With marathon training in full force and the need to rise early to get those long runs in while trying to beat the heat, I thought today would be a great day to talk about waking up early and more easily.
I’m normally an early riser, yet overslept and missed my run with my friends on Saturday, so I might hardly appear to be an authority on the subject. That was an exception, and since I normally wake up around 4:15 on my own, fall back to sleep until my alarm goes off between 4:30 and 5:30 most mornings, I consider myself an early riser.
My tips for falling asleep more easily and becoming an earlier riser are pretty simple:
- Gradually wake up earlier – Set your alarm for about five minutes earlier each morning until you’ve reached your desired wake-up time.
- Go to bed at a decent hour – This is probably one of the most difficult things for most people to do, and this is a “do as I say, not as I do” tip. I actually wake up easily even if I’m tired, it’s later in the day that my tiredness catches up with me.
- Move your alarm clock – Moving your alarm clock to the other side of the room so you have to get out of bed and walk across the room to turn it off will help keep you from hitting snooze over and over. Consider moving it into your bathroom to help keep you from jumping back into bed.
- Keep your bedroom curtains open so the morning light wakes you – In our current house we’re able to keep our shades up overnight because our bedroom is on the top floor of our house and with our sloping back yard, it’s like the third floor. In previous houses, I’ve opened a shade or two after I turning the lights off for the night. Of course if you’re at risk of a peeping Tom, don’t do it, and consider getting an alarm that gradually lights up your room instead.
- Keep your room cool – Most people sleep better in a cool room, and a good night’s sleep helps with an easier wake-up.
- Turn off computers and phones an hour before bedtime – This is another “do as I say, not as I do” tip. I often read blog posts, articles, and check out Facebook and Instagram right up until I’m ready to turn off the lights, yet have no problem falling asleep. For some of my friends, this is a big deal and they’re very careful to follow this rule because if having trouble falling asleep, results in even more trouble waking up the next morning.
- Read an old fashioned book – There’s nothing like reading a book and nodding off with it falling on your chest, and then turning off your lamp as you drift off into slumber.
- Eat healthy – I always have much more energy when I’m eating well, and more energy makes it easier to bounce out of bed.
- Drink plenty of water – When I’m not well hydrated, my body feels like sludge is flowing through it, and I feel slow and lethargic. Getting myself back to a properly hydrated state, gives me more energy.
- Have something you look forward to for the morning – This may seem silly, but I keep a radio in my bathroom and look forward to listening to what the goof balls on my local station have to say each morning. One of my friends has a coffee bar in her bedroom, and wakes up to the aroma of coffee brewing!
- Try to keep your weekend wake-up schedule similar to your weekday schedule – For me this isn’t a big deal on Saturday since get up early to join my friends for a run. Sundays if I don’t get up early for church or to run, I often allow myself to sleep until I wake up on my own. The downside it that it sometimes makes falling to sleep on Sunday nights more difficult.
For those of you’re who are just not morning people, please don’t hate those of us who are; and we promise not to be too peppy and cheerful around you until after you’ve had your second cup of coffee.
On the other hand, you really should give becoming a morning person a try, you have no idea what a wonderful time of day you’re sleeping through!
- Questions:
- Are you an early riser?
- Do you use an alarm, or wake up on your own?
- Who raced this weekend?
Naturally early morning person (but early to bed, too).
I do set an alarm for my weekend group runs but usually am awake long before it goes off – not one week, tho. I set it in the hoped I’ll sleep better, because when I know I HAVE to be up early I tend to not sleep well.
It helps a little.
Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy recently posted…Can I have a do-over? Weekly update: 7/6-12
Agreed, the stress of knowing I have to be up by a certain time for something big, keeps me from sleeping as well.
I am an early riser by nature and don’t set an alarm. On the rare occasions I HAVE to, I worry all night about when it’s going to go off. LOL. I wish I had gotten up earlier Sunday morning. It was too hot when I ran from 6:45 to 8:45. TOO HOT. I should have been out there at 4:45!
HoHo Runs recently posted…Weekend Struggle
Wow, it must have been hot to want to start at 4:45! Bill and I ran that early once so we could fit our long run in before a wedding. 🙂
I am unable to stop using electronic devices an hour before bedtime. I have very little time as it is during the day that I have to catch up on everything right before I go to bed! I do need to go to bed earlier, but alas, it’s my only free time to get things done!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes recently posted…MCM Training–Week 1 and a VERY important PSA that you do NOT want to miss
I’ve been an early riser all my life–college years excepted! So it’s never that hard for me to get out to run early, although anything prior to 5 a.m. is not my favorite.
misszippy1 recently posted…Black bean salad recipe
Same here – I got up super early in high school to do my farm chore before school, but during college it felt like I was getting up in the middle of the night when I had to meet our cardio-rehab patients at 6 AM for their workout.
I’m an early riser too, so if I do happen to sleep in, I know my body needed that extra sleep.
Lesley recently posted…Running Muscles
I’m a firm believer in the body knowing when it needs more rest I just hope it doesn’t decide its exhausted on a morning that I HAVE to be at the gym training a client or teaching boot camp!
Getting out of bed is the hardest part for me when it comes to waking up. Once I’m out of bed, I’m good to go, no matter how tired I am. Your tip on putting your alarm somewhere out of reach from your bed is the one that works best for me!
Meagan recently posted…Hank’s Close Call with Bloat & GDV
It’s just a lot easier for me to wake up now than it used to be. Not sure why, but it is. I used to keep my alarm across the room, but now it’s on my nightstand and I hit snooze once. If I’m super tired when I go to bed, I’ll set the alarm on the bathroom radio so I have to get up and go all the way in there to turn it off.
“Turn off computers and phones an hour before bedtime”. I think this is one of the most effective ways to fall asleep. A few months ago, I have always stayed up late in the evening. Why? Because I was surfing the net and playing mobile games. When my mom has noticed this, she immediately confiscated my gadgets, Since that night, I have slept properly and early.