Getting up in winter - How to wake up faster

Why we find it difficult to get up in winter

When it's freezing cold and dark outside, we are particularly reluctant to leave our warm beds. In winter, we therefore prefer to stay under the cozy blanket and sleep a little longer. To be able to wake up faster, we therefore have to reach into our bag of tricks. With the right tips, getting up in winter is much easier. Above all, it is important that we support our body in the transition to the colder season. Because it stays dark much longer, fewer happiness hormones such as dopamine and serotonin are produced. These not only put you in a good mood, but are also responsible for keeping you awake. But that's not all: when it's dark, our body releases more of the sleep hormone melatonin. In order to maintain a healthy sleep rhythm during the darker months, you should pay particular attention to maintaining fixed times for getting up and going to bed. This routine helps your body to rebalance its internal clock.

Wake up faster thanks to fresh air

Cool morning air makes for an alert mind. To wake up faster and have a clearer head, you should let fresh air into your bedroom directly after getting up. This will provide your bedroom with an extra dose of oxygen and at the same time ensure that your bedding gets a good airing out. This is important so that your bedding stays hygienically clean for longer and it also feels fresh every night you get back into bed.

In the depths of winter, when the temperature outside is below zero, the morning air can make you shiver. A good tip is to leave your bedroom during the airing and get ready for the day in the bathroom. This way, the used air from your bedroom is replaced with fresh new air - and you won't shiver. By the way, you don't have to leave the doors and windows open for too long. 5-10 minutes of forced airing is enough.

Create pleasant lighting conditions

Getting out of bed in complete darkness in winter and puttering around the bedroom doesn't exactly sound like a relaxing start to the morning. In order to get up more easily and wake up faster, it is often recommended to switch on the ceiling light directly. However, this is not ideal for getting up, because as soon as you turn on the light, your sleepy eyes are subjected to a real shock. A good solution for a smoother transition is soft lighting like a small lamp on the nightstand. This will help your eyes slowly adjust to the brightness. Even better is investing in a light alarm clock. This simulates the natural sunrise and wakes you up in a particularly gentle way. There is no more relaxing way to get up, especially during the dark winter days.

Wake up faster with hot and cold showers

Especially in winter, it is important to strengthen your immune system against cold viruses. During the flu season, your body is very busy fighting off all kinds of pathogens. Admittedly, when it's sub-zero outside, hot and cold showers sound anything but tempting. However, the benefits of this method are clear: the cold water in the morning not only helps you wake up faster, but simultaneously benefits your health.

Alternating hot and cold showers promote blood circulation, stimulate your metabolism, strengthen your heart, and improve your body's thermoregulation. By the way, don't try the sledgehammer method and stand under cold water for minutes on end. Instead, gradually build up your tolerance to colder water temperatures by showering every morning a little colder than before. When taking hot and cold showers, it's also a good idea to work your way up from the bottom - in other words, don't expose your entire body to the cold water right away, but first rinse off your feet and legs and then slowly move upwards with the water spray.

Plan ahead

Did you know that waking up starts the day before? Sounds strange at first, but it can be a good trick for getting up more relaxed in winter! By planning ahead the night before, you can make getting up a lot easier. After all, nothing is more stressful than getting into a hectic rush in the early hours of the morning. If you want to devote your energy to waking up in a relaxed manner, you should therefore take as many "work steps" off your hands as necessary. Prepare your outfit for the next day as well as your work documents and, if needed, prepare a healthy breakfast for the office. This will give you enough time in the morning to enjoy your coffee in peace - the cozy ritual will surely wake you up faster than a rushed departure.