You can also get a light box that emits 10,000 lux, the equivalent of being outdoors on a sunny day, and camp out in front of it for a few minutes. “The brighter the light, the greater the lux, the greater the suppression of melatonin,” Dr. Barwick says. PSA: This is REALLY bright and may be too intense for some people. Dr. Barwick’s advice? Incorporate some light into your morning routine in a way that feels doable and pleasant.
Stick to a consistent wake time and resist the urge to hit snooze.
The next thing you want to do if you want to learn how to wake up when it’s still dark, sadly, is avoid repeatedly hitting your alarm’s snooze button. When you use this tempting feature, you’re essentially telling your body it’s still sleep time, which can keep melatonin pumping throughout your body, trapping you in a groggy state, according to Dr. Barwick. So while it might feel good to drift off for a few more minutes, you aren’t getting high-quality rest by using it, she says. “It doesn’t do what you think it’s doing, and it’s doing things you don’t want it to be doing,” she says.
Better yet, not hitting snooze can make the whole getting up ordeal easier all fall and winter too. When you awaken at different times every day, your body essentially thinks you have jet lag (which, as you probably know if you’ve traveled to a different time zone, is atrocious). Waking up at the same time every day, on the other hand, stabilises your circadian rhythm, which will help you feel less groggy and make getting out of bed less of a pain, Dr. Barwick says.
Remember how I said I used to wake up whenever? That sabotaged my sleep-wake cycle. I slept in so late, which meant that I couldn’t fall asleep at night (because I wasn’t tired) and would toss and turn for about an hour. The cycle would repeat the next day and I’d feel super drowsy. But when I started waking up at the same time every day, sans snooze, I had an easier time falling asleep at night, which, over time, made it way less brutal to get out of bed each morning. More often than not, I’m up before my alarm goes off these days (it’s possible, people!).
Move your body, even a little bit.
Finally, move your body a little right after your alarm goes off. Physical activity increases cortisol, the so-called “stress hormone,” which makes you feel alert more quickly, Dr. Barwick says. It also raises your core temperature, which boosts your energy levels, she adds.
I started walking my dog first thing in the morning. Sure, I was a zombie barely inching along but it got me up and out. You don’t need to go for a proper walk, though — or immediately start doing Zumba. The goal is to find something that feels realistic. “Pick a form of movement you like, pick an amount of time you feel confident you can do, and then that’s what you do,” Dr. Barwick recommends.
You can try some gentle stretches from bed: Pull your feet to your chest or stretch your arms into the air. Twist your back or pull back your shoulders. Or, if you’re out of bed, do a few push-ups or jumping jacks. Even simply walking to the bathroom will make getting up less terrible, Dr. Barwick says.
If you clicked on this article because you feel incapable of moving a muscle when your alarm goes off in your pitch-black room, I was in your shoes a few years ago. I know how impossible it can feel to crawl out of your warm, cozy bed when it’s cold and dark outside. I truly did not think it would ever be an easy task for me. But Dr. Barwick’s tips, which are super simple I might add, really work. They changed my life, and I hope they change yours too.
This article originally appeared on SELF.
