How do we become...morning people?

[YesitsBess]

My son (14) and I are not natural morning people, given the option we would both snooze merrily until 11am. Getting up for work/school is not fun for either of us (one grumpy night owl trying to wake another grumpy night owl* *rarely ends well).

We have to get up early most weekends as of now for rugby, which requires us being in the arse end of nowhere at stupid O' clock in the freezing cold. Can anyone share how they have made this even vaguely agreeable please?

Just to head off the worst:

1. I don't resent my son doing sport at all. Nor the early starts, I just would like advice on how to make it easier for us.

1. If you're about to talk about swimming, I know it's even more mad than rugby! Share your secrets...

1. Screen time is timetabled (he can have an absolute marathon on a Friday from 7 until 10 30pm when he doesn't need to be up early.)

I’ve sort of managed it.

how? My alarm rings between 5.50 and 7.45 everyday (on very rare days - like the day after a wedding after party) I don’t have an alarm. I still naturally woke up at pretty much exactly 7:30 and felt awake and ready.

This simply trained my inner clock to be awake. I naturally wake up at 7:45 on Saturday/ Sunday and feel awake and ready.

however:

1. if I go to bed late / don’t sleep well and my alarm clock rings at 6? I’ll feel tired af. That’s just how it is.
2. I get tired much earlier in the evenings. I like to go to bed at 22/22.30 and fall asleep at about 23. Often fall asleep earlier if we watch TV on the couch ..
3. I sometimes wish I could sleep longer, e.g. after the last birthday party… doesn’t work/impossible.

It's hard DS and I are the same

DD and DH have a normal healthy sleeping pattern

I've tried and failed so many times

Having a routine obviously helps when you're working but at the weekends and holidays I can and will sleep forever

Apparently according to a BBC Sounds 'Mystery of Sleep' series I listened to a sleep expert at a London Hospital that specialises in sleep explains that some of us have natural 25 hour body clock rhythm which kind of make sense

You could also benefit from our current natural alarm clock. Parakeets!! We’re in West London and a group of feral ring-necked parakeets live locally. We have the bedroom windows open at night and so we get the full benefit of the parakeet squabbles at 6am in the tree near our window.

I’m not bitter, nature is wonderful etc etc

Lumie clocks sound interesting

I would not get through 6 months of dark morning without mine - they are a game changer. Some (well mine does) also used sound to go with the light - I have crashing waves, white noise or cockerels did not appeal.

Also just try and go to bed early enough for 8 hours sleep - set your phone to a bedtime reminder and shut off all devices at that point. No TV in the bedroom.

My long haired cats figured out the light means food soon and sits in front of it but her floof fills the light so I wake up to birdsong and a backlight cat.

I am very much not a morning person. Left to my own devices I'd get up at 10am and go to bed at 2pm. Unfortunately, society, work, school and especially weekend teen activities don't work like that! (Although at least with cricket it's usually warmer and closer).

Whilst my mind, body and soul protest about every minute I'm up before midday, a few months ago I started going to a 6.15 am gym class as it was the only time I could fit it in (I'd rather it were at 11pm, but night owl gym classes don't seem to exist). Anyway, I have gradually got used to waking up at 5.45 am. I wouldn't say o enjoy it, but it doesn't hurt (mentally or physically) as it once did.

So actually, my advice is to get up earlier in the week too. Then you'll really aporeciate the ofd day you don't have to.!

I did too after this thread and honestly it was horrific! Never again.

My natural sleeping is 10:30 - 10. Same as you.

@Lovegood hahahaaaaa!

Well it's 9.30 on a bank holiday and I am up!

Your blackout curtains aren't helping you . Daylight streaming in really helps to wake up well.