For the longest time, I found waking up in the morning to be the hardest part of my day.

Imagine:

– Waking up refreshed
– Feeling genuinely excited about the day ahead
– No grogginess or fatigue dragging you down.

I was far from this ideal.

Just a few years back, my mornings were a struggle. I’d hit snooze multiple times and drag myself out of bed feeling anything but refreshed. The thought of starting the day felt more like a burden than an exciting new opportunity.

It wasn’t until I delved into psychology and began to understand the impact of our evening routines on our morning demeanor that things started to change.

In this article, I’m going to share with you the 7 evening habits that helped me transform my mornings. These are all backed by psychology and have worked wonders for me.

I hope they can do the same for you. Let’s dive in.

1) Unplug and unwind

This might sound like a no-brainer, but in our digitally connected world, it’s often easier said than done.

Truth be told, I used to be glued to my phone right up until the minute I closed my eyes. I’d scroll through social media, check work emails and even watch videos while in bed.

It wasn’t until I studied psychology that I realized the damaging effects of this habit. Exposure to digital screens in the evening can mess with our bodies’ natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

So, I made a conscious decision to unplug at least an hour before bed.

At first, it felt strange. My fingers itched to pick up my phone, but I resisted. Instead, I used this time to relax and unwind – reading a book, taking a warm bath, or just sitting quietly.

The change was immediate. I fell asleep faster and woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in years.

If you’re struggling with feeling groggy in the mornings, try this out: switch off all your digital devices an hour before bedtime. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but trust me – your mornings will thank you for it.

2) Establish a consistent sleep schedule

When I was younger, my sleep schedule was all over the place. Some nights I’d stay up until the early hours of the morning, and other nights I’d hit the sack as early as 9pm.

I realized this erratic sleep schedule was doing me no favors when I stumbled upon a quote from the famous psychologist, B.F. Skinner: “Schedules of reinforcement affect how fast a behavior is acquired and the strength of the response.”

While Skinner was primarily talking about behaviorism, his words struck a chord with me when it came to my sleep habits.

Making a shift wasn’t easy but I decided to set myself a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends.

It took some discipline, but gradually my body clock adjusted. Soon enough, waking up in the morning wasn’t such a struggle and I started feeling truly refreshed and ready to tackle my day.

It’s been a game-changer for me, and it might just be for you too. Try sticking to a regular sleep schedule for a few weeks and see how your body responds. You might just find that consistency is key when it comes to quality sleep and refreshing mornings.

3) Incorporate a relaxation routine

For years, my evenings were spent rushing around, trying to finish up last-minute tasks or worrying about what the next day would bring.

Getting to sleep was difficult and waking up feeling refreshed? Nearly impossible.

That’s when I decided to create a relaxation routine.

I started with just 10 minutes a day, right before bed, where I would do something calming that I enjoyed. Sometimes it was reading a book, other times it was listening to soft music or practicing some gentle yoga stretches.

These few minutes of ‘me time’ helped me unwind from the day’s stress and prepare my body for sleep.

Before long, I noticed a significant improvement in my sleep quality and how I felt when I woke up in the morning.

If you’re constantly waking up feeling tired and stressed, consider incorporating a relaxation routine into your evening schedule. It doesn’t have to be long – just a few minutes can make all the difference.

4) Limit caffeine intake in the evenings

I’ve always been a coffee lover. The aroma, the taste, the way it perks you up – I used to drink it well into the evening. But then, I noticed that my late-night coffee habit was interfering with my sleep.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine confirmed my suspicions. It found that consuming caffeine even 6 hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep.

So, I decided to limit my caffeine intake to mornings only. It was difficult initially, especially during those late afternoon slumps. But gradually, my body adjusted.

The result? I started falling asleep faster and waking up feeling more rested and ready to seize the day.

If you’re like me and love your coffee (or tea), try avoiding it after lunchtime. You might find, as I did, that this small change can make a big difference to your sleep quality and how refreshed you feel in the morning.

Here’s the link to the study: https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170

5) Create a sleep-friendly environment

I used to think that as long as I was tired enough, I could sleep anywhere. It didn’t matter if there was noise, light, or if my room was a mess.

But then I started noticing that on nights when my bedroom was clean, dark, and quiet, I had much better sleep and woke up feeling more refreshed.

Research backs this up, highlighting the importance of a good sleep environment for quality rest.

So, I made changes. I invested in heavy curtains to block out any outside light. I started using earplugs to eliminate noise. And I made a habit of tidying up my room before bed.

These changes transformed my sleep quality. I fell asleep faster, slept deeper, and woke up feeling energized.

If you’re struggling with feeling refreshed in the morning, take a look at your sleep environment. Small changes can make a big difference.

6) Practice gratitude

I’ve always been a firm believer in the power of positive thinking. However, I never really practiced it consistently until a few years ago.

One evening, as I was struggling to fall asleep, a quote from renowned psychologist Robert Emmons sprang to mind: “When people regularly engage in the systematic cultivation of gratitude, they experience a variety of measurable benefits: psychological, physical, and interpersonal.”

I decided to give it a shot. Every night before bed, I started jotting down three things I was grateful for that day.

Some days it was easy, other days it was harder. But no matter how my day went, I always managed to find something to be thankful for.

This simple act of gratitude shifted my focus from the stress and worries of the day to positive thoughts, helping me relax and fall asleep more easily.

And the best part? I began waking up with an optimistic mindset, feeling refreshed and excited about the new day.

If you often find yourself feeling drained in the mornings, try practicing gratitude before bed. It might just help you wake up feeling more refreshed and positive.

7) Get active in the evening

Many people believe that exercising in the evening can interfere with sleep. But in my experience, the opposite was true.

As someone who spent most of the day at a desk, I found that incorporating some form of physical activity into my evening routine actually helped me sleep better.

I started with just a 15-minute walk after dinner. It was a small change, but I noticed that on days when I walked, I fell asleep more easily and woke up feeling more refreshed.

Research suggests that moderate evening exercise doesn’t disrupt sleep and can even improve its quality.

Contrary to what you might think, getting active in the evening could help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your day.

Try it out for yourself. Start with something simple like a brief walk after dinner or a short yoga session before bed. You might be surprised at how much better you feel in the morning.

Conclusion

Waking up feeling refreshed and excited to start the day doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of healthy evening habits that set the stage for restful sleep and productive mornings.

Take it from me, a once constant snooze-hitter – small changes in your evening routine can lead to big improvements in how you feel each morning.

Start with one or two of these habits and gradually incorporate more as they become part of your routine.

Remember, consistency is key. Stick with it, be patient, and before long, you might just find yourself waking up feeling refreshed and ready to seize the day.