The saying goes, “The early bird catches the worm,” but the truth is, most of us find it a nuisance to get up so early for work. And it’s a hardship we never seem to escape.
Only 10% of the population considers themselves early risers. Good for them.
But what about the rest of us? Are we doomed to suffer through the first half hour of every workday?
Not at all, but to wake up with energy, we need to follow a few guidelines before, during, and after sleeping.
If our sleep isn’t restorative, we’ll never be able to wake up early feeling refreshed. To avoid this, we need to be careful about certain things.
Before going to sleep
1. Don’t drink
Alcohol is the worst enemy of our sleep. Yes, we’ll fall asleep the moment we hit the bed, but our rest will be intermittent, and we’ll wake up in a terrible state.
If you have to get up early, don’t drink under any circumstances; it’s the worst thing you can do, and anyone who’s ever been out on a Thursday knows it.
2. Relax in bed 30 minutes before going to sleep
To fall asleep, it’s recommended to lie down in bed for half an hour before going to sleep, relaxing.
Ideally, read a good book, as the light from screens can disrupt sleep, so avoid phones and tablets.
3. Get yourself in the right mindset
The key to waking up early without suffering is getting used to a fixed schedule and letting our body adapt to it.
A study conducted by researchers at the German University of Lübeck concluded that our body takes into account the time we intend to wake up in order to gradually prepare its vital functions.
Therefore, the best thing we can do is believe that getting up early is truly worthwhile.
To get up early without any drama, we need to practice good sleep hygiene: that is, our bedroom and bed must be in the right conditions for restful sleep: at a comfortable temperature (between 15 and 18 degrees Celsius), without distracting lights (like mobile phone lights), and without noise.
If you sleep with your partner, and they have no intention of getting up early, ask them at least not to disturb you if you’re going to get up early.
Morning routine
To wake up feeling energized, it’s crucial to follow a proper morning routine that doesn’t disrupt your awakening. To do this, you must observe these essential rules.
4. Try to wake up at the same time every day
The efficiency of the biological clock increases with routine. If we usually go to bed at a certain time and the alarm clock is set to always ring at the same time, the body adopts these behaviors and incorporates them as part of its biological processes.
This is the most important rule for waking up early without suffering.
5. Never snooze the alarm
Snoozing your alarm only makes things worse, because it prompts your body to begin a new sleep cycle that will be abruptly interrupted in a very short time.
If you do this, the feeling of tiredness will be much greater.
6. Open the blinds
Sunlight disrupts the secretion of melatonin, the hormone released in our bodies to help us relax and sleep.
If we wake up in the dark, it will be much harder to reactivate our bodies. If you have to get up too early, at least turn on your bedroom light: the effect isn’t the same, but anything is more natural than having to wake up in the dark.
7. Free the first hour of the day from any strenuous activity
If we have to face a strenuous activity first thing in the morning, we won’t just fail to do it well, we’ll also jeopardize the rest of the day, because we’ll be expending energy we don’t yet have.
The first hour of the day should consist of a relaxed routine: ideally with exercise and a good breakfast.
8. Don’t shower with hot water
Taking a hot shower, far from energizing us, will actually make us sleepy. When we turn off the tap, our body temperature drops rapidly, leading to a lethargic state, which isn’t ideal for starting the day with energy but rather for going to bed.
The best way to wake up feeling energized is to take a shower that alternates between hot and cold water, always ending with cold.