#WellnessWednesday: Wake Up Better

#WellnessWednesday: Wake Up Better


(Image: iStock.com/PeopleImages)

We can’t get out of the bed in the morning, and it’s no surprise why. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60% of us wake up feeling out of sorts and sluggish, at least a few times each week.

Are you among the groggy and grumpy when the alarm goes off each morning?

Try these seven tricks to make climbing out of bed easier:

Start the night before. Drink chamomile tea before hitting the sack. Don’t check email from under the covers. In fact, leave your electronic devices in another room, so the glowing screens don’t interrupt your sleep. And keep your shades drawn. Sunlight tells your body it’s time to wake up, so to keep from rising with the sun, shut your blinds before you go to bed.

Stop hitting snooze. Do you set your alarm 45 minutes earlier than you need to get up–giving yourself plenty of time to hit the snooze button every nine minutes–with the belief you’ll gently rouse yourself awake? (We’re guilty of this one!) This misguided behavior actually cheats you out of extra minutes in deeper, more restorative sleep stages.

Here’s a better idea: set your alarm for your real wake up time. Place your clock on the other side of your room, so you’ll have to get out of bed to turn it off. Or, swing your feet over the edge of your bed and sit up when it rings. If you can make it that far, it’ll be easier to push yourself off of the mattress.

Splash cold water on your face. It may sound like an old wives’ tale, but it works. One study found people who washed their face after a nap felt less tired afterward.

Read the rest at www.blackhealthmatters.com…

Black Health Matters (BHM) is the leading patient and consumer-focused health information website for African Americans.  BHM connects health information seekers to the highest quality health content on the Web, shared via social media and disseminated at BHM community-based health events. Committed to making African American families healthier, BHM imparts expert advice on disease management while promoting healthier lifestyles.  The result is a compelling  health content experience that resonates within the cultural context of the user’s life.


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