How to Become a Morning Person (Guest Post)

How to Become a Morning Person

I am sure everyone has troubles getting up early once in a while, even those who are early birds. But do we ever think about what makes it hard for us to get up early? I didn’t. I used to be a terrible heavy sleeper, every morning was a torture for me and I was craving for weekend to come so I would be able to sleep in till noon. I thought early risers never had problems waking up early in the morning, so I always wanted to become one. But, to tell you the truth, it doesn’t matter if you are a night owl or an early bird, you can still have hard times waking up early in the morning. It’s all because there are some things that you should do and some that you shouldn’t to feel great getting up early!

So, here is the list of Dos to become a morning person:

  1. Commit yourself to waking up at the same time every morning, even on weekend, even on holiday. Persistence is the key to building any habit.
  2. Get out of bed as soon as your alarm clock goes off. Snooze button is your worst enemy. You are just a human, so you can be weak and tempted sometimes to push a snooze button. That’s why it is better to make sure your alarm clock hasn’t got one.
  3. Open the curtains to get exposed to the sun or, if you have to wake up earlier than the sun rises, turn on the lights. This lets your body know that the day has begun and it is time to wake up. Same rule applies when you go to sleep, so make sure it is dark in your bedroom at night.
  4. Take contrast shower to help your body wake up. This little trick not only will give you fresh feeling but also will speed up your blood circulation for an energy boost.
  5. Get moving, jog outside or simply walk your dog out, it’s all good when it comes to exercising in the morning.

Things you should avoid doing to be an early riser:

  1. Skipping breakfast. Healthy nutritious breakfast gives us energy for the whole day. Once you skip it, your productivity will hit its lows and you will feel tired and sleepy for the rest of the day.
  2. Drinking coffee after noon. Coffee does give you an energy boost, but you should drink it in the morning. Otherwise you will have troubles falling asleep. And, keep in mind that it refers to other caffeine products too.
  3. Watching TV or playing computer games before the bedtime. Probably, you have already heard that television and computer games have a great impact on your nervous system and bring you to arousal state; and it results in various sleep disorders and insomnia.
  4. Consuming alcohol in the evening.  Undoubtedly alcohol makes you sleepy and more relaxed, but you shouldn’t use it as an extra help falling asleep. It turns out that alcohol messes up the sleep patterns and prevents you from having a quality sleep you need. It is more likely it will harm you giving the morning hangover rather than do good helping fall asleep.
  5. Having big meal for dinner. Eating heavy or spicy food at the dinner table is not a good idea. Your body should rest when you are sleeping too instead of digesting the food. Besides, it leads directly to weight gain and obesity. So, do yourself a favor and have a light dinner.

And, of course, the most important thing you need to wake up early is motivation! Find a reason to get up and you will see how easy it is to become a morning person. Good luck!

This is a guest post by Amber Smith.

Amber is a time management expert and runs the site HowToGetUpEarly.com. The site is about helping people to get up early and be more productive by sharing original tips and innovative products.

--
Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Is Sleeping for Eight Hours Straight Really the Best Way?

We’ve posted before about alternative sleeping patterns and strategies for dividing your sleep into multiple chunks. These may sound like modern concepts designed to cope with today’s busy schedules; however, there is evidence that dividing up one’s sleep into shorter blocks is the historical norm. As Stephanie Hegarty writes in this BBC News article, “these [historical]references describe a first sleep which began about two hours after dusk, followed by waking period of one or two hours and then a second sleep.” and “During this waking period people were quite active. They often got up, went to the toilet or smoked tobacco and some even visited neighbours. Most people stayed in bed, read, wrote and often prayed”.

--
Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Which Mattress Will Help You Sleep at Night? (Guest Post)

When it comes to shopping for a new mattress, all the different types that are available to choose from can be quite overwhelming. Of course, each manufacturer will claim that theirs will give you the best night’s rest you have ever had. But with such a large investment and something that you will spend a large portion of your life on, you want to be sure to get it right. This article explains each type of mattress available along with the pros and cons of each. So stop losing sleep over your next mattress purchase and read on.

The first thing you need to know about mattresses is that there are three types of mattress construction: innerspring, memory foam, and latex foam. Each has different support properties, lifespan, price point, and maintenance required.

Innerspring

This is the standard, tried-and-true mattress construction. The main mattress support is provided by metal springs that are contained inside the mattress. These springs spread your weight over the surface of the mattress to provide support. There are many variations of spring design and firmnesses but they all use this same basic principal. A properly cared for quality innerspring mattress should last between seven and ten years

Pros

Least expensive mattress option

Many brands and constructions to choose from

Lightest type of mattress

A memory foam pad can be added to get the feel of a more expensive memory foam mattress

Cons

May require periodic rotation and/or flipping

Coils may break or poke through the mattress as it ages

Mattress may begin to sag in the middle or wear unevenly as it ages

Memory Foam

Memory foam is a high-density visco-elastic polyurethane foam that was developed by NASA as a cushioning material. Memory foam gets its name from its ability to mold to pressure applied to it and then return to its original form once the pressure is removed. The foam responds to body heat by giving way to cradle the sleeper’s body. A properly cared for memory foam mattress should last between ten and twenty years.

Pros

Conforms to body shape to provide support

Lasts up to twenty years

More resistant to bed bugs and dust mites that innerspring mattresses

Reduced motion transfer across the mattress

Cons

Expensive compared to innerspring mattresses

Holds heat and may make the sleeper uncomfortably hot

Eventually loses some spring-back as it becomes compressed over time

Mattresses are very heavy

May give off an odor when new

Latex Foam

Latex foam mattresses use a latex foam core for support. Latex foam is created by whipping latex with air to create a open cell foam that is durable and supportive. There are two latex foam manufacturing processes: Dunlop and Talalay. Dunlop is the older process and features a firmer support with increasing rigidity from top to bottom. Talalay is the newest process, which is slightly softer, more durable, has an even consistency throughout, and is more expensive than Dunlop mattresses. A properly cared for latex foam mattress will last between ten and twenty years.

Pros

Up to three times more durable than memory foam

Open cell construction allows airflow and prevents heat build up

Dust mite resistant, hypoallergenic, and naturally mold and mildew proof

Cons

Latex foam mattresses are the most expensive option

Mattresses are very heavy

Less conforming than memory foam mattresses

May give off an odor when new

Conclusion

So keep all this in mind when deciding which type of mattress is right for you and your budget. The best way to determine the best mattress for you is to test it out. Also, many retailers will let you return a mattress after several weeks if you end up not liking it. So shop with confidence and you will be sleeping better before you know it.

This is a guest post written by Michelle Gordon:

Bio: +Michelle Gordon is a sleep expert who researches and writes about sleep, and is an online publisher for Latexmattress.org

--
Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.