Six Simple Tips That Can Change Your Entire Day!

There's nothing more enticing than that snooze button. Just a few more minutes of sleep, right? It can't hurt to go back to sleep for just five or ten more minutes... but then suddenly a few minutes turn into a half hour, and I swear something has to be wrong with my clock that I have to check the time twice to make sure it's thirty minutesafter I should have gotten out of bed.

Then the panic sets in, and I jump out of bed, mini heart attack in toe, as I rush to get out of the door on time. Quick rinse off, some dry shampoo here and there, and as I get into the car on time, I settle in for the drive ahead of me, hoping all I need is a good cup of coffee and some music to calm me down, but the truth is that I'm already in a mood because my day started wrong.And even after all that, I'LL STILL BE TIRED! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had this issue before. We've all had those days - or maybe for some of us, this is an everyday occurrence we can't seem to get right no matter how much we tell ourselves tomorrow will be better.

Don't worry; I am here to help you work this one out - learn from my mistakes and accept all the tips I have that are sure to help better improve your day and your mood.

So how can you fix this?
Here are a few tips you can use to help you feel more awake in the morning:

1. As much as you want to, DON'T hit snooze. Ever.
Hitting the snooze button on your alarm to get those five extra minutes of sleep makes you feel more tired! This is because of your sleep cycle. By pressing snooze and going back to bed, you begin another sleep cycle all over again. When your alarm goes off again, your cycle will be disrupted, making you feel more tired and disoriented. You'll often want to keep hitting snooze after doing it the first time.Who knew that those extra few minutes were just the thing ruining your day?

Instead of hitting snooze, set your alarm for the time you need to be out of bed. If you think you'll be too tempted to avoid that snooze button, try placing your phone or clock far enough that you would need to get up to turn off your alarm. I set mine on top of my dresser, which is right next to my bed but tall enough that I would at least need to stand up to reach it, so it does the trick.

Choosing an alarm is a tricky business; you want one that will wake you up peacefully, not one that will give you a mini heart attack each morning (iPhone alarms, I am looking at you). Instead, find one that is a surefire way to start your morning on the right step. A friend has even recommended to me downloading a favorite song of mine, so every morning is a good morning.

2. Use the bathroom before you go to sleep—trust me on this one.
When my grandma used to tell me this as a kid, I thought it was because she was afraid I would wet the bed if I didn't. But she was actually on to something about this, whether she knew it. Don't tell her I said that. She'd never let me live it down.

Interrupted sleep will make you feel more tired in the morning. Because our kidneys do not stop working while we sleep, this will make us feel the need to use the bathroom. By getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, you interrupt your sleep cycle. Going to the toilet before you go to bed will ensure that you won't wake up in the middle of the night.

I also recommend not chugging your weight in water before you go to bed. Otherwise, not only will you get up once but many a few other times throughout the night, and at that point, you're just asking to be tired.

Popping into the bathroom before you go to sleep is an easy trick and fix that everyone can remember. We aren't asking you to go full Sheldon Cooper and create a strict bathroom schedule, but we do recommend maybe setting a reminder on your phone so don't forget or can make it a part of your nightly routine!

3. Drink a glass of water before Bed
Now I know I just said going to the bathroom in the middle of the night is terrible, but drinking water before bed can be helpful! Just be careful not to drink too much. A small water bottle or glass will do the trick depending on your size or daily water needs. Just avoid creating a full bladder, but a glass 30 minutes before bed has many benefits.

You can become dehydrated while you sleep. As your body continues to work, you can sweat out water, making you feel tired in the morning. Drinking water before bed can give you enough hydration for the night to wake up feeling refreshed the next day. Water also acts as a natural detox that will flush out toxins, and it even helps with weight loss!

When you time out your daily hydration just right, you can avoid running to the bathroom in the middle of the night as long as you follow our thirty minutes before-bed rule. Staying hydrated throughout the day and right before going to bed can also help you avoid waking up in the middle of the night to sneak into the kitchen to look for a glass of water.

4. Drink a glass of water when you wake up too!
Drinking a glass of water in the morning will start your day off feeling awake and refreshed. Staying hydrated will give you the energy you need to get you going. This is also why drinking water throughout the day is important too! Water will fuel your brain, cleanse your body, improve your skin, and more!

Drinking in the morning is excellent for your body and mind, but it helps start your day on the right foot. When you are appropriately hydrated, you can wake up on the right side of the bed and avoid some of those groggy mornings that slow you down.

Having that first glass in the morning helps you maintain not just proper hydration but also helps with avoiding things like being bloated or puffy, as well as helping you digest your breakfast better.

5. Stretch in the Morning
This one is pretty simple. Stretching in the morning helps with circulation to get that blood flow to help you wake up! This is why many people enjoy doing yoga in the morning as well.

Now don't go thinking you'll need to wake up 30 minutes early to pull out a yoga mat. It takes 5-10 minutes to touch your toes, stretch your arms, and make some lunges. There are even some stretches that you can do right in your bed that help wakes you up right away. From curling your knees to your chest or getting into a child's pose, there are a few tricks that even the laziest of morning people can do to start their morning on the right foot.

6.Avoid using electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
In today's modern world, we often keep our phones close to us and enjoy scrolling through social media while we lay in bed. However, going on your phone right before going to sleep is pretty bad for you—not just because it's bad for your vision.

Electronic screens emit blue light, which you've probably heard before. But did you know that blue light can decrease your melatonin levels? Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the brain's sleep-wake cycle. Reduced melatonin in the brain can lead to insomnia, irregular sleep schedules, and feeling tired throughout the day.

Putting your phone away half an hour before you sleep will help you get a better night of rest. Instead of going on your phone, try reading a book or writing in a journal.

The Bottom Line
The key to not feeling tired is much more than just getting eight hours of sleep, so don't stress over it too much. Everyone has their off days, and it's okay to be tired. But don't let one little thing determine how the rest of your day will go. Just follow these six steps, and you'll wake up feeling good as new in no time!