Do you find it hard to wake up each day? Then you may inadvertently be snoozing through some of life’s best opportunities.
These days, the desired eight hours of sleep per night has taken a cut, resulting in most of us running businesses and families in sleep-deprived state.
Today the average nights sleep is 6.5 hours, so not only are we going to bed more tired, but we’re waking up lethargic as well.
Fatigue and general tiredness is linked to a huge number of psychological effects, including stress, poor judgment, memory lapses, faltering concentration, lack of attention to detail and focus, and a dip in creativity. Therefore, it doesn’t hold us in very good stead to get the most out of our lives each and every day.
So, getting enough sleep, or maximizing that which you can maintain, and reinventing yourself as a morning person, can have huge impacts on your motivation and success each day.
Here are five ways to do just that.
Quality Not Quantity:
A nap is not sleep. To ensure you get quality sleep, you have to enjoy the three phases of snooze which take up eight hours: the first three hours are the deepest slumber when the body goes into repair mode, the middle two hours accommodate REM sleep whereby the melatonin kicks in to increase antioxidants in the body and the last three hours is when even deeper REM nestles in, the skin temperature drops and muscles and mind truly relax.
Turn off. Tune out:
Keep the bedroom a screen-free zone. This includes phones, televisions, tablets and computers. It’s not that hard once you start. Bring back the paperback and watch TV in the TV room. Makes sense, right? Keep the boudoir stress-free and only use your phone for the alarm. It can be tough, but once you restrict technology, you will find it much easier to close the door on the day, and welcome the slumber. In the morning, ensure your children or partners faces – or your brewing coffee – are the first thing you stare lovingly at, rather than your overnight Instagram feed or Facebook page.
Lighten Up:
Your lifestyle can have a huge effect on your sleeping patterns, but your lighting may have an even bigger influence, a recent paper issued by Phillips reveals. Production of melatonin – the hormone that helps induce sleepiness and which regulates our sleep/wake cycle – is directly impacted by light. Not only natural light but
also artificial light. The paper showed that brighter morning light has a powerful effect on adjusting the body clock, and is key to overcoming ‘jet lag’ and morning blues. So, go for sheerer curtains or keep them open a crack so that you are woken naturally, and not within a dark, evening-atmosphere.
Don’t snack yourself to sleep:
Snacking after dinner – or late into the night – is rarely sparked by hunger, but more so, tiredness and boredom. Don’t look for answers in the fridge. Go to bed! Better yet, brush your teeth straight after dinner – or when the kids do – and then you won’t be tempted to indulge again. Not only will you avoid putting on weight, but you will wake up fresher and more revitalized as your digestive system has had a rest overnight also. If you absolutely must have something sweet before slumber, make it a herbal tea that can help – not hinder – relaxation.
Get up, Get Going:
Don’t press snooze. Get up and get going in the morning – physically and mentally – get your routine on so that there is no time wasted in taking on the day. To get great clarity of mind and body, kick-start your digestive system with a glass of warm water with half a lemon squeezed into it before breakfast or coffee And whilst in the shower, thank the universe for three things each morning to set your mind into the morning habit of positive thinking – even if everything goes to pot from 9am onwards!