If you want more energy throughout the day and a more cheerful mood in the mornings, give early rising a try for just six weeks and see if it makes a difference. Start slow: go to bed and wake up 15 minutes earlier for each of four weeks until you are going to sleep and waking up an hour earlier. For the last 2 weeks, maintain that time.
What do you do during that morning hour?
Go on a walk, read a book, or work on some hobby you enjoy. You have a whole hour! Eat a leisurely breakfast. Encourage a spouse or child to wake up with you, and spend quality time together. Think creatively. Any ideas? There are lots of things you can do. I love to wake up early and go outside. I walk around my neighborhood and relax. In the winter if it's too cold or rainy, I listen to music and dance. Mornings have become my favorite part of the day.
A few tips:
- If you have trouble getting up with your alarm, set it on the other side of the room so you have to get up to turn it off. Take a few deep, slow breaths, and shake your limbs to get your blood pumping to make sure you stay up.
- Cut down on (or eliminate, if you're daring enough) coffee or other caffeinated beverages.
- Don't do strenuous exercise in the evenings.
- If you feel you must nap at some time during the day, early afternoon is best.
- Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, to make it most effective. Go to bed when you feel tired.
- Find a buddy to talk to in the mornings if you don't like solitude.
3 comments:
I find it better to sleep half the day away. When I wake up, I lay in bed for an hour, watching tv. Then sit on my butt in front of the computer all day.
I don't need much energy for that.
"If you have trouble getting up with your alarm, set it on the other side of the room so you have to get up to turn it off. Take a few deep, slow breaths, and shake your limbs to get your blood pumping to make sure you stay up."
this a good idea. i will try it with my husband. and also i'll use a loud and annoying ring tone! (we use our cell phone as alarm clock)
Wendy, I like your annoying ring tone idea. I have an annoying alarm clock that serves me well. One thing I've learned, though, is this: never wake up to a song you like! I tried that with a CD-player alarm clock, and ended up flinching whenever I heard that song during the day because it made me think I had to get out of bed! lol.
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