Six tips to help you get out of bed in the mornings

Jul 21, 2015

Getting out of bed is never easy. Never.

Even the days that you don’t feel too groggy and tired, there is still nothing pleasant about having to emerge from the warm comfort of the duvet.

But alas, rise we must.

Here are six easy tips to help you take the plunge and dive out of bed first thing in the mornings.

Drink water before you go to sleep

Filling your body with fluids is a great way to get you out of bed in the mornings because (as much as we try to resist) you will inevitably lose the battle and have to go to the bathroom. Then it is just important to actually stay up and not scurry back under the covers. However, if you wake up in the middle of the night to go it won’t be very helpful in the morning so try keeping a glass of water beside your bed and drink this during the night.

Keep the curtains a little bit open

This is almost a cruel trick to play on yourself but allowing a little sunlight in in the mornings will make it a whole lot easier to peel yourself out of bed. Aside from waking up with the light, the sun is the best source of vitamin D which provides you with energy. So letting the rays at you before getting out of bed will give you the extra little kick you need.

Eat before going to sleep

If you usually eat dinner hours before going to bed, it is inevitable that you will be really hungry by the time the morning comes. This hunger will add to your tiredness and make it that much more difficult to get out of bed in the mornings. Trying eating a small low-carbohydrate food such as cottage cheese, nuts or yoghurt.

Jazz up your alarm clock

Waking up to the horrible sound of your screeching alarm clock instantly puts you in a bad mood and that is no way to start your day. Try putting a song you like as your alarm tone instead and it will give you happy connotations first thing in the morning. Although, maybe don’t put your favourite song as your alarm bell as the chances are you’re going to get sick of it at some point!

Put your alarm clock on the other side of the room

Lots of us don’t like doing this because it feels like inflicting torture on our waking selves before we have even gone to bed. But, it does work. Not being able to hit that dreaded snooze button with ease will make a huge difference to how easily you roll out of bed.

Get your caffeine fix

Kick the morning grogginess with some caffeine first thin. A cup of coffee is good but a green tea is even better.

Here they are – the 5 amazing reasons to take more naps

Jul 20, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Finally! Some sound advice that gives us loads of reasons to get back into bed and snuggle up under the duvet.

Between work, school and college, most of us unfortunately don’t have the time to pop home during the day to take a comfortable nap. And besides, even if we did the chances are there would be SOMEONE nearby telling us to get out of bed.

But a daytime nap doesn’t need to be hours long. In fact, naps from as little as 15 minutes can help in a big way.

Here are five different napping durations and the benefits of each one.

15 to 20 minutes

These great little power naps work wonders for boosting your alertness and concentration. So if you feel your eyelids getting heavy in the middle of studying or a work day, it may be a good idea to sneak off somewhere for 15 minutes and you’ll be raring to go by the time you get back.

30 minutes

A half an hour snooze can counteract the negative effects that we suffer after a bad night’s sleep.

45 minutes

Sleeping for those extra few minutes can actually help to improve your memory and lower blood pressure.

60 minutes

An hour’s shut eye can improve your working memory and will allow you to be as energetic for the second half of your day as you were for the first – great if you have an hour to spare between work and going out to an event.

90 minutes

Of course the problem here is actually finding the time. But if you can, an hour and a half of sleep during the day can help to restore energy and relax your muscles.

Napping tips for the best snooze you’ll ever have!

Dec 22, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Whether you're sleeping off your Christmas dinner or trying to get an energy boost before a big night out, napping is a great way to recharge those batteries.

Beware though, because if you time your nap wrong or sleep for too long you could wake up feeling groggier than if you'd just stayed awake.

Beat your tiredness with these five napping tips!

1. Choose afternoons where possible
Obviously a nap is not always going to be an option in the afternoons, but daylight hours are prime napping time. The Spanish have the right idea with their siesta, as experts believe our body is programmed to have a natural afternoon slump.

2. Plan ahead
If you know you're going to be up late working (or partying), planning a nap beforehand is a great way to improve alertness and keep you energised. Research has shown that naps of an hour or more can actually improve our brain function for up to 24 hours, even without a full night's sleep. Win!

3. Time it right
If your plan is to take a short cat nap, aim for between 10 and 20 minutes. Any longer and you'll wake up feeling groggy and fuzzy-headed, which we doubt was the aim!

4. Use caffeine to your advantage!
Downing a quick cup of coffee just before you lie down is a great way to optimise the energising effects of both caffeine and rest. A cup of coffee takes around 20 minutes to lift your energy levels, so by the time you wake up from your nap you'll be raring to go!

5. Relax your mind
If you find it impossible to drift off during the day or early evening, use meditation techniques like breathing and calming visualisations to soothe your mind. Not only will you fall asleep quicker, but you'll wake up feeling more positive and relaxed.

5 tips for waking up refreshed every day

Aug 20, 2014

by Amber Saunders

If you’re groggy in the mornings but you know you’ve been getting enough sleep, the problem may lie in your routine before and after heading to bed.

A little bit of forward planning and mindfulness could totally transform your energy levels when you wake up.

Here are some tips for ensuring you wake up ready to face the day:

1. No screen time before bed
Calming your body and mind before you sleep is the best way to ensure a good night’s rest. We’re all guilty of getting lost in a Facebook-stalking vacuum every once in a while, but try to keep your use of laptops, phones and tablets to a minimum in the hour before you head to bed.

2. Keep your bedroom cool
A room that’s too warm will have you tossing and turning all night, meaning you’ll wake up feeling like you’ve barely slept. Avoid overheating your body by leaving a window open if it’s not absolutely freezing out, and only wearing light PJs or a t-shirt to bed.

3. Prepare for the next day
Rushing around the house in the morning will leave you feeling like you need another two hours in bed. Plan your outfit and make your lunch the night before, to save on time. Running through your schedule for the next day and making a mental to-do list before you sleep will also mean you wake up prepared for the day ahead.

4. Get up straight away
Ah, the snooze button. Possibly the best and worst invention of all time. Avoid falling back into a deep sleep all over again by getting out of bed as soon as your alarm goes off. Easier said than done, we know, but your body will thank you.

5. Drink a glass of water
You might crave coffee first thing in the morning, but a glass of water is what your body really needs. Even a 2% drop in water stores can leave you feeling physically and mentally sluggish. Keep a glass of water by the bed and drink it once you wake up.

Why sleeping with your partner is good for you

Jul 2, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Though it may not always feel like it, sharing a bed with your partner is actually good for you. Scientists have found that while the practicalities may cause some disruption (blanket stealing, snoring, sleep talking), the psychological benefits of sharing a bed outweigh the physical disadvantages.

According to the psychologists, shared sleep promotes feelings of safety and security.

Still, it’s nice to not wake up in the middle of the night with no blankets

Here are some tips on how to get a good night’s sleep, both physically AND psychologically:

Have your own blankets
That way you can roll over as much as you like without pulling the blanket off your other half.

If one of you goes to bed later than the other, change in a different room
As quiet as you might try and be, it’s never enough.

Get a big bed
More space, less elbows in the eye.

Invest in some sort of anti-snoring device
Your other half will love you even more for it

When it comes to sleep, it’s quality not quantity that matters

Jun 10, 2014

by Amber Saunders

If you went to bed early last night, you may be wondering why you are feeling tired today.

While you may think you are doing your body a favour going to bed early, you are actually doing it harm – kind of.

Your body works on a consistent sleep system and prefers if you go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.

You need about eight hours of sleep each night, although this can vary from person to person.

However, if you go to bed early one night you may actually wake up feeling tired, even though you caught the extra hour in bed, than you would have if you went at the same time as the night before.

This is down to the fact that a sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, so if you are going to bed extra early your cycle will be disrupted, leaving you with less quality sleep.

To get the best sleep, count back hours from the time you have to get up and this should be your bedtime.

When it comes to sleep, quantity does not compensate for quality.