Health Log — 1 Wake Up Early
If your constant use of the snooze button and your morning zombie routine is getting old, there’s help. It begins with figuring out the different reasons why you can’t wake up in the morning and what to do about them.
Chances are you’re not getting enough sleep and need to tweak your bedtime routine. If a sleep disorder or other underlying condition is to blame for your morning sleepiness, there are treatments available.
We’ll cover all of that and more here so you can become one of those perky morning people.
Difficulty waking up in the morning causes
Difficulty getting up in the morning isn’t just about loving your sleep and hating mornings. Lifestyle factors, medical conditions, and medications can make it hard to wake up. These include:
- parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, sleep talking, and night terrors
- sleep apnea, which causes periods of stopped breathing during sleep
- sleep deficiency, which can involve not getting good quality sleep, or sleep deprivation, which is not getting enough sleep
- stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep
- depression, which has been linked to excessive daytime sleepiness and insomnia
- circadian rhythm sleep disorders, which can prevent you from developing a regular sleep routine, such as shift work sleep disorder and irregular sleep-wake disorder
- certain medications, including beta blockers, certain muscle relaxants, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants
- chronic pain, which can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep
How to wake yourself up when tired
There are a number of things you can do to help you wake up. If an underlying condition is causing your excessive sleepiness or drowsiness in the morning, you may need a combination of home remedies and medical treatment.
The following are tips and treatments that can help you sleep better and wake up better.
Get on a sleep schedule
Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is a must if you want to get on a good sleep schedule and train yourself to wake up early.
Improve your bedtime routine
You may be sabotaging your efforts to get up early without even realizing it. Drinking caffeine in the later part of the day and using devices that emit blue light before bed can prevent you from falling asleep.
Move your alarm to avoid hitting snooze
Tempting as that snooze button and getting “just a few more minutes” may be, falling back asleep after waking is sleep fragmentation.
Eat better
Eating a healthy diet increases your energy and helps you sleep better. On the flip side, foods that are generally considered unhealthy can make you feel sluggish and zap your energy.
Get regular exercise
Exercise has been proven to improve sleep and conditions that can cause insomnia and excessive sleepiness, such as anxiety and depression.
Enjoy the daylight
Daylight helps regulate your circadian rhythms and improve your sleep.
Get a sleep study
If you can’t get up in the mornings after trying other methods or have noticed sleep disorder warning signs, talk to a doctor about a referral to a sleep specialist.
Signs you may not be getting enough sleep
Having trouble waking up in the morning is just one sign you’re not getting enough sleep. Here are some others:
- excessive yawning
- irritability
- lack of motivation
- fatigue
- excessive daytime sleepiness
- brain fog
- increased appetite
Takeaway
It’s possible to train yourself to wake up on time in the morning. A few changes to your routine can help you get rid of your morning fatigue so you can be up and at ’em bright and early.
If you worry that you have a sleep disorder or other medical condition that may be contributing to your morning fatigue, see a doctor.
