How to Feel Refreshed in the Morning

Photo by DerrickT

We all know the following scenario, probably entirely to well. The alarm goes off, you hit the snooze button five times, before finally rolling out of bed, and rush to get ready, risking being late to your destination. An hour and two cups of coffee later you are still feeling groggy. Your attention lingers as you work, and you feel grumpy and irritable. All you can think about is getting home and vegging out on the couch.

With all the things we need to do in a day, not having enough energy to finish all of our tasks, or feeling grumpy and tired when we do, is the last way we want to spend our day. Everyone deserves a good nights sleep, so we can all feel like our fabulous selves, while doing some of the less than fabulous chores we need to do.

I for one have a terrible time falling asleep some nights. Though I know what I should and shouldn’t in order to get a good nights rest, I often don’t think about it until the next day when I have red puffy eyes, feel crabby, and don’t feel like getting ready for my day. So these tips are inspiration for me, and hopefully you as well, to get your zzz’s to have the necessary energy to get through the day.

♥ No alcohol close to bed time. Yes, it is entirely too easy to fall asleep (or pass out rather) when you are plum drunk, however, you know the feeling the next morning, not a nice one. Besides running a chance of being hungover in the morning, having even one or two glasses of wine near bedtime, can raise your heart rate, and make it much more difficult to fall asleep. Have your drink at least an hour before you get into bed, and your chances of falling asleep fast will increase greatly.

♥ Exercise. This is probably a no brainer, but getting at least twenty minutes of good exercise a day really can help you fall asleep quicker, rest more soundly, and feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning. This is probably the single thing that can make the biggest impact on your sleep. A short jog in the afternoon, or a walk around your neighborhood in the evening will make it so hitting the snooze button first thing in the morning is not even an option.

♥ Change your diet. Give up fast food, and other foods that have a lot of unnatural preservatives in them. Get your daily amount of fruits, veggies, grains, proteins, and dairy. Sticking with all natural foods, will not only keep your body looking good, but also give you a good nights rest.

♥ Use night lights. If you wake up during the night to get a glass of water, or to use the potty, turning the overhead lights on may mean that you will have a much more difficult time falling asleep upon returning to bed.

♥ Start forming a regular schedule. Set your alarm for the same time every day, and get up when it goes off- the first time! On the same note, hope into bed around the same time every night. It may be a bit difficult to adjust at first, and you will most likely continue to feel tired for a few days, but by setting your body on certain time schedule, will help you get more restful nights in the long run.

♥ If you are having a really difficult time falling asleep, try taking a hot bath before falling asleep. The warm water will relax your muscles, and ease the tension in your body.

♥ Try to finish all your daily tasks on time, with a little bit of time to relax before bedtime. If you still have a long list of things you need to do when you get under the covers, your brain is going to be working over time, thinking about what you need to do the next day and what didn’t get done that day. Finish all that you can at least thirty minutes before bedtime, and then sit down with a hot cup of decaffeinated tea (absolutely no caffeine!). Your body and mind both need time to unwind before you can even think about falling asleep.

♥ Try some soothing music, or a mellow movie if you can’t seem to get the shut eye. If I am having a hard time falling asleep, I always pop in an animated Disney movie. Something about it just makes me feel relaxed, and I fall asleep incredibly quickly.

So my dears, what other tips do you have to help out on those restless nights so that you are guaranteed to feel rejuvenated in the morning??

xoxo,
Cedar

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