Waking up is 100% the worst part of the day. Nothing short of a natural disaster can make me leave my bed earlier than I have too (just ask my roommate). As midterms and projects increase and the amount of hours available to sleep decrease, waking up in the morning has become harder than ever. Getting up in the morning for a day full of work and tests and having not had enough sleep gives little incentive for students to actually wake up and make it to class. So here are some known and some lesser known tricks to help the make mornings not as miserable.
1. Plan an exciting breakfast.
Waffle-tacos anyone? Give yourself a reason to get out of bed in the morning — if there is anything I know, there are few things I won’t do for breakfast food. Even if all you have time for is a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts, go for it! Planning a delicious breakfast gets you excited to start the day and it will kick-start your metabolism.
2. Avoid the snooze!!!!
No matter how bad you think you “need” another fifteen minutes of sleep, try to restrain yourself. The extra time does little to make you feel better and in many cases it makes you feel groggier for the day ahead. So move your alarm out of reach, play hide and seek with it, do what you have to do to avoid snooze fest 2014.
3. Stay hydrated.
Throughout the night your body naturally becomes dehydrated, so by drinking water when you wake up, your body is able to rehydrate quicker. Cold water is even better for you; the cold temperature kick-starts adrenaline and helps you get moving a little faster.
4. Wake up and stretch.
Not only does stretching help your overall health, but it’s also a way to get your blood pumping in the morning. By stretching as soon as you wake up, you shake off some of the muscle tension that forms when you sleep.
5. Go outside.
Light is nature’s personal alarm clock. When the body senses light, it knows that it’s time to wake up and be alert. So as soon as you can, go outside and absorb some vitamin D to help you start the day fresh. If you can’t make it outside quickly or there is gloomy weather on the horizon, turn on your lights and stay in a bright space — this will also help you wake up.
6. Pick your outfit out the night before.
This is advice that everybody knows, but it actually helps. Nothing is worse than having to wake up early and then only having fifteen minutes to get your outfit and life together. By having an outfit you’re excited for ready to go, you’ll want to get up and get ready. It also saves time which allows you to get your life together a little easier.
7. Download the Sleep Cycle app.
The Sleep Cycle app is an app that wakes you up when you are in the “lightest possible sleep state.” The app works by monitoring your movements while you’re sleeping and is able to figure out when you are in the lightest sleep state. By waking you up during this state, you wake up naturally and more relaxed than if your alarm goes off during REM sleep. The app is $0.99 and can be bought in the app store. Find out more here http://www.sleepcycle.com/.