Q. You've got an early start at work - how do you manage to feel ALIVE and FRESH first thing?

Going to sleep earlier is what I find works the best. If I have to be up at like 6 or 5 am I find going to bed, at the latest, at 11 pm works pretty well. Ideally you'll want to be in bed at 9 or 10 pm though. Doing this as a routine really helps too, so try not to vary the times you sleep and wake up at if possible (although cheating on the weekends never really effected my sleep pattern on the weekdays).

As for all the other stuff, it doesn't work. Working at a cafe I walk to work at like 6am and it's a 30min brisk walk and if I'm tired it doesn't wake me up. I also have infinite access to coffee and I can tell you that it doesn't work either, I find it just makes me jittery rather than alert. I don't shower in the morning but I do wash my face with cold water(don't know why I always have) which helps in initially waking you up so you can get ready faster but it doesn't have a lasting effect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mercurysmile 

Going to sleep earlier is what I find works the best. If I have to be up at like 6 or 5 am I find going to bed, at the latest, at 11 pm works pretty well. Ideally you'll want to be in bed at 9 or 10 pm though. Doing this as a routine really helps too, so try not to vary the times you sleep and wake up at if possible (although cheating on the weekends never really effected my sleep pattern on the weekdays).

 

As for all the other stuff, it doesn't work. Working at a cafe I walk to work at like 6am and it's a 30min brisk walk and if I'm tired it doesn't wake me up. I also have infinite access to coffee and I can tell you that it doesn't work either, I find it just makes me jittery rather than alert. I don't shower in the morning but I do wash my face with cold water(don't know why I always have) which helps in initially waking you up so you can get ready faster but it doesn't have a lasting effect.

i'm so pleased you said this! Gilly always laughs at me for going to bed at 9pm!! see it is how i get all my beauty sleep! hee hee!

in all seriousness i get up each day at 6.15am and the only way i survive not yawning and feeling tired is by sleeping so much. I'm not ashamed to admit that i need my sleep like a little kid does! i find that if i go to bed at 9pm and then slowly wind down with a dvd or by chatting to hubby by 10pm i am out for the count. 

i am also partial to a can of coke or a can of red bull at some point in the morning. which i know is bad on my teeth but on the days i am feeling a bit worse for wear it does pick me up!

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Originally Posted by gillykins 

Yeah I could def go to bed earlier - I usually get up around 6.45am but don't go to bed til 11.30/12. Would much rather be in bed about 10 but there always seems to be something that needs doing, usually housework/laundry etc.

Will give that a go and let you know how I get on. I get the coffee jittery thing too - end up feeling more restless and actually concentrate less. Maybe a bath before be would create a deeper sleep and therefore feel less shattered next day.

 

This morning at work it took until the afternoon to start feeling human again - ridiculous!! Don't want that to become a habit. Will try your cold water tip too .. just in case :)

lavender oil helps me sleep too. i put some on my pillow :) or you can always get a lavender room spary (yankee candle do a great one!) and i am also partial to mac lavender fix+ and spray that on my face at night! :)

and i understand what you mean when you say that things need doing. but honestly i just leave things and do them the next day instead. i just wish i had a dishwasher like you do! you're so luck for that!
 

im only 23 so i dont hve household chores as i still live with my parents. bt i usually get settled in at abt 9.30 and read a book until i fall aslp. i am up by 6am as i have to be out of the house by 6.50 latest or ill be late for work.

an early night always helps =)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillykins 

Yeah I could def go to bed earlier - I usually get up around 6.45am but don't go to bed til 11.30/12. Would much rather be in bed about 10 but there always seems to be something that needs doing, usually housework/laundry etc.

Will give that a go and let you know how I get on. I get the coffee jittery thing too - end up feeling more restless and actually concentrate less. Maybe a bath before be would create a deeper sleep and therefore feel less shattered next day.

 

This morning at work it took until the afternoon to start feeling human again - ridiculous!! Don't want that to become a habit. Will try your cold water tip too .. just in case :)

Lol I feel the same way in that when you come home there's still more to do! I make it an effort to do an all over house clean on the weekends (I guess it doesn't take long as I live in a 1 bdrm apt.) just so I don't have it do it during the week. 

LMD84 makes a great point in winding down for bed it definitely helps in falling asleep. If you have a partner who doesn't want to go to sleep at 9pm with you, earplugs and a sleep mask are -great- things to invest in. 

Most people think I'm crazy with washing my face with cold water, but it feels refreshing to me! I hope I'm not doing anything in terms of wrinkles or oiliness something...

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMD84 

i'm so pleased you said this! Gilly always laughs at me for going to bed at 9pm!! see it is how i get all my beauty sleep! hee hee!

 

in all seriousness i get up each day at 6.15am and the only way i survive not yawning and feeling tired is by sleeping so much. I'm not ashamed to admit that i need my sleep like a little kid does! i find that if i go to bed at 9pm and then slowly wind down with a dvd or by chatting to hubby by 10pm i am out for the count. 

 

i am also partial to a can of coke or a can of red bull at some point in the morning. which i know is bad on my teeth but on the days i am feeling a bit worse for wear it does pick me up!

 

This is hilarious because this is so me! I hate coffee so my morning caffeine would be a can of Coke and everyone at work would look at me like I was a freak. I figured since I don't drink or smoke this can be my bad habit. I'm glad I found someone else who uses an alternative caffeine in the AM.
 

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Originally Posted by amoona 

 

This is hilarious because this is so me! I hate coffee so my morning caffeine would be a can of Coke and everyone at work would look at me like I was a freak. I figured since I don't drink or smoke this can be my bad habit. I'm glad I found someone else who uses an alternative caffeine in the AM.
 

 

yup!! you're not a freak at all! i do this all the time! people always treat me like i'm weird because i don't like coffee! a can of coke does me just fine! :)
 

I've been waking up at 4AM or earlier 5-6 days a week for the last two years. Do I feel alive and fresh everyday? Maybe not. But here are some of my better sleep tips, which may help you be more awake in the morning.

- Getting quality sleep is best. I can't sleep a full eight hours most days, I just spend all night tossing and turning if I try. Instead I sleep a good deep six hours.

- Stick to a schedule. You'll wake up better if you aren't switching your schedule all the time. 

- Limit outside interferences. I have black out curtains, as well as earplugs and a face mask when I'm having trouble with light and noise. 

- Sleep comfortably. I have a mattress topper so that my joints don't cause me pain all night.

- Use scents if it helps you. I have a few bedtime scents I can apply if I feel the need, I put them on my wrist to sniff and help me relax. 

- Stay away from screens at night before bed. Sometimes that keeps me feeling too awake and makes it hard to unwind before bed.

- Also to help prepare for sleep I like to try and unwind so that I'm not just laying in bed awake for hours, by doing something calm or relaxing, like reading.

- And try not to have caffeine or a lot of sugar, or eat too late at night. Caffeine and sugar keep me awake, and eating late means your body is digesting at night which can disrupt sleep.

- Keep your bedroom and bedding temperature appropriate for the time of year as much as you can for optimal sleep, too hot or too cold can keep you awake all night.

- Don't wear socks (gives me nightmares).

In the morning, I find the stress of being late wakes me right up! XD 

And after that, my half hour run/walk to work helps too. :)

As I work in health, I shift work, and start at an, in my opinion, ridiculous hour of the morning (7am) when the previous night I might not have finished work until 10.30pm.

I've found that I have a much easier time getting up EARLIER but being able to wake up slowly, if that makes sense.

Eg., I could get up at 6, have a 10 min shower, slap on makeup, have breakfast and leave for work by 6.40 OR I could get up at 5.30 and have a long shower, take my time putting on makeup/getting dressed, having time for a cup of tea before I leave. I find I'm far more awake by the time I get to work and for some reason, less tired through the day.

Going to sleep early and starting my morning with a healthy drink and stretch is what works well for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kanne 

As I work in health, I shift work, and start at an, in my opinion, ridiculous hour of the morning (7am) when the previous night I might not have finished work until 10.30pm.

 

I've found that I have a much easier time getting up EARLIER but being able to wake up slowly, if that makes sense.

 

Eg., I could get up at 6, have a 10 min shower, slap on makeup, have breakfast and leave for work by 6.40 OR I could get up at 5.30 and have a long shower, take my time putting on makeup/getting dressed, having time for a cup of tea before I leave. I find I'm far more awake by the time I get to work and for some reason, less tired through the day.

This is what I do! It really helps me. I could probably sleep in later but I like to not have to rush in the mornings. I definitely need to go to bed earlier

I struggle with this too. I really agree with everyone else though when they say the real solution is more, more relaxing sleep. Waking up early demands that you go to bed early. Falling asleep can be difficult especially if you think you have things to do. Things like lavander and chamomile really do calm you down and help you sleep. Also, I find that when I pray at night I get really sleepy! Even if you are not religious, you could just talk to an imaginary person in the sky about things you are grateful for and things you are thinking about.. And finally, you can try natural sleep aids like melatonin (not to be confused with melanin! ;) ) And if you still find you're too jittery at night to go to bed, really think about arranging and scheduling your days and managing your time better so that you really get a lot done during the day.

I love this thread.  I seriously need to start making myself go to bed earlier.  It's just so hard.  With 4 little ones running around, night time is my ONLY quiet time.  So I always end up staying up too late then having to wake up way to early. 

I'm definitely not a morning person but I have found (in the past) that doing some sort of workout in the morning really had me going for the rest of day, without the need for coffee - which is absurd, I(m addicted) love the thing. However that only worked when I had a car and now commutes take longer, so I wake up earlier - and sleep is a precious commodity - especially when I don't sleep soundly at night. I downloaded an app to see how much 'deep sleep' I was getting, and in some nights, I had none. No amount of coffee will help. One thing I will start implementing is no internet or activity one hour prior to sleep - it actually allows your brain to shut off from the chattering.

I use those energy strips when I really need to get going but normally washing my face with this Biore cleanser wakes me up. 

Coffee NEVER works. I usually drink two cups in the morning but 30 minutes later I could lay down and go back to sleep. 

doing yoga in the morning really helps me refresh up for the entire day!!

I try to rest as much as I can. But when I don't sleep enough, I try to eat a good breakfast, that usually gives me energy to go on.

Also, light!! I opened up my blinds and let it all in. 

I do drink coffee though. Not super strong coffee but just enough to keep me energized.

This is soooo silly but putting on bright lipstick aids a little too 

Coffee ceased to have any effect on me a looong time ago. I can drink a triple espresso and fall asleep half an hour later.

Sticking my head out the window works a treat in the morning though. Especially in winter. Being smacked in the face by a cold breeze wakes me up in no time!

I find squeezing in an early workout before work helps with my energy levels.  I feel much more energized and productive throughout my day.