If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the sound of a piercing alarm noise in the early morning is enough to make the best of us hit the snooze button and take an extra ‘short’ nap. This shouldn’t be the case however, as we should learn to grab the morning by the collar and make the day our own. So here are some important tips for those early morning starts and how we can make the most of the exciting day ahead.
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Go to bed early
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the sound of a piercing alarm noise in the early morning is enough to make the best of us hit the snooze button and take an extra ‘short’ nap. This shouldn’t be the case however, as we should learn to grab the morning by the collar and make the day our own. So here are some important tips for those early morning starts and how we can make the most of the exciting day ahead.
This rest can not only have the side effects of making you irritable, tired and a nightmare to be around, but can also have some harmful aftermaths. Sleep deprivation can cause unwanted weight gain, as this lack of sleep causes an imbalance in our appetite hormones- causing poor appetite regulation and leading to a long, calorific day ahead. Negative factors of poor sleep also include; higher chance of heart disease, a significant drop in overall concentration and performance, and even a weakened immune system. You wouldn’t do this to your body because of a few more hours of TV, would you?
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Be prepared for the day ahead the night before
‘I’ll do it in the morning’ is a common expression used by many (or is that just me?), but why do tomorrow what you can do today? Waking up in the early morning is bad enough and that’s without the thought of having to iron your clothes, pack your bag and walk the dog. By preparing yourself the night before, you not only give yourself the positive thought of taking on the day head first, but at the very least you grant yourself a few extra minutes in your cosy bed.
Let’s be honest, you’re probably going to have a long day ahead of you, so don’t make it any worse by putting yourself in a morning rush. Make your sandwiches before bed (as long as you aren’t tempted to scoff them there and then), figure out what belongings you’ll need for the day and put them somewhere obvious- to save the inevitable early morning panicked rush of ‘I can’t find my keys!’ We’re always less motivated in the morning and even simple tasks become tedious chores, so save yourself some time and effort by preparing the night before.
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Set yourself a soothing alarm
Waking up to what sounds like World War 3 sirens does not ease the pain of crawling out of bed. When we hear the same noise every early morning, we begin to associate it with negative thoughts- so switch up your alarm sounds! Most smart phones give their user the option of waking up to any song in their library, awakening to your favourite tunes can quickly put you in the positive mood you need to kick start your day. Therefore, stray away from the classic alarm sounds- no matter how quickly they get you up and alert. If you use a standard alarm clock however, hearing any radio station in the morning can be just as useful. Whether it’s a classic tune or a thought provoking debate, anything is an improvement. Remember to switch up the music though, as even our favourite rhythm can become tedious and annoying if it disrupts our peaceful sleep every early morning.
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Don’t hit the snooze button
Yes I know, the first thought for most of you is probably to hit that snooze button right on its head as soon as you wake up. It doesn’t matter how much sleep we get, it will never feel like it was enough, so it’s way too easy to give yourself another 15 minutes kip. Your body needs time to wake up and get going in the early morning, so if you constantly press snooze, your body thinks your awakening was a false alarm. This then causes your brain to be sent into a state of grogginess and disorientation once the second alarm sound takes you by surprise 20 minutes later. In fact, the extra sleep can make you feel more tired than you were in the first place, kinda defeats the point of the snooze.
Instead, practice getting out of bed as soon as your hear that alarm. This may be difficult to begin with, but after a while you’ll start to get into a routine of calling it quits with your early morning comfort. Even more importantly, this consistency can help you to feel naturally sleepy at the end of day- making it easier to nod off and get a better sleep. See, it’s all linked…
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Have a morning routine
Too often we jump out of bed, shower, have a quick (scorching) cuppa and then race out of the door. The challenge is to stay awake throughout the day, and rushing out the door after 20 minutes of being out of bed can make it feel like you never really woke up. A lot of people like a quick exercise in the early morning to really make them feel alert, but even something as simple as making a checklist for the day or reading the morning paper for 10 minutes can invigorate you for the new day ahead.
However, be careful not to get too comfortable in the early morning as it can make you lackadaisical and too relaxed for the next few hours. Sitting in front of the TV for half an hour or reading a hooking novel can disrupt your mind set and puts you on the path to securing more short time pleasure- which usually causes excess laziness. Just make sure you have the perfect balance of relaxing and being alert in the morning (easier said than done we know).
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Go easy on the coffee
As beneficial as caffeine may seem to be in the early morning, it also causes some damaging effects to your body that you may not consider. There’s nothing wrong with a morning coffee to help you deal with that early start, but too big a caffeine hit can encourage even the hardest of workers to slack off. Insomnia, mental irritations, addiction and high blood pressure are added side effects of the much sort after legal drug. You won’t just be affecting the day ahead of you, but the next few days can become a chore due to reliance on caffeine and the inevitable lack of sleep. Switching to morning beverages such as orange or apple juice, low caffeine coffee/tea or just simply water, can give us get-go energy but without the negative effects. In fact, studies show that caffeine does not always boost mental/physical performance but instead acts as a placebo, fooling the drinker into thinking they’re experiencing the positive effects of the drink.
