply in the first half of the night, so that waking up in the morning is less jarring.  Most people benefit from a bedtime between 10 p.m. and midnight and a wake-up time between 6 and 8 a.m.  It helps to try to stay as close as possible to your routine during weekends, vacations.  

2)    Sleep soundly and minimize interruptions.  It is important to maximize the quality of your sleep during the night hours.  To improve the quality of your sleep, avoid stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine, and avoid sugary snacks before bedtime.  A high quality mattress, aromatherapy, white noise or relaxing music, can all have beneficial effects on the quality of your sleep.  For those who experience sleep disorders, natural supplements such as melatonin can prove helpful.

3)    Have a good reason to wake up.  Writing out a list of tasks you wish to accomplish in the morning may help to inspire you to get out of bed.  Or, try scheduling an enjoyable morning activity, such as sharing a coffee, or a walk in the park with a good friend.  Even pleasant rituals such as reading the paper, spending time in your garden, or walking the dog, can help to motivate you in the morning. 

4)    Jump out of bed and get going.  Prevent yourself from hitting the snooze button by jumping out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off.  Movement and activity signal your brain that it?s time to get going and reset your internal clock.  Once you are up and moving, it?s unlikely you will return to bed.  Try a few stretches in the morning, or some gentle yoga with a soothing DVD to get your blood flowing.  Fresh air can also help to revive you.

5)    Nourish your body properly in the morning.  Shortly after you get up, try sipping a mug of warm water flavored with one or two spoonfuls of fresh lemon juice.  This pleasant drink activates peristalsis, the involuntary contractions that move food through your digestive tract.  Peristalsis will signal your brain and body that it is time to begin the day.  Do not make breakfast until you are truly hungry.  Most people do not sense hunger first thing in the morning, and eating too soon can actually over-stress your body, making it more difficult to stay alert and awake.

These five simple tips for the morning can help you to start the day on the right foot, leading to more productive, enjoyable mornings, and more restful, healthy nights.