This one’s more for the ones with ADHD but I keep a drink bottle and my ritalin next to my bed. When my alarm goes off I take the ritalin and chug the water (or something like juice if I really need the novelty). I don’t have much of a chance of falling back asleep and wasting my morning after that and it means I can actually spend the morning doing whatever I need to. We’re in autumn here in Aus so I keep a blanket by the bed that I throw over myself for the walk to the bathroom in the morning because I’m such a wimp about the cold. Also, not morning, but morning related: I leave my wallet and outfit I want to wear tomorrow in the bathroom over night so it’s there when I go to shower in the morning, and I’ll sometimes prepare breakfast the night before, which both make my mornings so much easier.
I really struggle with functioning at the same times as most other people (DSPS) and I’m bad with time management so any little things like that help vastly.My partner sets two alarms, one an hour earlier when they take the adhd medicine and go back to sleep. It has sped up their bed -> outside time significantly.
That’s what I do too. Works really well for me. Might add in the drinking more water part though, I could definitely use some more hydration in my life.
Having coffee and cake for breakfast every day, while also not consuming them at any other time of day.
Absolutely agree. It’s counterintuitive, but waking up earlier than you need to and start your day slowly actually makes you feel more rested and calm (provided you’ve still slept sufficiently)
Have been starting this type of routine too, to help with back problems.
I do 2 stretches & 20 bridges while in bed, then 90sec total of plank & side-planks (30s each side), shower, then 2 stretches per leg after.
In total, it’s less than 5mins, and it’s already made a significant difference for the pain.
It took about a decade to undo the conditioning I gained in college and grad school to wake up every day at noon. Now, ten years later in my early 40s, I’m able to wake up at 10 am.
Some people have different sleep phases, sounds like you have a good understanding of yours. Has it butt up against employment issues in the past?
“helps me want to eat breakfast”
So my brother used to wake up and slam down like 20oz of water in the morning. He noticed it gave him a huge appetite for breakfast and all throughout the day. Ends up that this is an exersize that competitive eaters do. From my understanding, It stretches your stomach out, and the water drains out pretty quickly leaving it empty and ready for a big meal.
My skin doesn’t dry as easily. I no longer feel the need to lotion my hands all the time. Obviously, I drink water during the day but this was the change that started that.
Everything just felt healthier. I woke up more easily for my 6am start at work.
Before I started doing that, it sometimes felt like staying hydrated was constant catching up. Now, it’s more just maintaining.
First thing I do in the morning is dread life itself and my parents choice to have me, then I wish i would die for 5 min, and then I take a glass of water. Also works
Same without the water
Does it work?
It doesn’t, and apparently neither do I
Waking up at 4:30 to hit the gym before work. Took some getting used to, just commit to waking up when your alarm goes off and go through the motions, you will feel good once you start actually exercising. Then eating a nice breakfast after, the best.
I did this too. Eventually I set the alarm for earlier so I could get out of bed to shut it off and still have time to get back to sleep.
I tried the alarm on the other side of the room thing and it consistently ruined my day. Put me in a frustrated and pissed off mood from the start. Now I just force myself to get out of bed immediately when the alarm goes off, no excuses and no snoozing allowed. It sucks, but I’m never late.
All bets are off on the weekend, alarms are only for a damn good reason.
I did something similar during Covid while working from home. I bought a pack of NFC tags and stuck one on the other side of my room. When my alarm went off I had to open the app on my phone to scan the tag to switch it off, worked well the majority of the time.
There’s an app that uses a QR code system for something similar that’s available for free for those interested.
QRAlarm
Flossing. I’m too tired to do it at night.
Sleeping in.
No one seems to have said it yet, but consistency. Waking up at the same time every day including weekends. Eventually, you just wake up early naturally. I get up at 5:30 am every day on the dot with zero alarm just because it’s when I wake up. And I’m never groggy, because I’ve adapted to it. It’s not early anymore it’s just when I wake up
I think the second half to this is that it can’t be a chore. You have to want to wake up. If you wake up and think about how much you hate being awake it will be all the harder
What time do you go to bed?
Between 9 and 10pm most nights
This is great, but wholly impractical for me sadly. I’ve tried to stagger my productive time accordingly.
what about winter
Winter is the same, although it can be noticeably more difficult to recover if your pattern gets disrupted for any reason. So for that I use a light that simulates sunrise
Commuted to work by bicycle.
it’s a 10 minute ride.
flash forward 25 minute ride…just commuting
flash forward 45 minute ride…still just commuting
ended up at 1hr 25 minutes, then alternated with running in the winter & swimming on my lunch break in the summer (I was at a small university).
Turns out my brain is super gullible and is easily fooled by…my brain.
Wow, you got slower and slower. Usually people get better the more they do something.
/s
I’m glad it works for you, but I always hated getting to work very sweaty and then being smelly for the rest of the day when I biked.
Real shower if you can, French shower if you can’t. Wet wipe the pits and butt, air dry, brush hair, deodorant, and some pleasant parfum. Bring a change of clothes.
Or you could just bike slowly and not get all nasty but who wants to do that.
Well, I had uniforms to change into, plus locker room facilities.
The point, really, was that you can fool yourself into getting a routine/exercise.
taking a shower first thing (well, second-- first is a cigarette) while listening to a general news podcast. not only does it wake me up, but it keeps me updated on the general goings-on in the world while getting my brain going. it also keeps me on time rather than dilly-dallying in the shower. 15 minutes in enough time to wash and do some minor stretching in the shower. then a second podcast (usually one on a specific story-of-the-day) while i shave and brush my teeth.
I have this one KILLER technique for getting rid of morning problems. Been using it for years.
I’m an second shifty. :P
(In all seriousness, consistency is a good tactic. Even on your off days, try to get up at about the same time roughly. Makes it easier to get up at that time on your on days.)
