Getting up early before the sunrise can be a difficult thing. For some of us, our bodies just don’t want to get kick-started before dawn. The natural light of daybreak is a signal to our mind that it’s time to rise and sliding out of bed before that is like pulling teeth.
What can you do if you hate getting up before sunrise? Here are 10 tips to help you beat those pre-dawn blues.
1. Fake it: Buy a Dawn Simulator
A dawn simulator is an alarm clock that mimics natural sunlight. Some people complain that dawn simulators are too bulky to keep on a nightstand. I disagree.
You simply set the time you need to get up, and the dawn simulator will gradually increase light to help mimic a sunrise. Light therapy like this can help boost mood and help establish rhythm in your routine.
If you browse through Amazon you can find many different buying options. Some come with nature-inspired sounds like birds or wave. Most dawn simulators allow you to adjust the brightness of the lamp to fit it to your likeness.
Dawn simulators can help you maintain your internal clock. For the most part, they are easy to use and to operate. If total darkness makes it impossible for you to get out of bed, this may create an easy solution.
One drawback to using a dawn simulator is it will affect anyone else who is sleeping in the same room as you. This leads me into the second option…
2. Consider using a Light Therapy Lamp
This is similar to tip #1, in that a light therapy lamp mimics natural sunlight. But as we just discussed, a problem with dawn simulators is what if your spouse is not ready to get out of bed yet? If you have a light therapy lamp on a table in your kitchen or living room, you can get up and sit near it while you drink your morning coffee. This will not disturb your spouse and will allow them to stay asleep.
Take a look at this light therapy lamp on amazon. Would this be something that you could fit on a reading table or on a kitchen counter? Many light therapy lamps are tall and slender and can fit on a crowded counter or desk. You can even find some that are floor lamps that can be positioned next to a couch.
If so, this may help you ease the discomfort of rising before sunup. Experts say that light therapy can help normalize your circadian rhythm and potentially boost mood. It is recommended to buy a light therapy lamp that filters UV rays. It is also important to contact your doctor and ask them if light therapy is right for you. The risks of light therapy are low, but some do exist. As the Mayo Clinic’s article says here, “Light therapy is generally safe”, however it is best to contact your doctor and let them approve.
3. Take a Hot Shower First Thing
A hot shower in the morning is an absolute must for me. Hot showers help relieve tension and stiff muscles. I feel like the hot shower sends a signal to my body that it is time to wake up and to function. And if it’s before sunrise, that’s a signal my body definitely needs.
According to Livestrong, a hot shower helps improve circulation and loosen joints. If you have a routine where you normally take a hot bath or shower at night, think about a change. Consider showering in the morning to help steam away those pre-dawn blues.
4. Prepare for Your Day in Advance
What to do if you hate getting up before sunrise? Well, here’s an option: make it easier on yourself. Have your clothes and items for the day prepared in advance. If you have children, make their lunches the night before and prepare them for school. Any last-minute work emails or projects? Answer those before bed.
Make your routine before sunup as simple as possible. It’s terrible to feel overwhelmed and short on time the second you get out of bed. Make it easier on your mind.
Make sure your keys are by the door. Create your daily to-do list the night before. This will give you focus when you wake and cut down on the amount of time you need to get ready. It might even allow you to sleep in a bit longer.
5. Drink Coffee or Tea
Some people just need coffee. Yes, long term it’s better if you avoid coffee and caffeine. But if you’re like me, sometimes you just need a morning boost. If you are struggling to get up before sunrise, perhaps drinking coffee for a couple weeks can help you adjust.
Sometimes treating yourself to something you like also helps you get out of bed. It’s a lot easier to convince your mind to get out of bed if you have a cup of your favorite coffee in your near future. And let’s face it, if it’s not even sunup, coffee just feels right.
If you are already drinking coffee, and that’s not helping, maybe you should consider something more. Have you considered an espresso machine? Again, something flavorful and enjoyable can help pull you out of bed before sunrise.
6. Are you Eating Breakfast?
Eating breakfast is one of the most important things you can do for you body. Here is a link to a Healthline article about 12 foods to eat in the morning. It covers things like eggs, oatmeal, and protein shakes. What do you like for breakfast? If you create a little extra time to eat a healthy breakfast, maybe this will take off some of that pre-dawn edge.
7. Try Working Out?
Admittedly, this one isn’t for everyone. And the truth is, you’ll likely have to get out of bed even earlier to make this happen. But for some, exercise is motivation. Not only is it healthy for the body, but it can give you a mood-boosting sense of accomplishment. That mood-boost may be exactly what you need to kick start your day.
Some people genuinely enjoy exercising regularly. If you exercise at night or the weekends, is this something you can shift to pre-dawn? It’s worth considering and might help cut down on that urge to stay in bed before sunup.
If you don’t want to get hot and sweaty and workup an intense sweat before dawn, think about a milder workout like taking a walk or doing yoga.
8. Get More Rest on the Weekend
Are you getting enough rest on the weekend? Getting up early is a pain, but its profoundly worse when you are tired. If you have sleep debt that builds throughout the week, it’s important to catch up on the weekend. Take a nap and make sure you get a healthy night sleep during the weekend. This can make dragging yourself out of bed at 5 a.m. much easier.
9. Alter Your Schedule?
If getting up before sunrise just doesn’t work for you, is it something you can change? If it’s a job, can you change your schedule? Or your job? Could you do some of the work the night before so that you can sleep in past sunrise?
Life-altering decisions like changing jobs are serious decisions that have many different consequences that must be considered. But sometimes, there is a simpler answer. Would your boss let you adjust your schedule to better fit your natural routine and out-of-work obligations? It likely won’t hurt to ask.
Are family obligations causing you to get up early? As mentioned earlier, try making your kids’ lunches the night before. Make sure their school bags are packed when they go to bed.
10. Create a Routine
Have you ever noticed you tend to get tired at the same time every day? That is your circadian rhythm at work. Circadian rhythm is essentially an internal clock inside of you that cycles between tiredness and alertness at regular intervals.
It is important to establish a routine. Getting up early can become part of that routine – something that your internal clock can become adjusted to. So whatever combination of this list works for you, create a process and stick to it. Let your body become accustomed to it. And the routine itself should make getting up even easier.