So, I am just dragging every morning. It's pure torture for me to get up before 7:30 or 8am. I just can't function. I'm a total zombie when I take my daughter to school. There are days when my husband is home in the mornings so he will get up and take her for me so I can get more sleep, but I feel bad about it because he doesn't get off work until 10pm. I go to bed around 10pm, so not too late and as soon as I hit the pillow, I'm out. I sleep really good too. I don't understand why it takes me so long to wake up. I am hypothyroid and do take meds for it and go for my check ups with a homeopathic dr. At my last visit my levels were much better but I am very low in vit. D, so I am now taking 4000 IU daily (I was VERY low). It's been a couple months now and I still just can't wake up early enough. Also with my breakfast I drink a trader joes canned mocha. I also drink dr pepper 2 times a day to keep me going. Why can't I wake up? What else can I do to get myself going in the mornings?
thank you for all the great ideas! To answer some questions: I buy my multi vitamin at whole foods. It's a really good one too from new chapter organics. My homeopathic dr. recomended it for me. Along with that and the vit. D, I also take a vitamin B complex, vitamin C and nature throid (for being hypothyroid). I have tried a few times to cut out the caffiene and ended up with major headaches even after 2 and 3 weeks and litterally almost falling asleep when driving. I just can not function at all with out it. I have tried tea also and I seriously gag every time I try it. I have tried several types and flavors too and they all taste like dirt to me. I do like the idea of more protien in the morning. I know I need that. My breakfast is usually just some toast. In the morning I set the alarm at 5am. I have it across the room and I hit snooze until 5:30. I get up and eat breakfast, take a shower and get myself ready for the day. Then at 7am I wake up the kids and get them ready for school. After I get home from taking them to school, I just want to pass out because I'm so tired and just can't wake up. I do do better at night. I COULD stay up until 2am and not be tired. But, I have learned to force myself to go to sleep so I can wake up at 5:30am. I don't exercize as much as I should. I'm not very overweight, but I could loose about 10 pounds.
So, I think I will try more protien in the morning. I'm not planning on giving up my morning coffee/mocha though :)
Thank you!!
personally I think we are all wired differently.
It doesn't matter if I go to sleep at 7, 8 9 or 10 pm... still getting up before 7-8 is a complete struggle for me! But staying up all night.. no problem! I have to force myself to go to sleep because I know I have to get up in the morning.
now my hubby is the opposite... it doesn't matter what time he goes to sleep, early or late he is right up on his own by 5am.
To be honest, you won't like my suggestion. But I'm gonna give it anyway.
Switch to decaf coffee and cut out the Dr. Peppers.
Told you that you wouldn't like my suggestion. But here's what you do instead. Switch to a high protein breakfast. And I mean high protein, like 30 grams of it. Oatmeal provides fiber as well as protein, and several eggs together with the oatmeal. You can use one total egg and several egg whites if you are worried about calories or cholesterol, and you can cook raisins in the oatmeal to make it sweet. Don't use the instant oatmeal because it's not as good for you. Only put a tiny bit of milk in it after you cook it to cool it down, and don't put sugar in it.
The protein will keep your blood sugar level in the morning so that you don't fall off the cliff. Eat a few snacks during the day with protein as well - low fat string cheese is an excellent choice. Greek yogurt works too, but you have to look at the ingredients to find the highest protein amount and lowest fat gram and sugar amount - they tend to vary widely. Also cottage cheese (choose the lowest fat kind - I can't even taste the difference,) and I put sugarless apple sauce on top of my cottage cheese.
And most important with this? DRINK WATER. Half before noon, and the rest after. You need the water to flush out the extra protein. You should be drinking in ounces, at least half of your weight in pounds. Say you weigh 120 pounds - drink AT LEAST 60 ounces of water every single day. And if you are able to walk on a treadmill or in a mall everyday for an hour, you'd feel better too.
If you don't believe me, look at Dr. Oz's website. He said on one of his shows that a lot of protein with breakfast is KEY to feeling good and losing weight. I don't know if you need to lose weight, but you sure do need this protein.
It might take you a week to get over the caffeine fix - I promise you that you are hooked to it, so if you have bad headaches, just know that it won't last more than a week.
I hope you'll try this.
Good luck,
Dawn
Some people just need more sleep but if you have tried a number of different things something else to consider is sleep apnea. Even though you are sleeping it may not be quality sleep. It might be worth talking to your dr. to see if a sleep study would be helpful.
Glass of warm lemon water kick-starts metabolism, open the blinds and get sun on your face (if it's up), hop in the shower first thing and put on clothes that make you feel more put together. Good breakfast with protein for energy. I did a whole hormone work-up last winter and my energy levels were highest in the evening, around the time that I had protein at dinner. You could also try taking vitamins/supplements at bedtime, so they are good and in you by the time you wake up.
I am going to try Dawn's idea. I never thought about it, but I eliminated ham, bacon, and sausage in the morning for my diet. I also cut back on eggs and was having instant oatmeal with water. I do have more energy when I have eggs so it makes sense.
Also, when I kicked the caffeine cold turkey, my migraines were so bad I ended up at the ER. I had to wean myself slowllly. Never start back up.
It is addictive and makes me feel more tired.
Start earlier. If it takes you a long time to wake up, get up earlir to give yourself time to wake up. The problem is not a lack of sleep, it just takes you longer to get going. So get up before the kids, take a shower, eat breakfast, and take your vitamins. You should wake up fully with the shower. Take B-12 complex and a womens daily vitamin. Take with food.
Ditto Dawn
But you might have severe caffeine withdrawal if you go cold turkey.
Are you eating right? Enough protein?
Are you drinking enough?
Are you exercising wisely? Walking and yoga a few times a week?
I recommend you substitute tea for your Dr. Peppers. One cup of coffee in the morning does not harm your ability to sleep at night. I don't know what's in a TJ's canned mocha, but you should, so read the ingredients carefully.
Are you taking a wholesome, all natural foods multi-vitamin? Don't take Centrum products they are the worst vitamins on the market. Pren-natals are the best choice.
Less caffeine and more exercise. Try getting up at 6:30 and going for a 15 or 20 minute walk around the neighborhood before getting your daughter up and moving. Take an early morning shower and get dressed for the day before leaving the house!
I have the opposite problem... I'm such a morning person! If you are going to bed at 10 and don't "feel" awake until 8, your body is telling you that you need 10 hours of sleep. I'm a firm believer in listening to your body. Sleep is a rhythmic thing and that's what you need. My advice is to go to bed 10 minutes earlier every night until you are waking refreshed at the time you want to be awake.
I usually need 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep. I go to bed at 9 and usually sit right up at 4:30 or 5. I like it because that's my "me" time.
I defer to these other ladies about dietary things. Sounds like they know their stuff and that's not my area.
I wanted to comment on the low Vit D. Mine is low and when first detected it was very low. I was on 50,000 IU a week - a prescription tablet once per week for 12 weeks. It's still low but much better. I take 2 2,000 IU pills per day with my multiple vitamin. Also is your thyroid level still off? Between the thyroid and low Vit D you will be tired. Very tired.
C.....I thought I was reading something that I wrote. It happens the same to me, and I am also hypothyroid, probably is part of it also. Interesting post! I HAVE to get up early so I can do everything I have to do. I home school my kids, so..I HAVE to be an early bird. I do it..but it is still hard for me to do it...getting better, though. (LOL!)
Exercising has been helping a lot because it helps with your circulation and therefore your energy. Fluids is important, basically WATER, fruits and vegetables. Multivitamins probably, but I have not found something good yet, may be H. we can have great ideas, right!
Thank you brilliant Mamas! I have the same problem. It drives me nuts!
Ask your husband if you snore. If you do (even if not overweight) - you might have sleep apnea.
