As a mom myself, I totally get how it feels to be juggling a million tasks and responsibilities all day, every day. Especially with a little one to take care of, it’s easy to feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. But what if I told you that waking up earlier can actually give you a head start on the day and leave you feeling like a brand new person, all refreshed and energized.
That’s right, getting up early can be a game-changer for us who live a modern mom lifestyle. With just a few simple tweaks to your routine and mindset, you can start your mornings with a positive and productive vibe. In this article, I’ll go over some tips on how to make waking up early a habit and start your day feeling fresh and focused.
Why is getting up early so hard?
Getting up early can be a struggle for anyone, but especially for moms who have a lot on their plate. Between the never-ending to-do list, taking care of a little one, managing the household, and trying to squeeze in some me-time or to get some precious shut-eye, it can be tough to drag yourself out of bed in the morning. When the alarm goes off, all you want to do is hit snooze and catch a few more z’s.
One reason that you are having trouble waking up early is because our brains are just not fully awake yet. This is what’s known as sleep inertia. It’s that groggy, foggy feeling we get when we first wake up and it happens because some parts of our brain are still in a sleep state. This sleep inertia actually helps us go back to sleep if we’ve been briefly awoken.
But it’s not just our brains or the lack of sleep that makes it hard to get up early. It’s also the stress and exhaustion that come with being a mom. You’re constantly on the go, taking care of others, and never really taking a moment for yourself. So, when it’s time to start the day, your mind and body are often begging for just a few more minutes of rest.
Not only that, but there’s also the issue of disrupting our sleep routine. When we try to change the time we wake up, it can take a while for our bodies to adjust, leading to disrupted sleep and feeling even more tired.
And lastly, we need to find some serious motivation that are big enough to get us out of the comfortable bed. Let’s be honest, getting up early just to clean the house or do laundry may not be the most motivating thought. It can be tough to find the drive to get out of bed and start the day.
But despite these challenges, waking up early can be a game-changer for moms. It gives us a head start on the day, allowing us to tackle tasks with a fresh mind and energized body.
What is the best time to wake up?
Finding the right wake-up time can be a bit of a challenge. But, science has actually shown that there is a “best” time for us to wake up in order to feel our best.
According to sleep experts, the ideal wake-up time for most people is around 7-9am. This allows us to get a solid 7-9 hours of sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. Of course, everyone is different and hence, the “better” wake-up time depends on the individual and their personal sleep needs and schedule, as well as their daily responsibilities and lifestyle. Some of us may function better with a slightly earlier or later wake-up time.
Waking up early at 5am can give you a head start on the day, allowing you to get a jump on tasks and responsibilities before others are even awake. You can prepare a nice breakfast for your kids and husband, clean the house, or do the laundry. It can also give you some “me” time for a cup of hot tea, or a good book, or even some time for personal activities such as yoga or meditation. However, waking up this early can be difficult, especially if you didn’t get enough sleep the night before. It can also be disruptive to your sleep routine and lead to feelings of fatigue throughout the day.
On the other hand, waking up at 7am allows for a more moderate sleep schedule and can be easier to adjust to than a 5am wake-up time. It also allows for a more consistent sleep schedule, which can be helpful for overall sleep quality. And as a result, it may not give you as much “me time” in the morning and can lead to feeling more rushed in the morning if you have a lot of responsibilities to take care of.
Experimenting with different wake-up times can help you determine what works best for you. But, the bottom line is this: finding the right wake-up time for you is key to feeling your best as a mom. Whether that’s 5am, 7am or 9am, the goal is to get enough sleep each night and wake up feeling all refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead.
How to train your body to get up early?
Training your body to get up early can be a bit of a challenge, but with some effort and patience, it can definitely be done!
Here are a few tips to help you train your body to get up early:
Gradually adjust your bedtime
One of the best ways to train your body to get up early is by gradually adjusting your bedtime. Start by going to bed 15-30 minutes earlier each night until you reach your desired wake-up time. This gradual adjustment will help your body get used to the new schedule.
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule
Once you have adjusted your bedtime, try to stick to a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency is key when it comes to training your body to get up early.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine can help you wind down and prepare for sleep each night. This can include activities such as reading, taking a warm bath, or meditating. Find what works best for you and make it a part of your routine each night.
Avoid screens before bedtime
The blue light emitted by electronic screens can interfere with sleep, so try to avoid using electronic devices (such as phones or computers) for at least an hour before bedtime. Instead, opt for a relaxing activity that will help you unwind and get ready for sleep.
Use an alarm clock: Setting an alarm clock can be a helpful tool in training your body to get up early. Choose an alarm that is not too jarring and place it across the room from your bed. This will force you to physically get out of bed to turn it off, making it harder to hit the snooze button and fall back asleep.
Some useful apps to help you sleep better and wake up earlier
There are a variety of tech and apps available to help moms sleep better at night and wake up earlier in the morning. To motivate youself to stick with a consistent sleep schedule, you can remind yourself of the benefits of getting enough sleep, like having more energy and a clearer mind to tackle the tasks of being a mom. And, if all else fails, you can also try to find a friend to hold you accountable and share your sleep journey with.
- Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock: This app tracks your sleep patterns throughout the night and wakes you up during your lightest sleep stage, so you feel more refreshed and less groggy.
- Calm: Calm offers a range of features to help you wind down and sleep better, including guided meditations, bedtime stories, and sleep sounds.
- Headspace: With Headspace, you can access mindfulness and meditation exercises to help you relax before bed and sleep better at night.
- MyFitnessPal: Using this app, you can track your sleep patterns and set sleep goals, and see how your habits and routines impact your sleep quality.
- Pillow: This sleep tracking app uses your phone’s sensors to monitor your sleep and provides personalized recommendations to help you sleep better.
- Pzizz: Pzizz is a sleep and nap app that uses psychoacoustic principles to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, so you wake up feeling refreshed.
- White Noise: This sleep sound machine app offers a variety of sounds to help you relax and sleep better, including white noise, rain, and ocean sounds.
- Sleep Genius: Sleep Genius uses scientifically proven methods to help you sleep better, including guided meditations, soundscapes, and sleep-enhancing rhythms.
So to sum it up, if you’re like me, you might not consider yourself a morning person, but trust me, getting up early is achievable with some effort and patience. All it takes is having a motivation that is big enough and a plan of what you are going to do with this morning’s extra time. It may be a challenge at first, but once you are able to turn this into a habit, it is completely worth it!