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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Getting out of bed in the morning

70 replies

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 22:45

I am a single parent with two adult working children. We all share the house hold jobs pretty equally. We get up at 6 in the morning weekdays for work. Im a social worker working with families with complex needs. Two days a week im out of the house 13 hours, two I finish at 3 and on Friday I finish at noon. the run to work is about an hour each way for roughly 11 miles (city traffic). I cant think of any job where id be happier, I enjoy it, I put a lot in to it and I get good feed back from clients and bosses. on work mornings I feel too tired to get out of bed and think im not going to be able to do it. at this point I always think I should give in my notice and live on the dole it would be better. its not that im anxious about work, its just I feel so tired I dont think I can get out of bed. I always do get out of bed, have breakfast and cuppa and watch the news. im never late or in a rush. once im out of the house, in the car and then at work im happy and fine. more and more recently though, I feel knackered when I wake up and wonder how I actually get up and ready and out. at weekends I wake up at the same time and have no bother getting up, I dont lie in. If I go to sleep too early I wake up at ridiculous o clock. I dont have alcohol or smoke or eat heavy meals at bed time. its just this thing of hating getting up on work mornings. does anyone have any tips, ideas or advice as to how getting out of bed early in the mornings for work can be made easier?

OP posts:
Shakirawannabe · 31/01/2020 22:50

No one likes getting out of bed in the morning, your used to it that's why you're fine once you're up. I wouldn't quit your job because you want 10 more minutes in bed in the morning

Catamapella · 31/01/2020 22:50

Is it the commute that's making it hard to get out of bed maybe? You could try listening to a new podcast or audiobook, or if possibly try driving a different route... something to make it a bit less 'same old'.

Otherwise you could try finding something that makes your morning wake up a bit more special - a new type of coffee or body wash, a new outfit or shoes - something that will make you a bit more excited to start the work day.

Celeriacacaca · 31/01/2020 22:53

Can you get up a bit later? Just get up and go rather than having leisurely start?

I'm like this by Thursday. This morning I slept through my alarms. First time in four years. Mind you, I had a terrible night sleep and lay awake until 2.45am (menopause).

bridgetreilly · 31/01/2020 22:53

I have always hated getting up and for me the only thing that has made a noticeable difference is eating lower carb. I still find if I have a high carb day I sleep less well and wake up still feeling exhausted. But if I've eaten low carb, I'll sleep well and wake up feeling refreshed, not tired.

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 22:54

loving the tips so far and will take note of all, thank you very much..more are welcome

OP posts:
MeanwhileAtNumber98 · 31/01/2020 22:55

What you describe sounds just like me! I think it's normal.

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 22:55

the commute is deffo I factor, its not so bad for the first ten mins then stop start traffic on a motor way

OP posts:
yeraballoon · 31/01/2020 22:56

Nearly everyone I know struggles to get up for work, especially in the winter.
How much sleep are you getting? Would a lumie alarm clock help?
Could you and your kids take it in turns to bring each other a cuppa in bed in the morning?

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 22:56

so lower carbs the day before? cut out heavy meals before bed?

OP posts:
EeWellIllGoToTheFootOfOurStair · 31/01/2020 22:57

Do you have to get up at 6am? That's probably an awful lot to do with it

Scbchl · 31/01/2020 22:59

What about one of those clocks that are meant to reflect natural light and slowly waking you up by getting brighter like the sun in summer..do you find it easier getting up in the summer and spring months when its brighter?

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 22:59

ive found if I dont have work the next day I sleep well, its when I know I have to be up at 6 to get to work I dont sleep so good and tend to wake up a lot and not get back to sleep if I go to sleep too early

OP posts:
Catamapella · 31/01/2020 23:00

If the commute is a factor and you have time in the morning (you said that you're not super rushed), you could try leaving the house earlier to miss the worst of the traffic. You could then go for a walk or get a coffee nearby or sit in your car and read/play on your phone until you have to start work.

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 23:01

do folks think a lumie alarm is worth getting?

OP posts:
PoptartPoptart · 31/01/2020 23:01

A lumie alarm clock has literally changed my life. The light starts to come on slowly about 20 minutes before I have to get up. As it gradually gets brighter it wakes me up slowly and by the time it’s at full brightness I’m feeling much more awake and ready to get up

ohtheholidays · 31/01/2020 23:01

What is your alarm clock like OP?

Would maybe changing what works you up help,so instead of a monotone alarm maybe change it to music,or nature sounds.

My DH used to have an alarm that made the most annoying sound I'd ever heard and every morning I'd wake up to that alarm and instantly feel pissed off and not want to get up,it took me far to long to realize it was because of that sodding alarm(I'd always been someone that was happy in the morning before)we changed it and the difference was almost instant for me.

yeraballoon · 31/01/2020 23:02

What time do you need to leave for work?
Can you get up later?

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 23:02

unfortunately son has to get up at 6 as he works 25 miles away - he tries to be quiet but it wakes me up too

OP posts:
yeraballoon · 31/01/2020 23:02

I've got the lumie body clock 150 and I really like it

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 23:04

I could get up at 7 but wake at 6 when son has to get up, its not a big house so its unavoidable waking the others up when one gets up

OP posts:
overnightangel · 31/01/2020 23:04

I blame winter, I’m the same at the mo.
I work 1030-7/730, in summer if I wake up and it’s light I get up, his week I’ve been barely crawling out of my pit at 930 which is the absolute latest. I find the longer I lie in bed contemplating my navel the harder it is to get up. Can you put heating on a timer so it’s on when you wake so not getting up into a cold room? That often puts me off

yeraballoon · 31/01/2020 23:04

When you're woken at 6 could you make a cup of tea and take it back into bed for half an hour?
Probably make it more bearable

JaceLancs · 31/01/2020 23:04

It’s probably not that helpful but I actually get up 30-90 minutes earlier than I actually need to! Then head to nearest coffee shop to where I work
I then spend 30-90 minutes in peace n quiet on MN, reading the news, checking emails etc n de stressing

Laytheblanketontheground · 31/01/2020 23:05

@ohthe other peoples choice of alarms on phones really do piss me off youre right

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ShesGotBetteDavisEyes · 31/01/2020 23:05

I hear you OP! I have a young dd I have to get up and ready for school (the older ones go with their dad) but if it wasn’t for her I’d easily stay in bed til noon! some of the things I know affect me are:
The time of year - it’s a huge factor for me, I think i suffer from SAD as I have a drop in mood also - several members of my family say they feel the same. In spring il probably find it easier to get up. I’ve started taking vitamin D tablet and St. John’s wort.
Diet - also related to the colder months, I eat more rubbish at this time of year - my diet isn’t great. I know if I ate healthily and did a bit of exercise I’d feel much better as when I do I always sleep better and find it much easier to get up - in fact last spring/summer when I was on a health kick and lost weight I was practically jumping out of bed! But because I feel a bit low at the moment it hard to galvanise myself into action - it’s a vicious circle!
I’m well aware of what I need to do in order to change these things and in turn be able to get out of bed easier - it’s the actual doing it that’s hard!