By Olivia Elgart for DailyMail.com
1. Drink water
Before you go to bed, leave a glass of water or water bottle out on your nightstand for the next morning.
When you wake up, drink water to help your body get hydrated, plus it helps kick your body’s metabolism into gear.
2. Place your alarm clock strategically
When your alarm clock is right next to you, within an arm’s length, whether it’s a phone or an actual clock, makes it easy to just tap it to snooze.
So, place the device further away from your bad, so that when your alarm goes off, you can’t just reach over and tap it. Instead, you’re actually forced to get up, get out of bed and turn it off.
3. Open the blinds
Seeing the sun peek through your windows in the morning can be frustrating and annoying, but it’s a simple way to alert you that it’s time to get up.
Before going to bed, open up your blinds so that by the time you wake up in the morning, the sunrise is bursting through your windows.
4. Set the temperature
When it’s time for bed, your body temperature decreases in order to initiate sleep.
So, by setting a specific temperature to your bedroom, you can actually facilitate a better sleep. The ideal room temps for sleeping are 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
5. Wear your alarm clock
There is nothing worse than the loud dreaded sound of an alarm going off. The jarring loud noise can quite literally wrench you out of your sleep in a most uncomfortable way, meaning that your first experience in the morning is one of shock and adrenaline, rather than feeling like you are well rested.
Enter wearable alarm clocks, the perfect alternative for people who struggle to cope with the abrasive noise of their phone or clock every morning.
You can invest in a watch which silently wakes you up by vibrating or other tech products like a pillow case that vibrates when it’s time for you to seize the day.
6. Only use your bed for sleep
If you start lying around in bed all day to do stuff other than sleeping, your mind will stop associating your bed with relaxation and sleep, instead connecting it with a time during which different tasks are accomplished, making it harder to go to bed at night.
7. No alcohol or caffeine
After a long day of work, sometimes unwinding with a glass of wine just seems like the right thing to do.
However, if you want to wake up early feeling refreshed, you’re going to have to pass on the caffeine and alcohol. Instead, swap the beverages for a hot cup of caffeine-free herbal tea such as chamomile or lavender.
8. Don’t take a bath
This may seem surprising to many people, but taking a bath before bed as a way to wind down can actually have the reverse effect.
Since your body temperature drops at bedtime, the hot water from the bath will actually spike your body temperature, which your body then has to cool down again. So, if you want to indulge, take a bath at least an hour before bed.
9. Make lists
Many people do the most thinking while they’re tossing and turning in bed, whether it’s working out a problem that they have been struggling with all day, or making plans for the next morning.
However, making lists in your head late at night, and then trying to retain all of that information until the following day, will likely keep you up into the night, and stop you from being able to relax enough to get a good night’s sleep.
To prevent this, keep a notebad and pen next to your bed, and set aside some time before bed to write down all of the things you have to get done the next day, that way your lists won’t keep you from getting some shut-eye.
And, if you happen to come up with a genius idea in the middle of the night, you can simply reach for the pen and paper to jot it down, meaning the thought will be fresh in your head the following morning.
10. Set your coffee pot
Buy yourself a coffee pot, or brewing device, that has a built-in clock and timer. Then, before bed, set it to start brewing five minutes before your alarm is due to go off.
That way, when you wake up in the morning, it’s not just your alarm that’s waking you up, it’s the delicious aroma of morning java, which is sure to entice you out of your warm bed.
11. Convince yourself you can get up
Instead of grumbling about how awful it is to get up, and how much you are dreading your next early morning start, instead, talk to yourself positively about the mornings.
Describe getting out of bed as the greatest thing ever, and start thinking about the most positive aspects of the day—whether it’s a meeting you are looking forward to, a meal you’re excited to eat, or plans that you can’t wait to make and do; this simple trick really will prove the adage ‘mind over matter’ and you’ll be surprised at just how easily you bound out of bed in the morning.
12. Take melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone made naturally in your body that regulates sleep and wakefulness.
So, taking the supplement is a natural way to put you to sleep when your body needs the extra push. Plus, melatonin supplements come in different varieties including pills, tablets, gummies and liquids.
13. Turn the screen off
Turning off all electronics such as the TV, laptops, and your phones can drastically make a difference on your sleeping habits.
Instead of scrolling through social media before bed, set aside a half hour to turn electronics off, switching on the Do Not Disturb button on your phone, and unwinding naturally.
If you need something to keep you occupied once you’re in bed, try reading a book, writing in a journal, or even working on a coloring book. All of these no-screen activities will help to soothe your eyes and your mind and get you ready to snooze peacefully.
Source: Coveteur and the National Sleep Foundation