Sleep is awesome, so it's understandable that most of us don't particularly enjoy getting up in the morning. Unless you're Sleeping Beauty or Snow White, though, it's a necessary evil — but hey, guess what? Getting out of bed doesn't have to be impossible, or even mildly difficult. Sometimes all it takes is a trick or two and you'll be... well, maybe not looking forward to getting up, but at least not dreading it as much as you used to.
Disclaimer: I am not a sleep expert. I am, however, really, really good at getting out of bed on time, even though I'm not naturally a morning person (for reals — I've never once overslept and subsequently missed an important appointment or whatever). I can personally vouch for a lot of the tips and tricks seen here, and science, other people, or both can back me up on everything else. They'll also go a prety long way towards accomplishing the bigger goal of getting better at waking up: That is, actively trying to change your habits. You can't just shrug and say, "Well, I'm no good at getting up on time, so that's just the way it's going to be." It'll take some time for it to stick — about 66 days, in fact — but if you put in the effort, the results will come. And besides, wouldn't waking up in the morning be way, way better if you didn't look at it like something to be hated?
So go on. Give a few of these suggestions a shot. You'll thank yourself in the long run.
1. Put your alarm clock (or your phone, if that's what you use) on the other side of the room.
Or in another room entirely. Or get a Clocky and go on a wild goose chase for your clock whenever the alarm goes off. The snooze button is easy to hit when you're already snuggled under all your blankets; once you're up and out of bed, though, you may as well just get the rest of your day going, right?
2. Give natural light a shot.
Light helps us get moving (after all, we're wired to rise with the sun), so try adjusting your blinds such that your room gets a little more sunlight in the morning. If you live in a place with a lot of light pollution, this might not be feasible — streetlamps flooding your room is a surefire way to keep you up all night — but you can always try a natural light alarm clock instead. In either case, though, throw open the curtains wide when as soon as you wake up to give yourself some exposure to the sun.
3. Make sure you're getting enough sleep.
And that it's good sleep. If you know you can't function with less than seven hours of sleep, don't go to bed four hours before you have to wake up; furthermore, make sure the quality of your sleep is such that you feel well-rested upon waking. Waking up once every hour and not being able to get back to sleep for 30 minutes will probably make you feel like hell.
4. Get your morning routine down to a science.
This will enable you to get the maximum amount of sleep while still making sure you have enough time to get ready. Plus, once you've followed your routine enough times, it'll become second nature to do it — which means you'll be able to run on auto-pilot until you get out the door.
5. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. (Yes, even on weekends.)
I've confessed before that I willfully ignore this piece of advice, so consider this one a case of “do as I say, not as I do.” Going to bed and getting up at the same time every single day acclimates your body to a specific timetable, which will result in better quality sleep overall. Getting up is a lot easier when you're well-rested.
6. Get a pet.
Obviously you should only get a pet if you're really up to the task of taking care of one... but just try to ignore your cat or dog when they start bugging you to feed them in the morning. Seriously. Just try it. Spoiler: You will not be able to. Ever.
7. Give yourself something to look forward to in the morning.
Maybe it's a cup of really good coffee, lovingly made in your favorite French press. Maybe it's having 15 minutes to read that awesome new book you just started before leaving for work. Maybe it's jamming out to your favorite song while and lip syncing along with it. If there's at least one part of your morning routine that you actually look forward to, it'll be easier to get yourself going in the first place.
8. Eat breakfast.
You haven't eaten for, like, at least 10 hours when you wake up. Put something in there, even if it's just a banana. It'll give you some fuel so you're not just running on empty.
9. Get some fresh air.
You don't necessarily have to go for a run or anything (although working out in the morning might be something worth trying, too); just open your door or window and take 10 deep breaths to shake the fog from your brain.
10. Two words: Home. Spa.
Lifehacker gets the credit for this one, but it's a terrific idea, so I'm passing it along: "Spa-ifying" your home might make it a more pleasant place to wake up into when you surface from your dreams. Investing in things like warm slippers, a cozy bathrobe, and/or a scented oil diffuser might up your morning game.
11. Enlist some friends for help.
You know how having a workout buddy helps keep you accountable? So does having a “make sure you wake up” buddy. Make a plan with a friend who's also trying to get better about waking up: Maybe you text each other every morning when you haul yourselves out of bed; maybe you have a weekly cup of coffee together and chat about how it's going; whatever. The buddy system works, so take advantage of it.
Images: Ella Mullins/Flickr; Giphy (11)
