How To Wake Yourself Up

Even for the peppiest of morning people, there is bound to be the occasional day where restfulness feels like a distant and impossible dream. On those mornings, even those who usually wake up early, ready for whatever the day may bring, are likely to need some extra help.

Then there are the rest of us, who regularly experience hardship when it comes to rising. No matter what kind of person you are, we could all use a suggestion or two on how to get up and move as easily as possible.

Get a Full, Restful Night’s Sleep

The absolute, undisputed top way to feel ready and awake in the morning is to be properly rested. Any easy experience waking up comes from a good night’s sleep. Getting a full seven to nine hours of sleep is the greatest gift you can give to yourself in the morning.

It can take some trial and error to figure out how you get quality sleep, but we have some natural methods that can offer a little assistance.

How Can You Get To Sleep, and Then Stay Asleep?

The first step in falling asleep is to slow your brain down. In all likelihood, you have spent the day with your mind racing. At the very least, there were probably some complex matters that needed solving at work or at home. Bedtime, however, is the time to put all of those considerations to bed (pun fully intended). 

Some people pursue meditating to slow their thoughts and hone their focus while improving their mental health. Others may enjoy an activity that simply takes their mind off of the events of the day, such as watching silly television or indulging in a hobby.

If you do choose to participate in an activity involving a screen, you should turn it off at least half an hour before turning in for some shut-eye. (Later on, we will go more in-depth on the details as to why bright light and scrolling are the enemies of deep sleep.)

These tactics are all well and good, but some people may still require a bit of additional aid when it actually comes time to close their eyes. For those people, the SleepyPatch is an all-natural option to support your sleep schedule.

Simply stick the SleepyPatch onto your shirt as you go to bed, and these gentle essential oils can lull you into a peaceful slumber. No matter your age, this patch can help even the most troubled night owl get enough sleep.

It is true that essential oils can be immensely beneficial when it comes to falling asleep, but they can also provide many benefits at other times during the day.

Let’s discuss why essential oils are absolutely essential:

Essential Oils Can Work Wonders

Once you have a restful and complete night’s sleep, you may still experience some daytime sleepiness. Sleep can do wonders for our mood and productivity. Yet, some of us still might need an extra helping hand.

Often, this is when people will turn to a cup of coffee (or five) or another caffeinated alternative. While this impulse is understandable, there are many more natural options that can still increase wakefulness and focus. 

When we feel especially groggy or sleepy, people generally report experiencing difficulty concentrating. Luckily, research shows there are essential oils that help people concentrate and get the most out of their days through the power of aromatherapy. 

The Scent of Success

Many people find that peppermint provides them with a burst of wakefulness and that Atlas Cedarwood calms their nervous system. In turn, a racing mind can be made less cluttered, and focus can come much easier. These powers are utilized to great effect in the energizing FocusPatch.

A Breath of Fresh Air: Wake and Sleep Habits

Getting a healthy amount of sunlight and Vitamin D is necessary for our bodies to function properly and keep us healthy. In addition, many find that spending time in nature is often a healing practice that promotes mindfulness.

This mindfulness is critical in the morning when many of us admittedly do not feel our best. However, there is also a more scientific reason that taking a trip outside in the morning is especially helpful in waking up.

People follow an inbuilt biological clock, also known as a circadian rhythm. Essentially, these circadian rhythms follow a 24-hour internal clock and are dictated by light and dark.

When we are exposed to certain kinds of artificial and natural light, it tells our brains that it is time to be awake and present. This is why it is best to avoid these kinds of blue lights prior to going to sleep. Blue light can disrupt melatonin and serotonin levels an

While exposure to these kinds of light can be detrimental at night when we want to wind down, they are immensely helpful in the morning. By going outside and absorbing some sunlight straight from the source, you reinforce your natural sleep cycle.

This will help you feel much more awake for the day to come. Plus, you will also feel sleepier as you start your bedtime routine.

Do Some Thoughtful Movement in the Morning

One of the most recommended and effective ways to make yourself feel more awake shortly after rising is working out or simply getting your body moving. These exercises can look different for everybody, as we all have our own preferences and needs.

Some of us might feel rejuvenated by a more calm, meditative form of movement. At the same time, others could feel that a dose of high-intensity cardio is what really gets them raring to go. 

All that’s important is finding what specific exercises work for you. Ideally, these should be regular exercises that you enjoy that make you feel better; exercise can contribute to dopamine production.

There are significant advantages to either type, so it truly does come down to what gets you excited to get moving and stay moving for the rest of the day.

Gentle Stretches or Yoga

For those of us that might be a bit slower to rise, some gentle stretches or meditative practices such as yoga might be just the ticket to get the day started. After a solid night’s rest, it is essential to move the body and loosen up.

Stretching consistently can work wonders for flexibility and ease feelings of stress and anxiety.

Yoga, with the addition of deep breathing, can lower blood pressure and decrease a rapid heart rate.

Not only does the act of getting your body moving in this way fights tiredness in the morning, but it can help you sleep better. Talk about a win-win!

A More Vigorous Workout

While some of us might enjoy the process of gradually acclimating to the day and what it has to offer us, others may opt for a slightly different option. Certain people feel incomplete if they do not get their daily jog or bike ride in shortly after waking.

This act can provide people with a rush of endorphins and reduce cortisol that will carry on with them throughout the day. Still, you should remember to do some stretching prior to engaging in these higher energy workouts in order to avoid unnecessary discomfort later.

No matter which kind of workout you decide to partake in, or if you determine that morning exercise is not for you, there is one common need that you should always keep in mind: hydration.

Make Hydration a Priority

When we first wake up, we have several needs that we must tend to. We may be ready to make breakfast, want to take a shower, or have something else entirely on our minds. Unfortunately, our need to keep hydrated can often fall to the back burner.

After all, most of us are incapable of drinking in our sleep. That means that you have likely gone many hours already without having a glass of water.

Perhaps keep a glass of water or a water bottle by your bedside. You can also have a cup of tea or glass of cold water to boost your energy levels. Keep in mind that staying properly hydrated is an all-day affair, so it is helpful to have sources of water nearby whenever you feel you would like a drink. 

Resist the Snooze Button

It has happened to us all once or twice, and for some of us, it is a near-daily occurrence, but the snooze button is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. While pressing that tiny alarm clock button for another few minutes of extra rest might seem like a wonderful idea at the time, it is actually doing much more harm than good.

Those extra few minutes of shut-eye might feel like the best rest in the world, but it is not doing you any favors. To feel awake and ready to take on the day in the morning, people need to get a sufficient amount of restorative sleep, which occurs during the REM sleep stage. 

Repeatedly hitting snooze interrupts our REM sleep and can lead to increased feelings of grogginess over the next few hours. This “sleep inertia” has the potential to negatively impact much of your day, possibly leading you to look into caffeinated options to feel more alert.

If you do decide to have some coffee, caffeinated tea, or any other similar beverage, make sure that you don’t raise a glass roughly four to six hours before bedtime. Otherwise, the caffeine will likely still be in your system, keeping you awake and possibly even jittery, and certainly making sleep harder to come by.

Make Your Bed

Even after manually removing yourself from under the warm covers, the impulse to sneak back into that sea of comfort for another few minutes can still be a hard one to resist.

If this is the case for you, making your bed can be a surprisingly effective method of curbing that urge. First of all, making your bed represents a small amount of physical activity that will start to get your body moving.

Movement is an excellent way to wake yourself up naturally. In addition, once your bed is properly and beautifully made, you would have to make the conscious decision to mess it up again. It might not seem like much, but this small distinction can make all the difference in the world on especially tiresome mornings.

A Bright Day Ahead

Paving the way to an enjoyable morning requires a bit of forethought and preparation, but it is an attainable goal for all of us. With a combination of a productive morning routine and understanding how your other daily activities can impact sleep, we can all live the dream.

Sources:

Circadian Rhythms | National Institutes of Health

Best Morning Stretches: Routines and Benefits | Medical News Today

Is Hitting the Snooze Button Bad for Your Health? | Cleveland Clinic Newsroom