Practice Makes Waking Up From a Sound Sleep Easier


Steve Pavlina offers advice to those who have trouble waking up in the morning. Most people try to use their conscious willpower to get themselves out of bed each morning. However, they are hindered by the fogginess typical of having just awoken.

Instead, he suggests leaving it to the subconscious mind, by practicing until immediate waking becomes rote. He suggests practicing getting up as soon as your alarm goes off, not in the morning, but during the day, when you're wide awake.

That means setting up your bedroom to match the appropriate conditions, starting with your typical bedtime rituals (wearing pajamas, brushing your teeth), then setting the alarm a few minutes ahead and getting into a comfortable sleep-like position. When the alarm goes off, turn it off immediately and begin your wake-up habits.

From there, Pavlina suggests practicing this wake-up routine over several days until it becomes so automatic, you can do it without thinking about the steps. Once you establish a wake-up ritual, stick to it every day, especially for the first month.

With enough practice, you will train yourself into having a different physiological response to the sound of your alarm. When your alarm goes off, you'll get up automatically without even thinking about it.

Steve Pavlina.com April 25, 2006

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Steve Pavlina has many common-sense solutions for tackling common problems. He has previously written on how to tap into your enormous potential to manifest healing in your life, if you sincerely believe it. If you can focus your intention on a goal -- minus any emotional, self-sabotaging blocks -- you can manifest virtually any result you desire.

You may also find some benefit in his approach for waking up every morning right on time. Even better for your optimal health than relying on an alarm clock, you may want to implement some of the techniques described in my 29 Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep.

One suggestion: instead of using a loud alarm clock, which is very stressful on the body, you can use an alarm with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, simulating a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time -- ideal for anyone who has trouble falling asleep.

The sun alarm is what I used to use for many years and it was FAR better than waking up to a conventional alarm clock. If you can't find them we do have them in our store.

Ideally, though, you will have enough flexibility in your schedule that you will be able to wake up when your body is rested and you will not even need the sun alarm. This is what I now do and about the only time I have to set an alarm is when I am in a different city and have to catch an early morning flight.

If you do have trouble getting out of bed, though, many find that it is ok to fake it until you make it. Just tell yourself in a loud and enthusiastic voice, I feel great, I feel wonderful and I can't wait to start my day. After awhile your brain will catch up with your intentions and your body will actually believe it.

On Vital Votes, Lifestyle Coach Joshua Rubin from San Marcos, California adds some further suggestions:

"Our natural biological clock creates the release of awakening hormones (cortisol, etc) around 6 am. That is why most or should awake around the time the sun comes up. As well, our repair and regeneration hormones (melatonin, DHEA, etc) are released around 6-7pm and start to go up. This is when are other awakening hormones are supposed to come down.

"This should be the case, but because of altered nutritional and lifestyle habit, this is reversed. I find this is why most have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. Our awakening hormones are very stimulating and are used as well under times of stress.

"Our repair and regeneration are used more for repair, during eating, sex and so forth. If you have an adrenal issue and your cortisol levels are never coming down secondary to stress, well, sleep is never going to happen.

"How do you find out if you have altered hormonal levels? You can do testing, but start with some of the recs below that I have found to help with sleep:

"... Large amounts of good quality fats help to sedate the nervous system prior to bed.

"Drinking plenty of water throughout the day (stopping by 7-8pm), will allow the NS to relax ...

"Dim the lights in your house around 8pm. Light stimulates the release of cortisol.

"Stop watching TV or using the computer by 8pm. These appliances use flickering light to create images. This flickering light stimulates a rise in cortisol.

"Try reading, meditating, etc prior to bed. This will stimulate your parasympathetic NS. This is our rest and digest system ...

"There are many more, but hope this helps!"