Figuring out your sleep schedule is a significant undertaking of dire necessity. Shut-eye time can determine your health, how well you process information, the way you obtain knowledge, and your energy level for the day. More significantly, there hangs the ever-present societal expectation that people need to be up at a certain time. Oversleeping can be detrimental to your success at work, relationships with colleagues, and ability to accomplish desired goals. Here are some ways to effectively combat the struggle to leave your bed once and for all.
Alarm clocks
Maintaining a solid sleep schedule is less challenging if you invest in the right alarm clock. With so many alarms on the market, knowing which one will be most effective may be difficult. I’ve listed a couple of my favorite devices that have prevented me from hitting the snooze button.
- Ruggie-alarm-clock: Find an alarm clock that forces you to stand up and separate yourself from the bed to turn it off. The alarm won’t shut off until you stand on the rug for a set duration. Many times, the most difficult part of waking up is physically tearing yourself away from your bed. “Ruggie” eliminates the opportunity to hit snooze and gets you on your feet. Another way to “stand up and go” is by placing your phone far away from your bed before setting your alarm.
- Sunrise Alarm: A sunrise clock will illuminate the room gradually, waking you up naturally with light.
- Clocky: “Clocky” sounds an alarm before scaling the room on its two wheels. You’ll find yourself chasing around the alarm clock before turning off the siren.
The “1, 2, 3….go!” Rule
Freedom is a perk of adulthood–but also a disadvantage. You are at liberty to decide your own sleep schedule and whether you wake up for work. So, establishing rules for yourself is crucial to executing your goals. You can instill rules in all aspects of your life; for instance, “I won’t eat dessert until after 10 pm,” or “I will only spend x amount on coveted product this month.” In applying this to your sleep schedule, enforce upon yourself the “1…2…3” rule: give yourself exactly three seconds to get out of bed. The simplicity of this rule can be deceiving, since implementing this into your morning routine can actually be difficult. Yet if you abide by the mandate “I will put my feet on the ground in three seconds,” every morning, you will struggle less with waking up.
Find a Motivational reason
An incentive to leave your bed can eliminate procrastination to wake up. Having to be somewhere at a certain time can convince your sleepy self to let go of the sheets. Without a motive to get up, I’ve found myself dozing off, plagued with the subconscious thought, “I’m not missing anything.” By giving yourself an obligation, you may find yourself less inclined to linger in bed. The stress of going back to sleep when others are relying on your attendance may dissuade you from hitting that snooze button.
Open your blinds
Opening your curtains-even a little-decreases melatonin production. Cracking open the shades will be a natural remedy for impulses to snooze. Additionally, letting in sunlight will regulate your sleep schedule. Ever wonder how people woke up before alarm clocks were invented? Ancient Greeks and Egyptians referred to sundials and massive obelisks to indicate the time by analyzing the movement of a shadow cast by the sun. For thousands of years, sunlight has been a beneficial tool to help people regulate time.
Regulate your sleep
A French tech firm named Withings claimed that the average hours of sleep per person is a mere 6 hours and 48 minutes per night. Yet humans need 7-9 hours of rest which indicates that many Americans might be suffering from sleep deprivation. Dragging yourself out of bed can be more difficult when you lack sufficient sleep. In order to stop struggling in the morning, ensure that your bedtime and wake up hour is consistent.
Sources:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-science-of-sleep-understanding-what-happens-when-you-sleep
57% of Americans Hit the Snooze Button
Is Hitting the Snooze Button Bad for your Health?
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/how-to-get-the-perfect-nights-sleep/
