Fed up of getting up late every morning

[myhorseforaring]

Regardless of what time I go to bed, I can never get up in the morning on any day. I usually lie in bed until the very last point I can, which is 8.25am on a week day or sometimes 9.30am and then I roll out onto my home desk (in diff room). I hate how this makes me feel - sluggish and demotivated with zero energy. The other day I had to be at the local shop at 7.30am. While there, I saw school children who were at the shop on their way to school. Workmen in their vans, also on route to work. These people were up, ready and out at a time when I am usually struggling to turn off the alarm let alone getting up. There is a whole world of activities going on while I lie on bed wasting my life/time and feeling sluggish and crap for it.

I would love to be a 6am morning person. I could then do the gym, sort laundry, get ahead for the day. It would make me feel so much more energised.

But getting up is just so exhausting

I am naturally not a morning person at all! I have to get up at 7.00 to get ready and off on the school run but if I don't go to bed early enough the night before I often go back to bed for an hour or so when I get back!

You sound depressed, I'm very similar.

Force yourself out of bed 45 minutes earlier for a week and then another week, you'll be surprised how it can change your body clock. I now wake naturally before my alarm at 6.30 after years and years of sleeping till the last minute.

Skip evening bath so you have to get up to shower, brush teeth before shower and you'll feel so much better. Buy new ultra comfy lounge wear, so it feels nice to be at home - give yourself a mantra about how you are being kind to yourself as you get washed and dressed, instead of the voice telling you how awful you are.

You can do it and will feel so much better for it

@myhorseforaring I see you’ve managed day 1, congrats!
My recommendation to help carry it on is a Lumi alarm, waking up to gradual simulated sunrise has been a game changer for me. Good luck

Aw so please to see this update!! Well done you.

Ah, your ADHD is keeping you down I see...

You superstar! Well done!
What did you do this morning to get yourself up that was different?

Sleep with the curtains open if you can. Get up at first alarm. Up and out. Go for a walk, or like you did this morning a class. Get a few loungy/comfortable outfits.

I hated WFH for literally this reason, it was not good for my MH, some days I didn't even get dressed. Would go for days/a week without having a shower, washing my hair, piled on weight, I was really in a bad place.

Well done today! I totally understand and I find it utterly baffling that people just get out of bed in the morning without complaining. I've never been able to do it and consider it the absolute worse time of day. The lighter mornings have definitely helped recently, and I'm hoping that when it warms up it will be even easier because this morning was painful! I always joked that the house could be on fire and I'd struggle to get up. It's like my brain refuses to tell my body to move.

My situation is the same. I set several alarms in the morning, but I still can't get up.

Legend. Well done.

There seems to be a moral superiority about getting up early and not “wasting the day” in bed. I’ve never understood why being an early riser makes someone a better person.

This is me. When the kids were small I used to leave the house at 7am to drop husband at station, then drive to nursery, then do a 30 mile commute. All showered, hair done, make up on and out by 7am.

Now I've all on to start work at 9.30 in my spare bedroom! Just cannot get up.
On the odd occasion I have to be up snd out I have to plan as though it's a military operation. I do get out for a quick walk probably once a week before work, and do an online PT session, but I manage those because I commit to others to do that snd don't like letting people down. Otherwise I'd just stay in bed!

I've had bloods done and all came back fine, but have just started on testosterone as part of my HRT, so hoping that might give me some oomph.

Well done OP on today!

@okydokethen I like the idea of fresh new lounge wear. Going to look into this.

@BellesAndGraces I am totally sick of being sick of feeling sluggish, tired, unmotivated with zero energy. I am sick of saying tomorrow is the day I will turn things around. There is no tomorrow. It starts TODAY. Todays is also the anniversary of my sibling who passed away many years ago in their teens. I am being selfish to my sibling by not appreciating and fulfilling every single day that I am privileged to have and they do not have.

@theressomanytinafeysicouldbe I hated WFH for literally this reason, it was not good for my MH, some days I didn't even get dressed. Would go for days/a week without having a shower, washing my hair, piled on weight, I was really in a bad place. THIS TOTALLY. Unfortunately, I cannot go into the office every day as there is not enough desk space to accommodate all staff. In lockdown I went 3 weeks without washing my hair. When I did wash it so much hair came out - that wold have naturally fallen during washing - I had the biggest ball of hair in the shower tray that I had ever seen.

@FlatWhiteExtraHot There seems to be a moral superiority about getting up early and not “wasting the day” in bed. I’ve never understood why being an early riser makes someone a better person. not a better person, it just sets you up better for the day. I can no longer just lay in bed, it is not good for my MH or the way it makes me feel. Somethings just work better for others.

Well done on getting up today. I am not naturally a morning person but find a Lumie clock or similar (I have a cheaper copy after breaking mine, about £25 from amazon) does wonders for getting up without feeling like I’ve been assaulted by an alarm clock.

Is it worth going back to the doctor and check if your dose of thyroid meds needs changing?

I used to always wear long sleeved t-shirt tops. Now feel a swingier blouse or shirt is much more flattering. Over those kind of stretchy material trousers in a boot cut by marks and Spencer that have elastic waist. So it's as comfortable as wearing leggings / joggers but they do look smart like work trousers. Then just make yourself go back in the office for a day or two a week...

If you look critically at many other people's hair it's not all that. Hair is v difficult to keep looking like you've just stepped out of a salon - and life's too short for that imho...

I hated WFH for literally this reason, it was not good for my MH, some days I didn't even get dressed. Would go for days/a week without having a shower, washing my hair, piled on weight, I was really in a bad place. THIS TOTALLY. Unfortunately, I cannot go into the office every day as there is not enough desk space to accommodate all staff. In lockdown I went 3 weeks without washing my hair. When I did wash it so much hair came out - that would have naturally fallen during washing - I had the biggest ball of hair in the shower tray that I had ever seen.

This could go either way though. I love WFH as i can go for an hour’s walk every day in greenery and I can eat homemade soup rather than eating convenience food in an office. It has never occurred to me not to wash because of it - I don’t think my family would be too happy nor I either.

I don’t get up super early though, that’s another definite perk.

Love the update! You've had thyroid cancer OP, please treat yourself with a little more kindness. Treat yourself to some new clothes, hair cut if it will help you feel more positive.

A few things that help me.

Phone useage / doom scrolling - i've started leaving my phone downstairs and using Alexa for my alarm. I found I would waste ages on social media etc and that's not how I want to spend my time. It's really good to identify the drains on our time and challenge ourselves to reduce them!

I have my clothes ready the day before. I defo second some nice loungewear (aka day time PJs) I did this during lock down and paired with a long warm cardigan (kind of dressing gown feel).

I have a weekly routine as opposed to a daily as I don't work a 9-5...

Tomorrow I want to get up early to walk so I will leave my clothes downstairs and will literally dress, brush my teeth and get a coffee in a take out cup - it feels like a real treat once I'm out!

I find it really tough to get up for work after a long day of being a maid to my toddler. On the days my partners takes my child to nursery, I find that putting something fun to watch motivates me to get up. Every morning I open iPlayer and watch the latest episode of EastEnders. I then watch it on the toilet in the morning haha. On the days it's my nursery run I wake up when my toddler does. No choice there but to get up!

I agree with this. But also OP, don’t beat yourself up about it.

We are all different- people who find it easier to get up earlier aren’t any better than those who struggle and are more night people.

Also some people have a circadian rhythm disorder (common in ADHD).

In cavemen times we were the ones on guard by the camp fire.

Society is designed for larks. Owls are made to feel shit about themselves.

Well done for getting up earlier today though. If it makes you actually feel good then hopefully you can continue.

I would much prefer to be a lark - there’s so much more to do at 6/7 am than at midnight! But I feel physically sick if I have to get up earlier than 7. I need that extra sleep and my sleep is quite shit.

I wouldn’t beat yourself up OP. I would set an alarm at the time you actually want/ need to get up instead of lots you’ll ignore as it’s disturbing your sleep. I’d get your outfit ready the night before , and then make sure you brush your teeth and do hair / personal care. Maybe your body is just tired, it’s also been winter, we are meant to hibernate that’s ok as well. Listen to what your body needs. You can fit exercise in at a different part of the day that suits you.

I usually wake up around 7.30 but get up around 8.15. It's a good compromise between having a morning laze and getting shit done. I shower every morning, helps me feel awake, just a quick 3min face, pits and bits. Then moisturise face and brush teeth, get dressed, spray perfume, little bit of make up and brush hair. I'm ready in 15m, I can go downstairs have a coffee, sort laundry/ dog/ dishwasher and be back at my desk by 9am ready to go. Sometimes in gym wear or yesterday's clothes (fresh undies obvs) but look OK.

It took a while to get into this routine but I love having a shower in the morning to feel fresh, awake and face the day, even if I'm going to the gym later on and will shower afterwards. I'm not properly awake until morning shower, perfume, lipstick and coffee.

I have pamper (everything) showers in the evening for hair washing, shaving, full body moisturised etc every few days.

Maybe treat yourself to some nice but comfy work from home clothes that you'll want to put on? That's on my list.

I have to get up at 5.45 when I'm on a long day. 7am-7.30pm. On my days off I get up at 9.15. I do feel better on an early start.

Following as am in exactly the same situation...even went to GP who wouldn't do a referral until I try getting up early..hum🤷‍♀️