Is it just us or is staying home messing up our sleep cycle and energy level more than usual?
Do you struggle to go to sleep, stay asleep and feel tired after waking up? You’re not alone!
Well, here are a few tips to help you feel refreshed in the mornings (or whenever your wake-up time is).
1) Get enough sleep
This is a no brainer, but how many of us actually get a full eight to nine hours of sleep especially on working days?
It is really important to give your body enough rest to recharge. Work, your phones and television ain’t going nowhere. Shut off and shut down.
2) Get at least 15 mins of sunshine
The sun helps keep your body clock in check. Stepping out for at least 15 minutes in the morning, or at least open all your blinds to let the light in, gives an indication to your body that it’s time to be awake and get kicking.
If you work nights, try to keep your space as bright as possible during waking hours, and dark when you’re sleeping. A blackout curtain sure comes in handy if you need to adjust your sleep cycle.
3) Stop taking caffeine a few hours before sleep
If you are the kind of person whose ability to fall asleep is affected by caffeine, it’s best to stop drinking coffee, tea and other beverages that contains it few hours before bedtimes.
While having a cup of joe or tea is a great way to kickstart a day, it ain’t so great when it comes to the ending the day.
4) Exercise
Staying in so much and barely moving is not the way human beings are meant to be. Our bodies need movement and exercise to function at its best.
If you get tired but still feel restless and find it difficult to fall asleep, chances are it’s because your body is not getting the exercise it needs.
Set aside at least 20 minutes to just move, five times a week. It doesn’t even have to be something intense. Just dance, jump, take the stairs, walk or jog. Anything that gets you moving.
Of course, the usual forms of exercise like yoga, strength training and cardio are also good but if that’s too hard to start with, just get moving in a way that doesn’t make you dread doing it.
5) Keep your room dark, quiet and cool
When you’re ready to unwind and sleep, make sure to keep your room dark, quiet and cool. Just like sunlight or light helps your body understand that it’s time to get the day started, darkness and quiet helps your body understand that it’s bedtime.
6) Do something that makes you happy
OK. Full disclosure: we’ve heard this many times and it helps a lot of people but don’t necessarily for everyone. It also depends on what activity you choose to start the day with.
For example, when this author decides to read in the morning and the book happens to be good, say goodbye to productivity for the rest of the day.
But start the day with something as simple as a cup of coffee and quiet contemplation, playtime with pets or kids or just a happy interaction with someone you love, your day will start on the right foot giving you the energy to get on with the day.
7) Don’t snooze the alarm
Some research shows that it is best to not even have alarms so you wake up when you’re well rested. But let’s get real.
Waking up without an alarm, especially when you have obligations that requires you to abide by a certain schedule, is not possible unless you’re a morning person who automatically wakes up with the sun or before.
However, hitting the snooze button repeatedly is not helping anyone. It actually causes your sleep to be interrupted and you waking up disoriented instead of refreshed.
Just set one alarm and wake up when it rings.
8) Have a nightly routine
Having a routine that relaxes you before you sleep helps you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Put away your phones, switch of the television and laptops – anything that emits artificial light – and do something boring like journaling or reading a physical book.
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Your mornings don’t have to be like the little kid’s. Try the tips and see it working it’s magic!
