Waking up is hard to do. When summer winds down and fall slips into winter, the sun starts waking up later and later. It’s like it doesn’t want to get out from under the covers and face the day.
And neither do I.
I’ve always had a hard time waking up, especially in the throes of winter. Many a morning in high school, college, or after college, the same scenario plays out:
The alarm blares, I turn it off, and flip over to cocoon deeper in my covers. Inevitably, some kind person (one of my parents or roommates) harshly flips on the overhead light, and I bury my head in the pillow and groan. Too early.
Thankfully, I don’t have that problem anymore. Not because I outgrew it, but because I have a new way to wake up. When winter comes and the mornings are darker, I use a sunrise alarm clock. A half-hour before the alarm goes off, the clock emits a soft light, growing brighter and brighter until the time you want to get up. The alarm music (which is optional) also starts softly. By the time it goes off, I’m already rising out of sleep from the artificial sunrise in my room.
I wish I had tried it sooner, because it really does make waking up more pleasant. I don’t have to brace myself for the sudden harsh overhead light; instead, this soft glow lets my eyes adjust easily. It seems a lot cozier to wake up on a dark winter morning if I have that soft light.
Sunrise alarm clocks vary in cost, but my husband and I signed up for this one on our wedding registry and it has served us well. *I’m an affiliate with Amazon so if you end up trying this clock and use my link I’ll get a percentage of the sale. Whoohoo! But there are lots of other types, with varying price ranges, so check out what works best for you!
If you want more info about sleeping habits and tips, check out the book!
