Tricks for Waking Up

The alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m., and you hit the snooze button. This cycle continues through 5:15, 5:30, 5:45 and 6:00; only for you to finally roll out of bed knowing that you're going to be late. It's not the best start to the day, but fortunately, there are ways to train yourself out of it. Here are some easy steps to take to help you wake up in the morning, whether you need to be up with the sun or at a more reasonable hour.

The Alarm Clock

• Avoid hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock. You may think you're getting extra sleep, but it isn't quality rest time, and you're better off getting up the first time the alarm sounds. Finally, if you can't bring yourself to stop pressing snooze, move your alarm out of arm's-reach. This forces you to get out of bed if you want the music to stop. Just be sure that once you are up, you stay up.

Routine

• Routine is a good way to train your body to get up and stay up. Getting up at the same time every morning is the first step. You should also go to bed at the same time every night so that you are always getting the same amount of sleep. Even it means you are only getting six hours, it is more important to stay consistent than the worry about the length of time. As soon as you are out of bed, jump in the shower and, if you can handle it, start with cold water to wake up your nervous system. Once the shower is finished, get dressed and eat.

Morning Drink

• Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee first thing in the morning, try drinking a glass of water first. The water on your empty stomach will immediately speed up your metabolism and wake you up quicker. This works throughout the entire day too if you find yourself feeling tired. Save the coffee for days when you are really tired and need a bit of extra help getting up. Our bodies can become immune to coffee so we'll need more and more of it go achieve the same effects.

Mind and Body

• When you wake up, do some deep breathing and stretching. This will help to relieve your muscles and move oxygen through your body, waking you up quicker. If you have the time, try exercising in the morning. Going for a run not only provides your body with the physical aspect of waking up but the fresh air will help too. The more regularly you exercise the better your sleep will be and the less tired you will be throughout the entire day.