You know those mornings when you feel like you’ve been woken up by a foghorn, and your body wants nothing more than to sink back into the mattress? Those moments make it seem impossible to kickstart your day. But waking up feeling more refreshed isn’t some distant dream—it’s completely achievable with a few mindful changes to your nightly and morning routine.
If you’re tired of feeling, well, tired when you wake up, here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure you start each day with a burst of energy.
1. Set the Scene for Quality Sleep
The journey to a refreshed morning begins the night before. Creating a space conducive to restful sleep can make all the difference. Start by focusing on a few key elements:
- Lighting: You want a space that signals to your brain when it’s time to wind down. This means eliminating harsh, artificial lighting. Consider dimmable, warm-toned lights like the Philips Hue White Ambiance Bulbs (available on Amazon). These allow you to adjust the tone to help your body transition from day to night.
- Temperature Control: Your room should be cool—ideally around 65°F (18°C). This temperature helps your body maintain a lower core temperature, which is key to falling asleep quickly. A reliable option for a comfortable environment is the Dyson Pure Cool Link Air Purifier. This unit not only keeps your room at an ideal temperature but also purifies the air for better breathing.
- Bedding: If you’re tossing and turning, it’s possible your mattress or bedding isn’t doing you any favors. Opt for a memory foam mattress like the highly-rated Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress. It contours to your body, providing better support for a deep sleep. A set of breathable, soft sheets also goes a long way—try the Mellanni Bed Sheet Set, a best-seller on Amazon for a reason.
2. Practice a Relaxing Bedtime Routine
A chaotic mind before bed means a chaotic wake-up. Develop a nightly routine that helps you unwind, sending signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep.
- Disconnect From Screens: The blue light from your phone, tablet, or TV can confuse your internal clock. It’s a good idea to avoid screens at least 30 minutes before bed. Instead, swap out screen time for a relaxing read. You might even find the Kindle Paperwhite useful, as it comes with an adjustable warm light to reduce eye strain.
- Relax with Aromatherapy: Essential oils like lavender are fantastic for winding down. Using a diffuser, like the InnoGear Essential Oil Diffuser, can fill your room with calming scents. Lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood are great oils to help cue sleepiness.
- Journaling or Meditation: Journaling can help empty your mind of lingering worries or to-dos before sleep. Alternatively, try meditation. Using an app like Calm or Headspace provides guided meditations, but even just five minutes of deep breathing can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation.
3. Set a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Your body loves routine. Sticking to the same sleep and wake times each day will help regulate your internal clock, making it easier to wake up feeling energized. This consistency helps you get quality sleep cycles, ensuring you complete full rounds of the important restorative stages of sleep.
Try to set a specific bedtime and an alarm to wake up at the same time—even on weekends. It may seem strict, but eventually, you’ll notice you’re waking up naturally at the same time, with no grogginess in sight.
4. Limit Late-Night Eating and Drinking
You’d be surprised how much your diet impacts your ability to feel refreshed in the morning. Avoid heavy meals and snacks within two hours of going to bed. Late-night eating can interfere with melatonin production, the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep.
Also, be mindful of caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours, so that post-dinner coffee may impact your sleep more than you realize. Alcohol may help you fall asleep quickly, but it disturbs your sleep cycles, particularly REM sleep, leaving you feeling unrefreshed.
5. Optimize Your Wake-Up Environment
Waking up is much easier when your environment welcomes you. A gradual wake-up simulates a natural sunrise, which encourages your body to ease out of deep sleep.
- Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock: Consider using a wake-up light, such as the Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light. This clock gradually gets brighter over a 30-minute period, helping your body wake up more naturally and reducing the chances of grogginess from being yanked out of deep sleep.
- Natural Sounds: If you find jarring alarms a painful way to start the day, use natural sounds like birds chirping or gentle ocean waves. Many wake-up lights come with these options, but apps like Sleep Cycle also have them.
6. Fuel Yourself Properly in the Morning
How you wake up and nourish your body is crucial to feeling refreshed. Start by rehydrating—a glass of water first thing in the morning helps rehydrate your body after hours without fluids.
Next, focus on a balanced breakfast. Your meal should include a mix of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates. Think of meals like oatmeal topped with berries and a spoonful of almond butter, or scrambled eggs with avocado and whole-grain toast. Avoid sugary cereals that will lead to an energy crash.
For coffee lovers, try to wait at least 30 minutes after waking before you reach for your first cup. This is because cortisol (a hormone that wakes you up) is high in the morning. Drinking coffee right away can interfere with the natural rise of cortisol, potentially making you feel more tired later.
7. Incorporate Morning Movement
Movement in the morning can be transformative for your energy levels. This doesn’t mean an intense workout, unless that’s something you enjoy, but even gentle yoga or a brisk 10-minute walk can be beneficial.
Morning stretching helps increase blood flow, improves flexibility, and releases endorphins, all of which can improve your mood and energy. You might enjoy a guided yoga session using a mat like the Gaiam Essentials Thick Yoga Mat, a highly-rated option for comfort and support.
8. Let Natural Light In
Sunlight is a natural way to reset your internal clock. First thing in the morning, try to get as much natural light exposure as possible—open the blinds, take your breakfast outside, or even go for a walk. Light exposure helps suppress melatonin, boosting your alertness.
If natural light isn’t an option (maybe your mornings are dark or you work early), a Verilux HappyLight Light Therapy Lamp can mimic sunlight and help kickstart your energy for the day.
9. Reduce Sleep Interruptions
Sleep interruptions impact your ability to wake up feeling refreshed. To limit disturbances:
- Block Out Noise: If you’re sensitive to sounds, a white noise machine can help. The LectroFan High Fidelity White Noise Machine is highly rated and offers a variety of sounds to drown out disruptive noises.
- Earplugs and Eye Mask: If you live in a noisy or bright area, consider using soft earplugs and a sleep mask like the MZOO Sleep Eye Mask. This contoured mask doesn’t press on your eyes and effectively blocks out all light.
- Manage Pets or Partners: If your sleep is often interrupted by a restless partner or pets jumping on and off the bed, it’s worth reevaluating your sleeping arrangements. Sometimes this might mean setting boundaries with pets or investing in a larger mattress.
10. Mental Strategies for a Positive Wake-Up
Your mindset also plays a huge role in how refreshed you feel upon waking.
- Practice Gratitude: As soon as you wake up, think of three things you are grateful for. It could be something as simple as the warmth of your bed or a good book you’re excited to read. Focusing on the positive helps you start the day with a good attitude.
- Avoid Your Phone First Thing: Checking emails, news, or social media as soon as you wake up can lead to stress before you’ve even gotten out of bed. Make it a goal to keep your phone out of reach and focus on your morning routine first—it will help preserve your mental energy.
11. Supplement Wisely
If you’re still struggling to wake up refreshed despite all these changes, you might want to consider natural supplements. Magnesium is well-known for its calming properties and can help promote better sleep. The Natural Vitality Calm Magnesium Powder is an easy way to up your intake. Similarly, melatonin can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle if your schedule has been irregular.
Before taking any supplement, consult with a healthcare professional, especially if you are on other medications or have underlying health issues.
12. Know When to Seek Help
Sometimes, chronic tiredness is a sign of an underlying issue such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or even an imbalance in hormones. If you’re following all the above strategies and still waking up exhausted, it may be time to talk to a doctor or a sleep specialist.
Final Thoughts
Waking up feeling refreshed is about creating habits that support a good night’s sleep and encouraging a healthy morning routine. It’s about balance: providing the right environment, nurturing your body and mind, and being consistent. While it might take some trial and error to find what works best for you, each small change brings you closer to mornings where you feel ready to conquer the day—alert, refreshed, and energized.
Take a look at your nightly and morning habits today. Start small. Whether it’s investing in a light alarm clock, setting a consistent bedtime, or trying some morning stretches, each positive step will make your mornings that much brighter.