17 Ways to Wake Up Feeling Fresh in the Morning
Okay so we know that waking up and doing things in the morning is the best way to achieve our goals in life. We can exercise, study, work, meditate, etc. much better than other times in the day. However, most of us feel pretty crap in the morning.
So what can we do about it? How can we wake up ready for work?
Update: You might want to check out this post that has advice from a Buddhist Yogi about waking up early.
Ways to wake up feeling fresh in the morning
Here are some things you can do in the short term and the long term so that you will wake up fresh and energetic in the morning. I’ve divided them up into three sections; (1) the night before and (2) during the night and (3) the morning.
The Night Before
1. Avoid coffee, red wine and chocolate the night before
To wake up fresh you need to get a good sleep and one of the best ways to ruin a good sleep is to upset your gut. You really need to keep it happy during the night.
Coffee, red wine and chocolate have been scientifically shown to disturb your sleep more than any other food. They upset your intestines in such a way that you will wake up constantly or have a very light sleep that doesn’t re charge you at all. Try not to have these things after lunch time.
2. Go to bed happy with your partner
One of the best ways to get a terrible sleep is to go to bed before you solve a problem with your partner. In my relationship I never let the sun set on an argument, even if I have to compromise a little bit on my own ego.
Before you go to bed make sure your partner is happy (as much as you can) and make sure that you are happy with them. It is also one of the best things you can do for your relationship, let alone your sleep.
3. Meditate, pray and calm down before going to bed
Every night before I go to bed I do about 30 minutes to an hour of meditation. This is amazing as it allows you to throw out all the days worries and forget about the worries of tomorrow. The future cannot be changed while you are asleep and the past is gone so there is no point losing sleep over it! Let it go.
Meditate or pray or do whatever you do. Simply sitting there and watching your breath is a great way to prepare yourself for a nice deep sleep. Check out this post if you want to learn to do a quick little stress relieving meditation.
4. Don’t eat dinner right before bed
A lot of people run home after work, cook up some dinner and then eat it and go to bed. This is a bad idea. The process of digestion takes a while and you do not want to be laying down right after you ate a big meal. Try and leave a few hours in between your bedtime and your dinner and see how you feel the next day.
5. Organize your room according to Feng Shui principles
I know a lot of you probably think that Feng Shui is a load of bull but just give me a second to convince you that it actually has some “western logic” behind it.
For those of you who don’t know Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese art of setting up your home in a way that balances the energies and vibes by putting furniture in certain “hot spots”.
The bedroom is particularly important and I have found that since I arranged my room according to Feng Shui principles I have had a much more “rested” sleep. In particular the placement of your bed is important. Feng Shui tells us that you should sleep where you can see the door but not be in he direct path of the door opening. This helps us sleep with a sense of security. I can see the practical reason for this. You can get some more bedroom Feng Shui tips here.
6. Go to the toilet
Even if you do not need to go to the toilet before bed you should still have a go and squeeze out whatever you can. The reason for this is that the kidneys will continue to work during the night and by the morning your bladder will be nice and full. If your bladder fills up early you might feel the need to go during the night and this cuts out valuable time from your sleep.
You might think that sleeping is about the total time spent asleep but this is incorrect. It is important to stay asleep without breaking it because it takes some hours to get into the “zone” where you are truly at rest. A toilet break interrupts this zone.
During the Night
7. Not too hot, not too cold
Another sleep related tip: your sleep is greatly affected by the how hot or cold you are during the night. It is important to get a good balance as this keep your energies calm and stops them from spiking.
Try and find a balance between clothes and bed covers. For example, I like to sleep without any clothes but with a heavy blanket. This keeps my temperature pretty consistent.
8. Keep the window open
One of the best things you can do for your health in general and your sleep in specific is to keep your window slightly open during the night. This has two benefits.
photo credit: volvidejapon
Firstly, the gap in the window will allow poisonous carbon dioxide to float away. The reason the human body breathes out is because carbon dioxide is poisonous. And during the night you take a heck of a lot of breaths and your room fills up with this gas. Let it out the window.
The second reason is that you need to allow new oxygen to float in. This might also help you regulate the temperature of the room.
9. Keep your sleep consistent
People think that you MUST have eight hours sleep to get enough.
Not true.
It is more important to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time everyday. Not everyone needs eight hours. In fact, if I get eight hours sleep I usually feel tired and groggy for the entire day. Six to seven hours is about right for me.
Start by setting your bedtime at the same time each night. Forget what is on the television and just go to bed at say 11pm each night. After a while start setting your alarm for the same time each day; even on weekends. If you don’t start waking up fresher and happier each morning I will write you a personal apology.
10. Cut out noise, it’s actually killing you!
I recently read in New Scientist Magazine that your life is actually being shortened by noise during the night. Yep, that’s right… that screaming police car or roaring traffic is actually killing you! The magazine said that the noise has an effect on your heart and waking up many times during the night puts your body under a lot of stress.
Try and keep your room quiet by wearing some earplugs. You can get earplugs that only cancel out certain sounds so that you can still hear your alarm or a baby monitor on your bedside table.
The Morning
11. Drink a glass of water
A cool glass of water on an empty stomach actually has a lot of health benefits as well as serving to wake you up. The water will kick start your metabolism and as such you will wake up faster and feel more alert.
12. Exercise
When you are groggy in the morning and nice run in the fresh air can wake you up fast. However, the interesting thing is that when you exercise in the morning you will actually have more energy the NEXT day. The more you exercise the more energy you will have as you become fitter and healthier.
If you need some tips to get up and exercise early check out this post on early morning exercise hacks.
13. Don’t drink coffee… everyday
Science is now showing that our body becomes accustomed to the caffeine in our coffee and we have less of a reaction to it. This means that your daily cup of coffee is waking you up less and less every day that you drink it.
A better idea is to save the morning coffee for when you are really tired and need a little bit of help. Perhaps if you had to stay out late or get up extra early and you have disturbed your regular sleeping habit. This is the time to have a cup of coffee.
14. Breathe deeply
The first thing you should do in the morning is take some deep breaths into your stomach and concentrate on waking up. Imagine breathing in a bright white light that makes your body feel happy and light.
15. Have something to be excited about
If you get up and go to a job you hate to work with a boss that drives you crazy you are not going to really enjoy waking up. However, if you have something you enjoy to go to you will be more likely to wake up happy knowing you have a bit of joy coming your way.
If you can’t leave your terrible boss then you should make time in the morning to do some sport or activity that makes you happy. Start your day with something happy and fun as opposed to starting it with work.
16. Get up straight away
When I was in the Himalayas a buddhist master told me that one of the best things you can do to wake up early and feel alert and fresh is to get up straight away. As soon as your alarm goes off you should get up without snoozing it over and over again.
He said to me half jokingly: “You have to get up before your self cherishing does”.
17. Be grateful for not dying
The Buddha said that every time you go to bed you should consider that you won’t wake up. That way, when you wake up you will be especially grateful for the day you have ahead of you. Instead of seeing the day as a burden that you have to “get through” you will see it as an opportunity to do something meaningful and beneficial.
Why? Because you could die tonight.
When applied correctly this realization will bring you tremendous energy.
Conclusion on waking up freshly
Each of these tips works. I have tried it on myself and my friends. And the great thing is that the more of these tips you apply the fresher you will feel when you wake up. Try them yourself.
Do you have any other to add? I’d love to hear them!
**Top 10 Daily Mind post.**
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Stacey Derbinshire
I find that keeping the window open really helps the most. I love the cool air as I drift off into la la land!
Make sure you get a fly screen though or you’ll be full of mossies!!
BIH
Man this post is exactly what I need. I talked to my doctor about lack of sleep and all he did was put me on sleeping pills and told me to relax. Your suggestions are much more practical and doable.
Thank you. I’ll let you know how it goes….
Hey TDM.
Great post! Keep up the good work.
I find that if I cut out TV and computer before bed my mind is calmer and I sleep better and wake up fresher. Thats my tip.
Jane
Stacey – thanks for adding us. Feel free to tell your friends!!
BIH – Thanks for the tips. We get heaps of mossies down here because we live next to a lake! Fly screen is a must.
Sleep deprived idiot – I really hope this stuff helps you. Sleeplessness sucks! Good luck. And please do let us know how it goes.
Jane – Nice tip Jane! Thanks for commenting again.
TDM
Carbon dioxide poisonous? That’s a new theory. Sure you didn’t mean carbon monoxide? If you did that’s irrelevant to your article.
“Pray”? “Be grateful for not dying”? “Organize your room according to Feng Shui principles”? I’m sold. You won’t hear me as a scientist argue with you, ms. New Age.
Tom – Carbon dioxide is not good for the body, that’s why we breathe it out. Maybe saying “poison” is too far but the effect it has on the cells is not good. While the amount that builds up in your room over night is not enough to do any serious damage I firmly believe that ventilation is important. Fresh air is better than air you have already breathed.
New Age Dreamer – Don’t knock it til you tried it buddy!
As a scientist you should know the effect that meditation has on the mind and body. Clinical studies support this fact. Studies being done with HH the Dalai Lama in the USA (some at Johns Hopkins) are showing that buddhism’s knowledge of the mind far exceeds western science at this point. I can find at least ten quotes from leading experts if you like that support this fact. So how can you, as a scientist, knock the idea that meditation might help sleep?
As a scientist you should also be keeping an open mind. Am I wrong?
If you had all the answers why’d ya read the post?
Love it!
TDM
The Daily Minder, our scientist friend didn’t say anything about meditation not being helpful. It was about feng shui, praying, and being grateful for not dying.
New Agey people abuse science to push their ideas.
maybe this will help knock the socks off my silly lingering depression that has chewed a chunk out of my happy days! i believe this will help. thanks for your hard work in pointing out the right things to do.
I like to smoke a good doobie, just before bed. I find it relaxes me.
I loved reading this. It all makes complete sense to. I have always slept with the window open, but I find it hard to go to sleep at night, but am easy at getting up in the morning, otherwise my daughter will be late for school. I am definitely going to try these tips.
Lakhvir – Good luck mate; I hope it helps.
Rate – Not sure about that one! lol
LeAnne – Let us know how it goes. Glad you liked it!
TDM
Great post. I think your point number two is very important although they all make good sense… however I think it’s good to just have a “blow-out” now and then to bring some variation into my life
Thanks Dave. I agree – the occasional late night is a good idea.
TDM
What many people don’t realize is that the position of their bed may also be hindering a good night’s sleep. According to Feng Shui, you want to be able to see the door when you are lying down, helping to protect you from energetic ’surprises’ that can keep you from resting.
You can learn more ways to create a sanctuary in your bedroom that promotes a good night’s sleep every night at http://www.ArtOfPlacement.com.
I think waking up to the sound of birds outside a window on a limb, and some dim light coming in but not shining directly on your face — that makes a huge difference in how you feel.
I like no.17, being grateful for not dying overnight. It really puts things in perspective when you think about it that way!
Super Mike – That sounds really nice! I’ll have to plant some trees by my window.
Jose – It really is a wonderful lesson that one. Hope it helps.
TDM
The fresh air makes a huge difference! DEEP sleep.
One thing that I find SERIOUSLY missing from your very good blog, is a discussion of vitamin B12 and how if someone is low in B12 they may suffer from insomnia as well as peripheral neuropathy and memory loss.
I took 30mg Dalmain for years in order to sleep.
After I had B12 replacement therapy and began taking the smallest dose of melatonin available I began sleeping normally. And, LOVING it!
Brett – Sure does!
Consider This – That is a really good idea mate. I think I’m gonna look into that!
TDM
thanks so much for these tips, very helpful but I would like to add that what also helps me is having a nice hot shower before bed, relaxes my muscles and also my mind ^_^
make sure you put lotion on after though, don’t want dry skin >.<
Daily Thinker – Another excellent tip I hadn’t thought of. I often have a hot shower after the gym right before bed – exercise + hot shower = solid sleep!
Thanks!
TDM
Another tip: when you wake up, think of something you are happy and grateful for, and really feel it. You’ll start your day refreshed.
Dadshouse – That is the way! That sets the mood for the whole day and turns it into something beneficial as opposed to something you have to “get through”.
Thanks for the comment.
TDM
I’m about to go to bed and I’ve just re-opened my window I closed only moments ago after “Stumble!ing” onto your article.
I’ve found the longest, deepest sleeps I’ve ever had were at my dad’s old house. My room was in the roof and I had black out blinds. When down the room would be pitch black. You couldn’t see your own hand one inch from your face. I’ll admit it was a bit disorrentating waking up in darkness. After one of the best sleeps of your life to find out that it is in fact 2pm and it’s bright and sunny outside, when moments ago you awoke in a pitch black room. I do wish I had them again.
I’m going to make the effort to try and get up before I snooze for over an hour each morning. Yes, thats right, I snooze soooo long that I need a back up alarm set in case I fall asleep again. Plus I usually feel more awake when I first awaken then after my extra snooze hour.
And whoever said exercise and a hot shower. Number one winning combination for an amazing sleep. Add in what you’ve said above and I’m guessing I’d sleep for days.
D
Anyway it’s gone 4 so it’s time for bed. Goodnight. Scott
Scott that is an awesome comment! That room at your dad’s sounds sweet.
Snoozing really isn’t a good idea.
Come back and let us know how you go after not snoozing for so long. My bet is you’ll feel better at the end of the day.
TDM
I find that taking a short, warm-lukewarm shower in the morning before you start the day refreshes the mind and basically creates a clean mind for the day ahead.
This is a GREAT post! Such helpful tips, I’m going to try some of these (Sometimes I feel like a complete zombie in the mornings). I’ve also found it helpful to time my sleep cycle by 1.5 hours. 1.5 hours = one sleep cycle. If you can get a couple of these uninterrupted, then you’ll wake up feeling more refreshed. I’ve heard 4 cycles (6 hours) is a good amount.
There are a few great tips here that I haven’t tried and a few that I have that do work wonders!
I have bipolar disorder so during a manic phase which can last up to 2 weeks I suffer from dramatic insomnia!
My doctor prescribed sleeping pills but before resorting to those, I like trying a hot bath/jaccuzzi/sauna before bed-that’s a surefire way to knock me out!
Another good tip is to refrain from afternoon naps during the day and do some type of physical activity daily so that by evening you are wiped and will sleep deep and wake refreshed.
In my particular case, I do benefit from occasionally smoking a little *recreational-use* marijuana before bed if I am in a totally restless manic phase, but it is NOT medically prescribed to me. (This does leave me feeling groggy the next morning-so it’s just a tip for those that are suffering from anxiety or can’t calm their mind before bed and at their wits end!)
Hi Manic.
Thanks for the huge comment! A bath sounds nice.
As for the dope – isn’t that supposed to be dangerous for people who suffer from your condition? I’d be interested to know.
Thanks for stopping by.
TDM
I often think about all that I am grateful for in my life as I get ready to go to sleep. This helps me dream of positive things and therefore sleep more peacefully. If I have a concern, I first think of those reasons for gratitude, then apply that emotion to the possibility of a resolution to the issue. Often I will dream the solution and awaken feeling better!
Debbie it sounds like you have a very clear mind to be able to do that! Congrats.
TDM
what about taking an anti-inflamatory (ibuprofen) b4 going to bed? i find it sometimes relaxes me.
and drinking a glass of water b4 bed? would that help?
and napping in the afternoon or late afternoon?
i’m talking anywhere from 1/2 hour to 2hours.
sometimes i feel like this makes me too awake during the night but at the same time i just can’t stay awake because i’ll be so tired from not sleeping at night.
let me know!
Hi Lackofsleeper –
I think drinking water before bed is not a great idea because you will usually wake up during the night to go to the toilet.
Don’t nap too much or you won’t be tired.
TDM
cold shower
Hello,
I would like to add that a dark room might also help you to obtain a good, deep sleep.
I just stumbled in. Fortunately I don’t have a lot of trouble sleeping.
Shakin – really? Are you sure? lol
Tobias – Someone else mentioned a dark room. I reckon you are spot on – it is essential.
TDM
I hope I can get a good nights sleep after reading this informative article. I totally agree with having something to look forward to helps you sleep better.
Sleeping with the window open? I don’t know where you guys live but i’m pretty sure my little student house would get broken into!
Yeah perhaps sleeping with a window open isn’t a good idea in every city!
Thanks for all the support with this post guys – it’s gone really well and I think we’ve helped a lot of people.
TDM
Some great ideas… thanks! I often get asked how I have so much energy and can honestly say that the techniques you have described above work! I hope people take note and make the changes required! Keep up the excellent work!
I would like to add that a dark room might also help you to obtain a good, deep sleep. Taking a few deep breaths and relaxing from head to toes helps.
I also think meditating while lying down does wonders. I read in a book recently that visualizing a tree with its root growing out of the earth is a great metaphor for relaxing you.
Thanks guys! Leslie – I really like that one about the tree.
TDM
Great post. I always had troubles getting up right away. Now I just place my alarm clock out of reach: I have to get out of bed to turn it off. And when I am out of bed, it is easier to start your morning routine.
Awesome John! I am glad that one worked for you.
I’ve actually read that one should never exercise in the first hour of waking because it’s bad for the spine and joints. Here’s the reason I remember: when sleeping your spine gets more blood in it, as well as most of your joints. If you exert too much pressure on these areas before they return to normal, it can actually damage the joints and spine.
What I suggest is getting up, drinking that glass of water, eating a meal, then once it’s digested, go for a little jog. That way you’re rehydrated, full and have kick-started your metabolism by eating, and are ready to take on the day.
That is really interesting Cade. I’m going to look in to this further.
TDM
I have to disagree about chocolate. I keep a couple of small chocolate mints on my bedside table. If I happen to awake in the night and have trouble going back to sleep, I flip one of those chocolates in my mouth. Within moments, I´m back sleeping like a baby. Works every time.
Going to bed with your partner is always the best. Waking up and seeing the other person in your arms smiling with you in theirs is the ultimate way to wake up happy.
Thanks for your gr8 tips.I always had the problem but now no more.I have been practsing for month and now i am adapted to it. Thanks a lot>>>
I like all this. My usual caffine intake is Tea. I normally drink around lunch time though. The only day that I have to fight going to bed at a normal time when I get tired is Thursdays for the next nine weeks so far. That is because I go to school online and that day I have an online Seminar at 9pm CST. Question is, how long before bed should we wait after eating supper? I also have to take Dilantin every night before bed. I wind up getting up to use the bathroom to let out the water I drink with the meds. They make me sleepy. Around what time should I take those to where I don’t have to get up? The bedroom part has to wait until we get a house. Our bed is in the “livingroom”. No matter how we put the bed, we can see the door. How can I meditate and make my mind relaxed? Some how it is working 24/7.
i never seem to get enough sleep. there just aren’t enough hours in the day! my philosophy is that if everyone slowed down at the same time then we would all be happier people!
Using the bathroom before bed is crucial for people that drink a lot of beverages. It’s important to prevent any breaks in your sleep cycle.
jeez, don’t be so obvious about your psuedo-eastern style tips. You people are very, very annoying. You probably blindly follow the ‘green’ movement scam, trumped up by Gore and his slick salesmen.
Put down the frappachino, stop reading books about new age, eastern crap, solely designed to put money in somebody’s pocket and go learn something useful.
Breathing in white lights? LOL.
Thanks This was very Helpfull I apreciate it much
because IM abosulty impossible to get myself up in the morning
thank you very much person i dont know.
Loved this post… I’m not an early bird, myself, so getting up when that abnoxious beeping alarms is definitely an obstacle for me. The only thing I can think of that you may have missed throughout this blog, is… TURN THE LIGHTS ON. Sometimes I find that if I only turn a low light on, I still feel like I’m in relax mode… which doesn’t help. Brighter lights help me wake up!
Interesting post! Sleep is so important, especially in these highly stressful times. I will use the information in my clinical work.
Pfft, I must laugh… Pray/meditate before going to bed.. Come on, get real suckers
I tried the number 16 and it works perfect! Very nice tutorial!
I think everything you have said is complete tosh, I have been on holiday in Goa for a month, with my family, we would go out every evening for dinner, mainly beautiful curries drink wine , beer and go to bed at the end of the eveining fairly stuffed, but happy! In the morning I woke up fresh, clear head and raring to go.
Back home in London, I get back to my normal routine, eat a good meal around 6 no wine or beer (work in the morning) and bed about 1030! Wake up in the morning feeling like s**t, stuffed up nose, dry throat,just rotten really, at least for about an hour.
So I didn’t consider any of those things you have advised, in Goa, and I won’t consider them back home, what I’ll do, is move to a less polluted part of the world, and I guarantee that will sort me out. Meditate!? Pray!? Ha Ha Ha
Wow this really helpped. THanks, dawgg. Like, yo those tips rocked! instead of sleepin inn till 2 pm, i only slept unttil 1:59pm. serously yo, thank ya
This really helped, i never knew i was doing so much to harm my body, when i wake up im still soo tierd and i always want to go back to sleep but tonight i will try this! (even as you said missing my fave programme lol)
Thnx so much you are clever lol!!
Have a Nice Day (and sleep lol)
Sadie xx
P.s don’t listen to them horrible commenters!
I would also suggest waking up every day at the same time, it is actually the best method to schedule your body. For ex. if you wake up every day at 7am, one night you go to sleep at 1am, the next day you ll be so tired, that you will go to bed earlier. In a very short time you will get great results. If you think of it, when you went to school you always woke at the same time, and it worked.
Great post.It does help a lot!
Great post! I just saw this in my inbox a few minutes ago, and I feel A LOT better after reading it. I was kind of nervous because I start a new job tomorrow and I think this will help me heaps since I’ve been having really bad sleeping patterns for the past few months. Just wanted to say thanks
I can’t seem to find any thing regarding the note at the top of this post:
**This is part of our ongoing tribute to The Daily Minder, publishing his most popular posts of all time.**
doesn’t sound good
Great Post, the best way to feel fresh in the morning is a nice cold shower, and a really big dump in the toilet! lool..it may sound funny…but it is so true, another thing to do for waking up would be, to think positive instantly, and think of all the things you can do today, and become more pro active, this will help the mind become stronger, and at the same time you will get a lot done.
I think drinking water before bed is great. But if you overdoes on the H2o, your body may send you into a wet dream where you have to run into the bathroom, to release your intake.
A quick tip for you guys reading is to, go to bed thinking of good thoughts only. It a great way to end the night and start the next morning happy, refilled(h2o example),and refreshed.
Peace, Ya’ll
Jensen- The Daily Mind was sold some time ago to our company- Splashpress Media: http://www.splashpress.com/2009/splashpress-acquires-the-daily-mind/ and we were very happy that “The Daily Minder” continued to stay on and write at this blog for over a year. Sadly, for personal reasons, he stopped at the end of May and we have since been looking for a suitable replacement. It shouldn’t be long now and apologies to you and all the readers for the gap in fresh content. I’ve changed that note in these “top posts” we’re republishing in the meantime- to avoid confusion.
Thanks for your patience and trust me when I say we do intend to carry this unique and valuable online resource forward with pride and effort.