Waking up productively is a great way to make your life better. However, it is a hard skill to master and many students struggle with getting up on time. There are many different strategies you can use to wake up early.
One way to help you wake up earlier is by going to bed earlier. Benjamin Corvalan said, “Sleep is very important to me and I try to get at least 10 hours of sleep every single night.” It is important to get enough sleep to permit yourself to have a productive next day. According to the National Institutes of Health, “In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic (long-term) health problems.”
Making sure you have a stable sleep schedule is also beneficial to students’ growth and development. According to the National Institutes of Health, not getting enough sleep can make you have less concentration, slower reaction time, and a shorter attention span. “When I do not get enough sleep the night before I perform worse in school the next day. I feel less social and it gets harder to concentrate throughout the day, ” Chase Clark said.
If you are having a hard time not hitting snooze in the morning, one effective strategy is to move your alarm so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. This forces you to get out of bed and start moving. Stella Pulos said, “I think using a phone alarm is not beneficial because it can be very distracting and harmful to your brain. I like using an alternative option to wake up.” If you don’t have a phone alarm to wake you up you might use Amazon Alexa. If you use this and still have a hard time getting up, you can push the button at the top to change the setting to mute. This will make your Alexa unresponsive to your words and the only way to turn off the alarm is either by unplugging it or unmuting it. This technique is similar to the phone strategy because it makes you get up out of your bed and start your day.
If all of the other strategies you try seem to not make a difference one of the most efficient ways to help wake yourself up is asking your parents for help. They can act as your alarm clock and make sure that you are on time and ready to start the day. “I love having my mom wake me up in the morning because it is very peaceful and puts me in a good mood. It helps build our relationship with each other and has made us much closer. She helps me feel not alone and I enjoy her presence,” Stella Pulos said.
After you wake up there are a couple of things you can do to make your mornings productive. The faster you can get things done, the longer you can sleep in one night. Frederick Perrell said, “I like taking a shower as soon as I wake up because I think it helps me start my day efficiently.” Audrey Werhane said, “I feel more productive when I take a shower in the morning because it wakes me up. I get out feeling refreshed and it allows me to do more things in the morning.” Students said that they felt less tired throughout the rest of the day when they shower in the morning because they feel clean and energized. Another helpful strategy to get you on time for school is to have a morning routine. If you map out your mornings you can be more systematic and it will help you start your day correctly.