Early risers of Snapzu, what are some tips and tricks that work for you to get up early?
Early risers of Snapzu, what are some tips and tricks that work for you to get up early?
8 years ago by funhonestdude
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21 comments
Early risers of Snapzu, what are some tips and tricks that work for you to get up early?
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Honestly for me it's the surrounding light level around. I spent the past 5 or so years living pretty close to the equator so sunrise and sunset times did not vary very much throughout the year. As a result I found it was harder to get up early because of this.
Since moving back to the UK, I've found that I can get up much earlier because of the earlier sunrises during summer. Of course this is balanced out by the lack of light in the winter.
Honestly the best thing to do is:
1) Go to bed early 2) Get a lamp that will turn on slowly until it's at full brightness for the time you want to wake up. I've got a few Philips Hue lights around the house and having the lights slowly get brighter really does help in waking up.
The light thing is a pretty cool idea, what sort of gadget are you using for this? Is there such a thing as a timer on those little light control knob devices?
I live in Alaska without blackout curtains, so that wouldn't work for me!
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Not an early riser but have been waking up at 5.30 a.m. this summer because of a job. My very short answer is: melatonin.
Melatonin does work wonders.
Sleep in a south-east facing room with big windows and light or no curtains so the sun shines into your bedroom and wakes you up. I've just moved out of a house that fulfilled these criteria and I'm seriously missing it. First couple of times the sun wakes you up it feels like a chore but then you get used to it and feel refreshed when you wake. Also drink water as soon as you wake and not using your laptop in bed the night before also works.
This also wouldn't work in Alaska. The sunrise varies from almost due North in the summer to almost due South in the winter and everywhere in between.
I personally get up at slightly different times every day, so that I am not violently woken up out of a deep sleep state. Generally I'm used to waking up in and around about a 15 minute window between 5:20 - 5:35, so using an alarm clock isn't necessary. The goal for me is to get my 7 hours of sleep, so going to bed at the right time is important. I don't use any electronics in the bedroom, so no ipad/tv/phone when I'm about to go to sleep, it's interesting how much your brain can learn to just shut down if you don't give it stuff to consume.
I use my computers (usually) until just before I turn the light out, and I don't usually have any trouble falling asleep.
Lucky, I had issues with that a while back and now that I go to sleep on schedule and without any electronics I get a good night sleep almost always.
Every once in a great while, I have a bout of insomnia, but not often. Of course, it usually happens the night before I need to get up extra early or have to make a long drive the next day :)
I find excitement keeps me up, like getting up in the morning for a fishing trip, or going camping and whatnot. Also, things that make me think deeply like a good book or movie. Sometimes I am able to shut down all my thinking and just lay there for a few minutes never quite knowing the time I do actually fall asleep. I always found that fascinating... those few moments before falling sleep.
You're probably right about being kept up by 'excitement' coming up. Just wish I could avoid it before long drives :)
I pretty much turn off like a light bulb when I go to sleep. Unless the TV is on in the room, then it might take a few minutes.
Go to bed early :)
Well, I don't know if 6AM counts as being an "early riser" or not - but generally, having to be at work at 7AM and having kids to help get ready for school makes it pretty easy to wake up. Or at least urgent enough that I do it anyway. Helps that I have 2 children who, when they were younger, woke up at 6AM every day and made sure to wake me up. Every. Day.
I set 3 different alarms for slightly different times if it's something really important.
I work from 6-18 in the summer, so I just make sure to be in bed before midnight and set my alarm for when I have to wake up. I used to set my alarm for about an hour before I need to wake up and I could snooze for an hour and gradually wake up. However, it's way too easy to accidentally dismiss the alarm instead of pressing snooze...
Two or three alarms. Not just snoozing one alarm, but actually multiple alarms. I'm always terrified (and with good reason) I'm going to accidentally press a button that isnt snooze and think I hit snooze. So I set them about 5 or 10 minutes apart. Usually the first one wakes me up and sometimes I'll roll over for 10 minutes or sometimes I'll sort of gradually wake up and play on my phone.
Having a glass of water seems to wake me up as it refreshes me.
Find something exciting or motivating to do in the mornings. Even if you're waking up for something less than exciting, there's still plenty to look forward to. Try eating something amazing for breakfasts, adding something fun to your morning routine, listening to morning talk radio...whatever motivates you! It's always so much easier to not only wake up, but wake up happy, when there is something exciting and fun outside of bed.