11 Steps To Waking Up To A Happier, Healthier Start

One issue that I faced throughout my childhood and growing years was the inability to wake up early in the morning. What with exams and assignments, this meant that I would often have to work late into the night to finish my work – thus going against my body’s natural clock. No matter how much I trained myself, I would end up hitting the snooze button as soon as I heard the (dreaded) alarm ring. This went on for quite some time, and the late nights and late mornings slowly translated into a constantly tired and irritable me.

That is when I decided that my resolution this year would be to go to sleep early and wake up at 6 AM sharp. Trust me, it was a task, and I was quite sure I would never reach that. However, through a determined approach from my side, I have reached the mid-way point. I get up at 6:30 every day, and I plan to make that 6 soon.

So how did I manage to make the transition from 8 AM to 6:30 AM without having to sleepwalk the entire day? The answer is quite simple – I changed my morning and night routine to ensure that I woke up fresh each day. Here are some tips that helped me achieve it:

Understanding the sleep-wake cycle

Sleep scientists state that snoozing your alarm to get those five extra minutes won’t make you more rested. On the contrary, it can make you even more tired. By hitting the snooze button, you confuse your body into thinking that it is time to go back to sleep again. This then disturbs the sleep cycle when the alarm rings again.

Before going into the tips, it would help to understand what our bodies go through after we fall asleep. Studies have found out that there are five stages in the sleep cycle: Stage 1 which involves light sleep; stage 2, where the body prepares itself for deeper sleep and the brain waves and activities reduce; Stage 3 which involves deep sleep, from which a person can’t be awakened easily at this point; Stage 4 – deep sleep, with only very slow brain activity. If you are awakened at this stage, you may feel disoriented for some time. REM: Involving rapid eye movements, shallow breathing, intense brain activity associated during wake times, this is also the time when dreams set in. At this stage, both the heartbeat and the blood pressure increase.

Time and again studies have shown how important sleep is for the body. A lot of things happen in your body as you sleep – the body repairs itself, the brain’s long-term memory is restored, tissues are repaired and the body and mind are rejuvenated.

Tips to wake up feeling fresh

Here are some things that I did to ensure that I woke up early, feeling fresher.

1. Skip the nightcap

While I avoid alcohol, I used to fuel up on coffee to stay awake so that I could complete my work. However, that is not a good idea – unless you want to wake up to a bad hangover or remain super-energised the entire night, the next day. According to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, alcohol interferes in the brain’s inbuilt ability to regulate a person’s need to sleep, hence should not be used as a sleep aid.

2. Switch off all gadgets

Watching TV, looking at your mobile, iPad, or any electronic device is a big No-No before sleeping. The artificial light that the screen emits can interrupt your sleep patterns. By switching off all electronic devices 45 minutes before going to sleep, you are telling your brain that it should now be going into ‘switch off’ mode.

3. Read a book, or meditate

I found reading something light to be a great way to drift off to sleep. But, if you are not much of a reader, you can always just sit with your eyes closed for a few minutes. This will help your body and mind unwind.

4. Maintain a schedule

Our bodies love order and schedules. Hence, by ensuring that you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even during weekends, you can put in the number of hours you need to wake up feeling refreshed, and let your body clock automatically get into the sleep and wake-up mode.

5. Ditch the snooze

While it can be difficult at first, avoid the need to hit the snooze button for some extra minutes of sleep. Instead, set the alarm for the actual time that you want to wake up and get up. It takes some time but your body will get used to waking up at the same time every day.

6. Water therapy

After going through 7-8 hours of not drinking any liquid, your body needs water. Drinking water (experts recommend one litre, but aim for at least three glasses) in the morning will help refresh you, get your digestive processes working and flush out the toxins, hydrate your body and energise you. Hence, you wake up to a healthier, happier start.

7. Meditate

By waking up early, you can get those quiet morning hours with hardly any noise to disturb you. This is also the best time to meditate. Just 20 minutes of meditation every morning will calm you down so that you can face the new day with a positive frame of mind.

8. Get outdoors

Go out and get some sunshine and the much needed Vitamin D. The fresh, morning air and the connection with nature will rejuvenate you and keep you energetic the whole day. If you can include a 30-minute brisk walk to your schedule, do that. This will strengthen your heart, help prevent problems like arthritis and osteoporosis and lower the risk of diabetes and blood pressure.

9. Listen to music

Play some music and liven up your morning so that you can go through your day happily.

10. Have some family time

Ensure that you spend some time with your family before each one of you set off. Plan to make or eat breakfast together, talk about what you plan to do for the day, and just bond with each other.

11. Fuel up

The first meal of the day is the most important one. After fasting for around eight hours, you need to eat food to energise your body and mind. Ensure that you include proteins, carbs and fruits and vegetables in your diet.

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with your friends and family so they too can wake up to a  happier, healthier start.

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