How to Wake Up Feeling Refreshed

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By twincapes
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Getting enough rest is important to our productivity during the day. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you wake up refreshed and ready for a new day.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Waking up refreshed is dependent on two things - getting enough sleep, and getting good quality sleep. The first step is getting to bed on time. It often seems that there are a million things to do before bed, especially if you have kids in the house. 9 o'clock can quickly turn into 11 o'clock. Try to pre-plan what you need to do, or leave it until tomorrow if possible. Start your bedtime preparation ritual earlier so you can turn off the light in enough time to get your required sleep.
Step 2

Studies are finding that lack of sleep contributes to physical problems like high blood pressure, stress and weight control problems. If you are getting to bed on time, but still wake up creaky and tired, your next step may be to think about a new mattress. If your current mattress has depressions where you lay, or if you can feel the springs, it's probably time. Before you buy one, you can try flipping it over side to side and end to end. If the mattress is just generally saggy, you can slide a piece of half inch plywood between the mattress and box spring to get more support. Here's a tip, if you've stayed at a hotel lately and commented in the morning on how comfortable the mattress was, it's probably time to replace yours.
Step 3

The next step you should try is to make sure you are not sabotaging your sleep by ingesting caffeine, sugar or too much alcohol before bed. Some people are bothered by caffeinated drinks even in the afternoon. Try some decaf tea after lunch or non-caffeinated soda. If you have a bowl of ice cream before bed, the sugar rush will keep you awake. A glass of wine may help you relax, but two or more drinks may have the opposite effect, waking you up, then making you feel groggy in the morning.
Step 4

You can also take steps to relax yourself before climbing into bed. Take a walk around the block after dinner to tire yourself out and get some fresh air. A hot shower or bath helps get you ready for sleep. If you do drink tea, there are some bedtime herbal teas that can help you doze off. Most are made with chamomile or valerian. I have found that inhaling some lavender essential oil just before turning in helps me breathe deeply and fall asleep quickly. This aromatherapy oil can be found in most health food stores.
Step 5

Finally, you may want to get into bed and try an easy meditation exercise to relax your racing mind. Just lay down and close your eyes. Imagine that you are laying on a lake, but supported by the water. Feel the weight of your arms, legs and other body parts sinking into the water as they lay on the mattress. Now feel the stress and tension drain out of each body part as you focus on it. Breathe easily and breathe out the stress of your day. The next thing you know, it'll be morning.

I hope some of these steps can help you get the rest you need to wake up feeling refreshed. Good luck and sweet dreams.