How to Wake Yourself Up in the Morning – 6 Tricks

There are two types of people in this world: those who can get up as soon as the alarm rings, and those who still on the bed after the alarm rings countless times. To be honest, I am the latter. And even though I was forced to leave the bed, my brain was still shut down.

What about you? If your answer is the same as mine, don’t worry, because you are not alone. However, if you need to attend a meeting in the morning, it is inevitable to wake yourself up. Below are 6 useful tips that you can try.

1. Make Your Bed

Before you stumble out of bed and leave your bedroom, tidy up your bed. It sounds so simple, but few people do. Sarah Hallock, an integrated health coach and nutritionist, said, “While making your bed just might be the chore you’ve hated since you were a kid, for a lot of people this simple act can feel like your first accomplishment of the morning and leave you feeling energized and ready to conquer the rest of your day.”

2. Let the Sunshine in

Light and wakefulness are closely related. Your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, will recognize the light as it’s time to start moving and tell your body to release wakefulness hormones such as cortisol to keep you awake. Therefore, after waking up, open the curtains or blinds to let the sunshine in. If it is cloudy or rainy, turn on bright indoor lights.

3. Smell Refreshing Essential Oils

Another way to stimulate the senses and increase alertness is to smell some refreshing essential oils. Have you noticed that some smells can make you sober up? In fact, eucalyptus, mint, and rosemary all have a refreshing effect. If you feel drowsy when you wake up in the morning, try smelling these essential oils. However, if you have a cold with a blocked nose, this method may not work.

4. Wash Your Face and Brush Your Teeth

Washing your face and brushing your teeth is one of the things we must do after getting up, but few people know that this is also a practical way to wake yourself up, provided that you wash your face with cold water and brush your teeth with mint toothpaste. That’s because the stimulation of cold water and the freshness of mint can quickly dispel your sleepiness.

5. Do a Morning Stretch

A simple morning stretch is also a good way to wake yourself up because a study shows that exercise can make blood flow and improve alertness. Apart from this, exercise can also increase the core temperature of the human body, and when the core body temperature is high, you cannot fall asleep. Thus, to stretch your body, you can try yoga or jog for half an hour.

Tip: Do not exercise vigorously as it will only make you feel more tired.

6. Have a Breakfast

Don’t ignore the importance of breakfast. Skipping breakfast may make you feel drowsy and unmotivated. Besides, after a night of sleep, the stomach acid secreted in the stomach at night will stimulate the gastric mucosa and cause stomach discomfort if there is no food to neutralize it. If possible, try eating something rich in high protein and dietary fiber.

Note: It is recommended to include coffee or tea as part of breakfast as it can block neurotransmitters in the brain that would normally promote sleep.

What Makes it Difficult to Wake up in the Morning?

Nate Watson, co-director of the Medical Sleep Center at the University of Washington, said, “Ideally, we all wake up spontaneously in the morning, but for a variety of reasons, this is usually not the case. The common cause is lack of sleep. That is, your body wants more sleep, but you force it to get out of bed, which brings some difficulties”. He also added that untreated sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea can also cause difficulty waking in the morning.

Final Thought

Nobody likes waking up in the morning, especially when you still feel tired. However, when you have to wake yourself up and get rid of morning fatigue, the methods mentioned above are worth a try. Additionally, if you are worried that you have a sleep disorder or other medical condition that may be contributing to your morning fatigue, it is recommended to see a doctor as soon as possible.