How to Wake Up Fresh and Happy?

So many people have trouble getting out of bed as soon as their alarm goes off. They eventually pry out of bed, only to feel rushed and frantic because they're late. In today's world of the self-employed, or graveyard-shift workers, there are many people who find it difficult to wake up fresh and happy.

Sleep makes us a bit down. How you wake up in the morning depends on a few factors that very easily can be modified or changed by you. Try these small changes and see the difference:

1. Don't eat dinner right before bed: As the digestion process takes a while, avoid going to bed right after dinner. Try and leave a few hours in between your last meal and your bedtime. Also, avoid ingesting caffeine, sugar, chocolate or too much alcohol just before bed. They may upset your intestines in such a way that you will have a very light sleep that doesn't recharge you at all.

2. Sleep environment: Your sleeping environment needs to be of refreshing and recharging nature. The quality of air you breathe in your sleep is far more important than most people realize. Bad quality air can lead to headaches, stuffy noses etc. Leave the window a little bit open. This will allow poisonous carbon dioxide to float away and let new oxygen to float in. It is also important to find a balance between clothes and bed cover so that your body temperature remains consistent and you do not feel too hot or cold. Also, invest in a mattress and pillow that suit your comfort needs.

3. Go to bed early: If you want to get up earlier, you have to go to bed earlier. The benefit to waking up early is that you'll perform better and be more alert at the time of day that you need to be.

4. Deep breathing: Clear your mind before falling asleep. Practice some deep breathing techniques and if you can spend a few minutes meditating you'll have maximum results.

5. Go to the toilet: Your kidneys continue to work when you are asleep and by the morning your bladder will be full. If your bladder fills up early, you might feel the need to go during the night and this disturbs your sleep. Therefore, it is important to go to the toilet before sleep even if you feel no need.

6. Get enough sleep: Allow enough time to get the amount of sleep your body needs. The average recommended amount of sleep is 6-8 hrs but everyone is different. Notice the difference between six and eight hours of sleep and how it affects you. Know how much you need.

7. Avoid sleeping pills: Unfortunately, many people turn to sleeping pills and other medications to solve their sleeping problems. By doing this, they are just treating the symptoms and not the cause. You should have them for short periods and only when prescribed by the doctor.

8. Put your alarm away from the bed: Never keep your alarm next to your bed. Always keep it a bit far which will cause you to wake and walk for a while. This will stop you from just hitting the snooze button and diving back under the covers.

9. Get up straight away: The best things you can do to wake up early and feel alert and fresh is to get up straight away. You may feel that you are getting a bit more rest by hitting the snooze button, but hitting the snooze button awakens your brain so it can never fully go back to sleep as it is anticipating the next alarm sound. So you will feel more tired than if you had just got up straight away.

10. Wake up with a Smile: As soon as you wake up, smile. There are opportunities and blessings waiting for you. Open up your heart to receive them. Look on the bright side of the day.

11. Let the sunlight in: Opening your curtains to let the sunlight in is a great way to make you feel more awake. Your mind will respond to light and bring you out of sleep.

12. Have a glass of water: Your body loses fluid overnight which can make you feel a bit tired when you wake up. Having a glass of water on an empty stomach will kick start your metabolism and as such you will wake up faster and feel more alert.

13. Stretch and Exercise: When you are groggy in the morning, a nice stretch in the fresh air can wake you up fast. Also, doing physical activity releases endorphins making you feel good. The more you exercise the more energy you will have as you become fitter and healthier.

14. Eat a high energy breakfast: Skipping your first meal of the day affects your energy level. You need to eat breakfast to get your metabolism going and making energy for your body. Have a heavy healthy breakfast and feel energized throughout the day.

15. Get up at the same time everyday: You need to get out of bed at the same time everyday, even on weekends. If you change times everyday you will irritate your body clock and find it extremely difficult to get out of bed.

16. Take a Nap in the Afternoon: The primary reason why people find it extremely difficult to wake up refreshed and happy is because they are not getting enough sleep. Try to take a nap for 20-30 minutes at day time. It helps reduce stress and you will feel refreshed.

If you want to be a morning person follow the above tips mentioned. Although all of them may not work for you, but some of them definitely will help.

Good Night, Sweet Dreams!