Have you decided that you want to become an early bird but are finding it really difficult to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Here are some of the most common things that you could be doing wrong.
The solution is to try and stick to your regular routine on the weekends, even if you stay up later than usual.
A better solution to the mid-afternoon sleepy blues is a energizing snack or even a bit of outside exercise. An afternoon nap can also be a good solution, so long as you don't go overboard, because...
1. Not Having a Consistent Sleep Schedule
Going to bed at different times every night is one of the worst things you can do to your sleeping body. It'll also subsequently make waking up early difficult. This is because you're not letting yourself get into a good routine and you're probably not getting the correct amount of sleep. Often people will try and make up for a late night with little sleep by going to bed earlier the next night, but this attempt at playing catch up won't work. The answer? Simply try going to sleep at the same time, it'll make your sleep better and getting up easier.2. Sleeping Late on the Weekend
Sleeping in on the weekends is perhaps one of life's greatest pleasures. However, this little indulgence is just as damaging to your biological clock as a long flight. It's a form of social jet lag that resets your internal rhythm, thus making your productivity decrease significantly, as well as making it near impossible to get up early during the rest of the week. In addition, it can cause health concerns, such as being overweight.The solution is to try and stick to your regular routine on the weekends, even if you stay up later than usual.
3. Having a Drink Before You Sleep
Despite the fact that this is considered to be one of the best sleep aids, it's actually terrible for a restful nights slumber. This is because it will increase your deep sleep cycle. Although this sounds like a positive thing, it does so by robbing you of REM sleep, which is imperative for learning and memory. Alcohol can delay your first phase of REM sleep, which will leave your feeling less rested in the morning and therefore make it harder to get up early in the morning. So yes, a bit of booze before bed may help you fall asleep faster, but the quality you get won't be so great.4. Drinking Coffee Late in the Day
This is probably an obvious but often ignored answer to many potential sleeping problems. You feel sleepy in the afternoon so you have a caffeinated solution. Unfortunately, the half life of coffee and other similar beverages is longer than you might think and will thus prevent you from falling asleep at a timely hour.A better solution to the mid-afternoon sleepy blues is a energizing snack or even a bit of outside exercise. An afternoon nap can also be a good solution, so long as you don't go overboard, because...