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Original poster

I'm not a morning person...how do I get myself energised and AWAKE?

39 replies

wheresmymojo · 28/02/2023 08:01

I'm not a morning person. At all. But I really want to take less time 'waking up' in the morning.

Currently my alarm goes off around 6.15am and I manage to get out of bed at 8am ish.

I'd like to get out of bed around 7am to get things done before I start work. Also, it seems insane that nearly two hours after waking I'm lying here feeling like I could go back to sleep.

So far this is my routine...

Alarm at 6-6.15am. Light goes on automatically at 6.15am.

6.15-6.30am DH brings me cereal, coffee and my meds in bed. He opens the blinds to let natural light in.

As I have ADHD my meds include 40mg of stimulants(!)

7am Still feeling too tired to move, DH brings me another coffee

8am (now) I'm just about feeling like I can get up but still knackered and want to sleep.

I'll get a shower with some Radox orange smelling shower gel - was hoping it would be 'energising' but it's not very zingy.

Given I'm already on caffeine, stimulants and don't have a sleep problem or any DC to keep me awake at night I think it's probably a mix of my ADHD and psychological that I STILL feel like I want to curl up and sleep for three more hours.

What do you do to get yourself energised for the day ahead?

Other than 'make yourself get up immediately' (this is the one thing I refuse to do) what do you do to get yourself from 'sleepy' to 'ready for the day'?

Please help!

OP posts:

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 28/02/2023 09:17

Why are you setting your alarm for 6.15am when you don't need to be up until 8?

No wonder you're tired.

Sleep until 8am, then get up when your alarm goes off. I don't know why you're refusing to do the only thing that's going to work here

Lying around in bed for hours drinking coffee and eating cereal is never going to wake you up. You need to get up and moving.

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 28/02/2023 09:17

Set the alarm for 7.15am..

Get up immediately and in the shower (sorry, but this really is the best advice)

Have breakfast and coffee downstairs with your husband.

Tell husband under no circumstances is he to facilitate you staying in bed by bringing everything up to you, even if you moan at him about it. You need his help as well to break this pattern.

Walterwhiteswifey · 28/02/2023 09:18

Seems mad to set the alarm nearly 2 hours earlier than you need to be up?

Set it for 7.45am and snooze until 8am then get up and go for a coffee instead of having it in bed. I am not a morning person at all but my alarm goes off and I go downstairs for a coffee then I'm wide awake.

FuckeNell · 28/02/2023 09:20

The only thing is to get up straight away. Sorry 🤣

Amy8 · 28/02/2023 09:25

A workout before the kids are up means I'm ready mentally for them too !

Courgeon · 28/02/2023 09:30

ADHD here too but no meds. I'm a natural night owl but have trained myself to be more of a morning person because well, life! (Kids and career/work commitments). Bed for 10 alarm at 6 up no later than 6.10 and feed cats, coffee, and do some kind of task e.g. dishwasher/wash load on. Then shower, breakfast, out the door.

You have to get up straight away and force yourself. The lying around won't help. Stop having breakfast in bed. I hate to say it but you just need to crack on!

WonderingWanda · 28/02/2023 09:35

Are you getting enough sleep? What time do you go to bed? If you slept longer would you still need the same amount of time to get up? Also are you drinking enough water?

For me there are two things which get me out of bed, one the need for a wee and two the need for a cup of tea. I wake at exactly the same time each day alarm or not and get up so my body just knows it's time to get up.

It sounds like you have more going on. I do think there is something to be said for just doing it though.

Hedjwitch · 28/02/2023 09:37

I'm not a morning person either and have fibro, and hate getting up early for work. It is a huge struggle. Just got to bite the bullet and do it. If you have to get up there is no way to avoid it!

SimplySipping · 28/02/2023 09:44

Try a couple of weeks of sleeping until 7.45 and see if you feel any better. If you do, you can then start rolling your wake up time back a bit, 5 mins a week or something but don't be too greedy. Just snaffle a bit a of time back for Doing Stuff, maybe half an hour.

Maybe the meds make it different but for me, starting at 6.15 would be setting myself up to fail. I'd be shattered all day and much less productive. Give yourself more grace and understanding. Sufficient sleep makes a massive difference to your productivity.

Sprig1 · 28/02/2023 09:45

Get out of bed and go outside, it is the only thing that wakes me up. Luckily I have animals so have a good reason to get outside in the morning and no option to just not do it.

Smokedpaprika88 · 28/02/2023 09:45

Alarm1 phone 6.45 (wake up to soothing music)

Alarm 2 at 6.50 trad alarm clock on dresser across room

feet on floor as soon as I hear it and have to walk to turn it off

drink water

Breakfast at table downstairs not in bed ever

get sun on your face and go for 30 mins brisk walk

then shower and dress

And keep proper clothes and shoes on throughout day - don’t wear slippers or lounge wear

good luck!

fussyferalkids · 28/02/2023 09:47

The only thing that's helped me (boring though) is to get to bed earlier, set my alarms with a smaller window (I have 6 that go off every couple of minutes, but they start 15mins before I have to be up). That fuzzy morning sleep leaves me with a sleep hangover all day, whereas I don't get that if I get up quicker. I keep a bottle of water by the bed, last thing at night I drink approx 500mls, and another 500mls when my alarms are going off. I find the more caffeine I drink, the more I borrow off tomorrow. So I try and cut that down, even though I'm not on stimulant medication at the moment so my ADHD is really terrible. I try and have low demand mornings, get as much done the night before as possible, including bathing which I would love to have a shower in the morning but just don't have the time or executive function in the morning. I wash my face at night, so just apply moisturiser with SPF in the morning and brush my teeth, chug a diet coke or two and pull some clothes on. If I have to look presentable, I try and make things later in the day so I have time to come back off the school run and do his, makeup etc.

Bbq1 · 28/02/2023 10:21

I don't have adhd but I'm definitely a night owl not a morning lark! My routine is my alarm goes off at 6.50, I get out of bed immediately and stagger to the bathroom. Once I'm in the shower I start to wake up. I go downstairs, feed cat, take my various meds, have tea and toast, watch a bit of TV and get my stuff ready for work. I don't leave for work (dh or friend drive me) until 8.10 so I have 1 hr20 mins in the mornings to get ready but I like that routine. That's the time I need/want. The single most important thing is to get up and out of bed the minute you wake. I tell my teenage ds the same. I get out of bed without thinking about it or if anything really if that makes sense so I can't persuade myself to stay there longer.

Commonsensitivity · 28/02/2023 10:24

Get a nutribullet and make a protien shake with vitamins to replace the coffee. Do some kind of morning workout.

Perhaps think about your day as a whole. Are there things you are avoiding?

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