What is the secret to waking up early?

[gingersmom]

What is the secret to waking up early (5am) and be awake, functioning and able to drive safely?

 

I have tried going to sleep early (which never works) and going to sleep normal time (which doesn't work either).

 

Is there some trick to getting over this and retraining my mind/body to being more awake at 5am?

[cin]

Caffeine IV, started about an hour before you want to get up.

 

Seriously, I have NO idea. I am soo not a morning person (which is reason 246 why we homeschool!). I beleive a morning shower would be beneficial, but I am so sore and stiff in the morning that I can't safely climb into the shower.

[RoughCollie]

There is a method which I have never tried, but DS2 has and it works for him to reset his body clock.

 

On the first night, he doesn't go to bed. He stays up until the next night and goes to bed at the time he has selected.

 

That's the speedy way. Another way to do the same thing is to stay up one hour later each night until you've worked your way around the clock to the bedtime you select. It's the same thing, but it takes longer. It also plays havoc with the schedule of Moms -- most of us can't spend part of the day sleeping to get through this schedule.

 

My method is to just get up. DD wakes me up (she is a morning person) and I don't think about it, I just get out of bed. I drink lots of coffee -- strong, French press coffee. Then, I stop drinking coffee after 3 p.m. I hope that by 10 p.m. at the latest, I'll be able to go to sleep. My method works on the front end (5 a.m.), but rarely on the back end (10 p.m.). I refuse to drive anywhere if I've had less than 6 hours of sleep the night before. That is the absolute minimum amount of sleep I need in order to function.

 

One thing I do that does work is, if I'm sleepy at the appropriate time, I force myself to go to bed. Otherwise, I get my second wind and I'm up for hours. I don't actually take my own advice on this very often, though.

 

ETA: Taking a shower will wake me up. I did that once this year. I hate getting wet right after I wake up.

Edited September 19, 2010 by RoughCollie

[5LittleMonkeys]

Well, I'm still struggling with this myself but there are some things that seem to be helping (or maybe its just that I've been doing it long enough that it is becoming habit).

 

When I wake up and lay there wanting to go back to sleep I think of all the things I can accomplish before the littles get up.

Exercise for 30 minutes right when I get up. (after I brush my teeth)

Hot shower right after exercise.

Go to bed at a time to ensure 8 hours of sleep.

If I get up on time during the week I get to sleep late on Sat. (kids and dh hold me to it and take care of morning things on Sat. so I can sleep until 10 if I want!)

[Renee in NC]

Just do it. I know that sounds simplistic, but after awhile your body adjusts. I am not generally a morning person, but I get up at 5:30 every morning. At first it was HARD to do, then it got easier. Now, I have a hard time staying asleep past 6am. I generally go to bed somewhere between 9 and 10.

[Jennifer in MI]

I've found that when I get up early, I'm tired earlier! So, eventually I end up going to sleep earlier. I've been waking up around 5:45 for a few months now. I usually end up falling asleep by 9:30 (and I used to be a night owl!!). It's getting harder now that it's still dark at 5:45 though. . .

[Cindyz]

Go to sleep early and find something to worry about. :D:D

 

My problem right now is that once something wakes me up (usually the cat...grrrr), I can't go back to sleep because I worry about all the things I have to do that day.

[ColoradoMom]

Work out every day. For whatever reason this makes me go to bed earlier and then wake up earlier. I have always been a morning person but since I really "settled" into working from home my waking time has slipped to 8:00. But when I am working out everyday I am up at 5 or 5:30 with no alarm clock.

[m0mmaBuck]

I have to second the idea of getting up and exercising, even if it's just for 20-30 minutes. If I get up and just sit around or ease into the day, it's hard for me to get it together. However, if I get up and utilize that time as "me time" (i.e. exercise, pay bills online, take a shower uninterrupted), I have a great start to my day.

[PollyOR]

I need help with this too. I am a night owl, but I also have to drive 15yodd to a class which begins at 6:30am (ps schedule for the entire school year). Last week was the first week and it was hell (and I don't say that lightly).

 

My 15yo visited a sleep specialist a few months ago and here is the advice he gave her.

 

 

• no naps
  
• keep the same schedule, even on weekends
  
• no light from electronic devices (tv, computer, etc.) after supper
  
• 1/4mg. melatonin at supper
  
• 3mg. melatonin at bedtime
  

 

DD also attended this early morning class last school year, so I know that we will survive. I think my problem is that I slipped back into my old night owl schedule during the summer.

 

Personally I need to cut the electronic light in the evenings. I do get up at 5:30am, so I can have computer time before we have to leave. It is like a little dose of sunshine in the morning. ;)

 

Good luck!

Edited September 19, 2010 by PollyOR

[gingersmom]

Its my daughter skating practice that requires the 5am Sunday morning wake up call. :confused:

 

The first week I dropped her off at 5:30 and came home and went back to sleep. I was still exhausted the whole day.

 

Today I stayed for practice, drank coffee and came home and took a nap. Still exhausted.

 

I usually set the alarm for 6:30 during the week. I am going to try to get up 15-30 minutes earlier this week and see if I can't learn to wake up earlier and be functioning.

 

Next week we are leaving skating practice and driving to Massachusetts (4 hours away). I need to figure this out fast.

[bettyandbob]

What time do you need to drive? Set your alarm so you have enough time to get up and walk around your block (with a flashlight if necessary) for at least 30 minutes. Make this nonnegotiable--don't press snooze, be prepared to go out in cold or rain or both. When you get back, shower and get your coffee/breakfast.

 

I get up at 5 and walk for an hour. I'm awake when I leave the house. Within a week of starting the schedule I am going to bed at the right and having no trouble keeping the routine. I know if I let it go for a few days I can loose the habit completely, that's why I say be nonnegotiable with yourself about rising and getting out.

 

This routine will also introduce you to 50% of dog owners in your neighborhood.

[PollyOR]

This routine will also introduce you to 50% of dog owners in your neighborhood.

:lol:

 

 

About trying to stay awake...bring high protein snacks to keep you blood sugar from dipping?

[EKS]

Just do it.

 

This and coffee.

[Guest janainaz]

Don't eat after 6pm, especially sugar and carbs.

 

When I eat early and don't eat anything before bed, I wake up really early and I'm ready to go and have a lot of energy.

[mommytobees]

I think it comes down to habits that you have to develop to "make" your body clock change.

 

How much sleep do you _need_ to function well?

~ I need exactly 8 hours of sleep. If I get less, I end up tired and cranky.

 

Are you getting enough but not too much exercise?

Dedicate 10-15 minutes first thing in the morning to do some low-impact aerobic exercises.

~ I need a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic walking everyday, but if I get 4-6 hours of aerobic walking I'll be exhausted and need more sleep. Plus, I feel SO. MUCH. BETTER. when I do 10 minutes of exercises first thing. I don't even get dressed.

 

Are you eating at the same time everyday and NOT eating after a specific time? Rule of thumb: 12 hours of fasting.

~ We eat dinner between 5-5:30pm. If I eat much after 6pm, then I feel sluggish and it takes me an extra 15-30 minutes to get going in the morning.

 

Do you have a set bedtime?

~ I go to bed at 10pm every night. Every once and awhile I'll stay up "late" and go to sleep at 10:30 and every once and awhile I'll go to bed early at 9-9:30. Now, last week we went on an outing.... I walked (in the low 80's with 75% humidity) about 5.5 hours. I was asleep by 8pm. The kids laughed at me.

 

Anyway, good luck.

 

Kris

[Barb_]

Am I understanding that you are only getting up at 5am once a week? That's probably it, then. You could probably become accustomed to waking that early every day but once a week throws your rhythms off. You may have to just work on rising earlier (6am maybe?) every day.

 

Barb

[Pretty in Pink]

The only thing that really wakes me up that early in the morning is a hot shower and a meal; however, I'm still sleepy by about 10:30 or 11:00 a.m.! I don't drink coffee or energy drinks or anything, although they would probably help.

 

I cannot fall asleep early. I just can't.

[tarana]

I am a night owl too. 2 years ago, my heart starting racing due to lack of sleep & the Dr said I should take sliiping pills. I have been fighting not to.

Anyway I am going thro' the same phase of sleeplessness & being tired all day long. Last night I took Melatonin. Went to bed at 12:00PM but woke up at 7:00AM & been fully functional all day long.

I am going to try it again tonight & see if I can change my sleep cycle.

[ktgrok]

for me it is to put the TV on or the radio. I need to hear/see that someone else is awake too :)

 

Also, eating breakfast gets me going.

[MissKNG]

I did this in college until my body adjusted to getting up early - I put my alarm clock ACROSS the room so I would have to get up to turn it off then went straight to the shower. It really worked for me!