Willpower to get up in the morning...

[FathomFear]

I used to be the kind of person who woke up @ 7am every day and rarely needed to expend any self-discipline to start my morning routine. For the last six months, however, especially after starting some new medication, I've had terrible difficulty in having the willpower to get up the morning. I hit "snooze" over and over again and don't get up until the very last minute, often 30 minutes or so before I have to arrive to work. It's like every cell in my body is completely exhausted when I wake up and is screaming to hit the pillow again.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to force yourself awake and overcome the temptation to continue sleeping in?

[hexaemeron]

I used to be the kind of person who woke up @ 7am every day and rarely needed to expend any self-discipline to start my morning routine. For the last six months, however, especially after starting some new medication, I've had terrible difficulty in having the willpower to get up the morning. I hit "snooze" over and over again and don't get up until the very last minute, often 30 minutes or so before I have to arrive to work. It's like every cell in my body is completely exhausted when I wake up and is screaming to hit the pillow again.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to force yourself awake and overcome the temptation to continue sleeping in?

 

1.) Are you going to bed at a reasonable time?

2.) Are you going to bed when you feel tired?

3.) What is your diet/fitness situation? Do you eat right before bed? Take showers right before bed?

[fLuiD]

I've fallen into this kind of slump as well. I also find myself having a harder time falling asleep and sleeping a whole lot less because of it. The only times I can really fight this off is when I have something to look forward to later in the day. I know it's not everyday that we have something exciting to look forward to though.

 

Is there something else going on that has you waking up in these bummed out moods? Relationship issues? Work issues? etc. If something else might be the problem, you can't get out of this funk until you address whatever is causing it.

[shuttlefish]

Aha! Something I'm an expert in. Here's what I did

 

Two alarm clocks - one is the "last chance" alarm clock. It is on the other side of the room and I must get out of bed to turn it off.

 

Drink water as soon as you wake up (the first time) = it wakes up your insides and at the very least you will have to get up to pee soon.

[FathomFear]

1.) Are you going to bed at a reasonable time?

2.) Are you going to bed when you feel tired?

3.) What is your diet/fitness situation? Do you eat right before bed? Take showers right before bed?

 

1) I usually go to bed around 12:30-1:00am. That hasn't changed since I started having problems, though.

 

2) Yeah.

 

3) I generally don't eat anything a few hours before bed. And I never take showers at night. As far as my diet/fitness goes, I am trying to improve it. I'm about ~25 pounds over my ideal weight, but this is also something that hasn't changed since I started having problems.

 

I don't want to blame the medication I started taking, but it's the only tangible thing I can pinpoint which coincides with the situation.

[hexaemeron]

1) I usually go to bed around 12:30-1:00am. That hasn't changed since I started having problems, though.

 

2) Yeah.

 

3) I generally don't eat anything a few hours before bed. And I never take showers at night. As far as my diet/fitness goes, I am trying to improve it. I'm about ~25 pounds over my ideal weight, but this is also something that hasn't changed since I started having problems.

 

I don't want to blame the medication I started taking, but it's the only tangible thing I can pinpoint which coincides with the situation.

 

Well, there is another factor. You're 30. We're getting older and it's possible something's happening as a part of that process.

[testcase]

Aha! Something I'm an expert in. Here's what I did

 

Two alarm clocks - one is the "last chance" alarm clock. It is on the other side of the room and I must get out of bed to turn it off.

 

Drink water as soon as you wake up (the first time) = it wakes up your insides and at the very least you will have to get up to pee soon.

 

This advice sounds pretty good. I think I'm going to move my 2nd alarm clock today. Yea waking up sucks I really don't have any advice. I just came to say if you find the answer let us all know. I have 2 alarms ringing for literally an hour or two every morning. I must hit snooze 30 times a morning and have been doing so for at least 4 years. I want to change it but haven't had much luck. I'll see if this moving the alarm helps.

[FathomFear]

Well, there is another factor. You're 30. We're getting older and it's possible something's happening as a part of that process.

 

Perhaps.

 

Strangely, if I were to give advice to myself I would say "Just suck it up, princess, and kick yourself in the ass when you first wake up in the morning".

 

What's really strange is that most of the time I don't even remember hitting the snooze button. It's like a whole different personality takes over, one that has almost no willpower--lol.

[hexaemeron]

Perhaps.

 

Strangely, if I were to give advice to myself I would say "Just suck it up, princess, and kick yourself in the ass when you first wake up in the morning".

 

What's really strange is that most of the time I don't even remember hitting the snooze button. It's like a whole different personality takes over, one that has almost no willpower--lol.

 

What about your ambient stress level in day to day life?

[FathomFear]

What about your ambient stress level in day to day life?

 

Hm, low to moderate stress levels these days. Not as bad as it was around this time last year. The usual pressures you find in an office--meeting deadlines, preparing for meetings. The usual stuff.

 

Starting tomorrow I think I'm going to relocate my alarm clock so I physically need to get out of bed. Maybe I'll tape upside down tacks on the snooze button for added measure...

[sidehop]

Moved to "Health: Body, Mind and Spirit"