How to Wake Up Early Without Falling Back Asleep

Pay attention to your alarm clock the first time it rings.

When early morning arrives and the drone of your alarm clock sounds, nothing feels better than to hit the "snooze" button, snuggle back under the covers and drift back into dreamland. Yet, if you bothered to set the alarm, it must mean you need to wake up and get out of bed. Fortunately, with a little training, you can successfully fight the temptation to stay in bed by teaching yourself to wake up early without falling back asleep.

Things You'll Need

• Alarm clock

Instructions

1. Go to bed early enough each night to allow yourself at least seven hours of sleep, or the amount of sleep your body requires so that you can awaken feeling refreshed. Make it a routine to go to bed at approximately the same time each night.

2. Leave the window blinds or curtains partially open so that the sunlight can enter the room. The light will trigger a chemical change in your brain to help you wake up. (See Reference 1)

3. Set your alarm for 10 to 15 minutes earlier than you actually need to awaken. When the alarm sounds, don't feel like you have to jump out of bed. Instead, reset the alarm for 10 or 15 minutes in the future so you'll know when to get out of bed. Turn on some music, read a chapter of a book or gently stretch different parts of your body to help you slowly wake up while you wait for the alarm to sound again.

4. Get out of bed once the alarm sounds the second time. By now you're awake, so leaving the comfort of your bed won't be so jarring.

Tips & Warnings

• Program an automatic coffee maker to brew coffee around the time you need to get out of bed if you enjoy drinking coffee in the morning.

• Sticking to a daily schedule for going to bed and awakening will help you make it a habit.

References

• "Reader's Digest": 24 Ways to Brighten Your Morning
• Body Ecology; How to Wake Up in the Morning: 5 Key Steps to a Healthy Morning Ritual; March 23, 2007