The alarm went off, pulling me out of a dream that I wasn’t ready to leave yet. I grabbed my phone, turned the alarm off, and dropped the phone on the bed by my pillow. I closed my eyes again.
But I knew I needed to get up. So I grabbed my phone again - it was 5:02 A.M.
Groggily, I start to scrolling through Facebook -- just a hit of mind candy and then I'll hop out of bed...
Then it's 5:15. Then 5:28, then 5:50.
Crap. I hear my toddler waking up.
Pulling my body to the edge of the bed, I stuff my feet into a pair of socks and head to the bedroom to grab my little one.
With swollen eyes and a foggy brain, my day has just gotten started. It’s not it's all how I imagined, planned, or wanted it to begin….morning fatigue is no joke. But as Lemony Snicket says:
...how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have..."
oops….
You've heard ('til your blue in the face) all of the powerful benefits of waking up early. There are plenty of resources out there (including this little corner of the internet) telling you that in order to be more productive and happy and energized, you have to wake up early and have a solid early morning routine.
I know you know that. But the reality of it is, actually getting out of bed is hard. And then when you do muster up the discipline to get out of bed, you regret it because you just feel tired all morning (and for the rest of the day). I’ve been there too, friend. And it’s frustrating.
But the good news is there are practical steps that YOU can take to help you to wake up early and not feel tired. If you want to beat morning fatigue you are in the right place.
Are you ready for for some very practical tips?
I’m about to get into them, but before I do you have to promise me that you will pick a couple to actually implement. No more complaining about waking up tired until you do. Deal?
Ok, let’s go.
11 Practical Tips To Wake Up At 5 AM and Not Feel Tired
1. Stop Hitting The Snooze
This should be an obvious one...if you want to wake up at 5 AM, then WAKE UP AT 5 AM.
That little snooze option on your phone is not doing you any favors. If you aren’t planning on getting up at 5AM, then just set your alarm for 6 or 6:30 or whatever time you are actually going to get up. You're not fooling anyone.
Setting the alarm for 5 AM, and then going in and out of sleep for an hour before you actually get up, is going to make you more tired than if you would have just set your alarm for 6 in the first place (plus, I am sure you are driving your husband crazy).
A key to waking up at 5 AM without feeling groggy for hours, is to get into the habit of throwing your feet onto the floor when the alarm goes off.
Tip:
put the alarm across the room -- you will be forced to get out of that bed to turn it off.
2. If you want to wake up at 5 AM and not feel tired, get off electronics at night!
Too much blue light (which is in the light that is emitted from our phones, computers, T.Vs, etc.) right before bed can delay the production of melatonin (the hormone in your body that helps you to sleep).
While bing watching Suits every night before bed is exhilarating (trust me, I know), it's not doing the next day any favors.
Tip:
Decide that TONIGHT you are going to be off all electronics/screens by 8 PM. But how will you pass the time??? I've got you covered 🙂
3. Stop drinking an hour before bed -- use the bathroom right before you go to sleep.
Bladder bulging, painful -- but you can make yourself go back to sleep, right? You can hold it for another couple of hours, can't you? Ha! Girl, just go to the bathroom.
But night wakings could be a reason that you are waking up tired -- between kids waking up and the nighttime trips to the bathroom, you're not actually asleep for the hours that you are in bed.
I know you might not be able to do much about the kids waking up, but you can eliminate the midnight bathroom trips for yourself.
4. Prep the night before
It's time to get up (that stupid alarm reminds you every time), but you remember that dishes are still in the sink, your sports bra is all the way over in the laundry room, and your Bible is in your purse in the car. Might as well stay in bed then!
It's all about the path of least resistance -- prepare for your morning the night before. Make a list of what you plan to get done during your early morning routine, and then make sure that you have everything out and ready to get those things accomplished.
And tidy up the house before you go to bed. You might find yourself excited about waking up if you know it’s the only time of day that you will get to enjoy your space c and fresh 🙂
5. You've got to change your attitude if you want to wake up at 5 AM and not feel tired.
Going to bed dreading waking up the next morning is a surefire way to dread getting out of bed once 5 AM rolls around.
Here are some "mindset shift" tips that will help you to wake up at 5 AM and not feel tired:
- Be thankful for what you are “able to do” early in the morning, instead of telling yourself what you “have to do”.
- Before you go to sleep the night before, focus your mind on good things that are going to happen the following day.
- Post a list of motivational quotes next to your bed that you can look over before you go to sleep.
- Tell yourself, out loud, that you are thankful for the opportunity to wake up early!
"If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." - Wayne Dyer
6. Track Your Sleep For A Week
You might be waking up tired because, well, you are tired.
We all have different bodies that need different amounts of sleep. Take a week, go to bed at reasonable time, maybe 9 or 10 (or earlier if your kids wake up really early), and then sleep without an alarm. See how long your body sleeps naturally.
Once you have done this for a week or so, you should have an idea for how many hours of rest your body really needs.
To take it a step further, keep tabs on how you feel throughout the day to help you know if the hours slept were enough for you (and if the hours slept were quality sleeping hours).
We are halfway through, friend -- if you have already started making a mental list of the reasons why you CAN’T implement at least one of these suggestions, stop it. Stop making excuses. Remember that promise you made me at the beginning??
All right let’s keep going…
7. Be conscience of what you are eating and drinking during the day
Food affects each of us differently. I can drink a cup of coffee right before bed and not feel a bit different. If my sister doesn't stop by mid-afternoon she will be pacing the house at all hours of the night.
But caffeine is just one food that affects our sleep. Sugar, grains, and alcohol can all affect your ability to sleep, as well.
If you want to get really serious about finding out how food is affecting your sleeping, try an elimination diet like Whole30. Sound, blissful sleep is one of the many benefits attributed to the diet.
Tip:
Choose to pull sugar and caffeine out of your diet for three days. If not completely, try eliminating sugar and caffeine after 2 PM each day. Track to see if this affects your sleep and how you feel waking up.
8. Be Consistent
No one changes up their routine, starts waking up at 5 AM and immediately feels great about it! It will take time for your body to get used to a new rhythm and routine. So don't drop the ball a couple of days in if you are still tired. Be consistent, and over time your body will get that this is a routine that is here to stay.
Tip:
Wake up at 5 AM every morning for 5 days. Make yourself be consistent.
9. Start your morning with movement
Without fail, each morning that I do a workout before the kids get up, I feel more energized and ready for the day. Even if I am groggy beforehand, once I start moving my body I get energized.
But remember # 4 -- prep the night before. So set out your workout clothes in the PM. They will be waiting for you and calling your name when you pop out of bed the next morning.
10. Drink Water
After a full 8 hours or so without fluids your body is going to be dehydrated when you wake up. Just like during the day we often feel tired, groggy, and lethargic when we have not had enough water, your body needs that liquid to get a jump start in the morning.
Tip:
Set a cup out on your counter (or by your bed) so that first thing in the A.M you will remember to drink a glass of water.
11. Create a morning routine that you actually look forward to
For me this includes an uninterrupted cup of tea, quiet time with God, space to work on my passion-project, and a workout.
There are 5 things that I think every mom should do every morning, and if you implement at least a few of these, I can guarantee that you will start to look forward to those dark, lonely hours in the morning.
Make your morning routine fun and life-giving. I don’t do chores during my early morning routine -- if I am getting up at 5 AM (or earlier) I am going to use that time to do something that I WANT to do, and something that will make me a more intentional, clear-minded mama.
Tip:
Right now write down one thing about which you have said "if only I had more time...". You have that time now. Pull out that sketch book that's tucked away in the closet; start building that website you've been dreaming about; or whip out the flour and yeast and start experimenting with new bread recipes. Use this time to have some fun!
Now it's your turn to figure out what you need to change in order to wake up at 5 AM and not feel tired
To wake up at 5 AM and not feel tired takes some work. It might take some trial and error. But it will be worth it if you are willing to make some changes.
Most of these changes are not hard. They are each very doable and practical. I know that you can work through some of these to transform your morning and start to wake up at 5 AM and not feel tired.
My mornings used to be groggy, unfocused, and dreaded. Now I wake up with anticipation for what my early morning routine has offered me.
So go ahead mama, you've got this!
I would love to hear what tips you have tried, and what works and what doesn't.
Tried them all, and you still wake up tired? Shoot me an email and let's work through it together.
I'm rooting for you!
