If you are anything like me, mornings can be hard. Sometimes I really struggle with doing the things I planned for the morning or even getting out of bed at all.
As I have gotten older, and far busier, I have started to master having a morning routine. This routine has set me up for the day and helped me through it!
Here are some tips that have greatly helped me conquer the lethal sleepiness I often face.
A sleepy girl’s guide to mornings you could say.
1. You don’t have to ditch the snooze!
One of my worst habits has always been snoozing alarms and waking up later than I wanted every time.
However, I have found a method where I can still snooze my alarm and feel “more rested” while simultaneously waking up more each time that alarm goes off.
Set your alarm for an hour (or more) before the time you want to wake up. For example, say you were waking up at 8. Set your alarm for 6:30 or 7, and you’ve just given yourself an extra hour or hour and a half to snooze as you please. No more 7:30 alarm getting snoozed until it is suddenly 8:15!
2. Keep your water at your bedside!
This has always been a must for me, since I wake up parched at 3 AM far too often.
Aside from that, it is also incredibly helpful to take some sips as SOON as you wake up. This can help wake up your body through hydration, as well as from the simple act of sitting up, grabbing it, and making yourself drink it.
It seems so simple, but it is so effective!
3. Pick out your outfit the night before
FAR too many of my mornings have been wasted spending unplanned time buried in my closet, trying to find whatever it is I want to wear.
Instead, check the weather for the next day and lay out your clothes before your head hits that pillow! It makes a huge difference being able to just put your outfit on and be ready to go in a couple of minutes!
It is a huge plus for me, since it gives me more time to be cozy in my pajamas knowing my outfit is ready to go whenever.
4. Count to three
Having a morning where it is really hard to get out of bed? This method has helped me.
Be determined (even if it is hard) and treat it like ripping a stubborn band aid off. Count to three, and on three get out of that bed!
It is okay if you have to count and recount a couple of times, especially on your first few times trying this. It gets easier, and you automatically start your day feeling great about your willpower to get things going!
5. Let some light in
Conveniently, my window is right next to my bed, so it is super easy for me to adjust how much natural light is coming in.
If this is not the case for you, you can always go to sleep with your blinds tilted partway or fully open to let that natural light stream in as the sun comes up! Rising with the sun is a natural physiological feature embedded into your circadian rhythm, so it definitely works!
I always feel much better letting some natural light in rather than blinding myself with my overhead light or annoyingly bright lamp. Fairy lights also do wonders; some can even be set on a timer to turn on whenever you would like!
6. Morning playlists? Absolutely
Music never fails to get me energized when I need it.
I have a playlist of my favorite songs that work wonderfully in pumping me up in the morning. It always helps being able to dance around getting ready for the day and makes the start of my morning feel ten times less grueling.
7. Give yourself grace
I know all too well what it is like hearing people say, “Why can’t you just get up?”. It is not easy! Especially when college is one of the top destroyers of any sleep schedule you thought you had.
So be kind to yourself! It is not always going to go smoothly, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you fail to achieve what you want.
Hopefully these tips help out my fellow sleepy girls; never forget that you got this!