How to Wake Up Well

Waking up well is part of the well-being that comes from a good night's sleep. After all, it's just the final, conclusive part of our sleep, crucial for our health and good mood throughout the day ahead. But how do we wake up? And how do we avoid wasting this crucial moment before starting our various planned activities?

Index of topics

Don't push the pace

Not everyone wakes up at the same time. Some people are slower to wake up, while others are out of bed in a matter of seconds, like crickets. It can also depend on blood pressure: generally, people who have low values They have the hardest time getting up, but they're also the ones who fall asleep the easiest. The important thing for everyone is to wake up according to their own sleep-wake cycle.

Natural light

As soon as you wake up, don't miss out on natural light: open the shutters and let it in: it stimulates the production of Serotonin, the neurotransmitter that distributes good mood.

The rude awakening

The key chemical for a good awakening is dopamine, which regulates sleep and provides a pleasant wake-up call. But if the interruption is abrupt, even with an excessive ringtone, a sudden loud noise, perhaps from a smartphone, then the body responds with stress and the release of adrenaline and cortisol. The day begins with discomfort. The same thing, another mistake, happens when parents yell at their young children for school. On the contrary, with a gradual and progressive awakening, the brain has the time it needs to increase serotonin production and make us feel more relaxed and rested upon awakening. That is, in better condition to face the day. A study published in the scientific journal PloS One indicates harmonious alarm clocks as ideal for improving attention throughout the day, while a sharp and noisy alarm clock risks deafening us for hours afterward.

Don't put off getting up too long

Morning drowsiness is very common, in a world that plays everything on the presentism, on the fleeting moment. And putting off getting up, still staying warm under the covers, becomes an almost obligatory choice. There's nothing serious about it; the important thing is not to overdo it, otherwise you risk starting the day already tired rather than well-rested. Instead, try to create your daily routine based on the waking rhythms that best suit your needs.

Downtime

If you use an alarm clock and want to decide to get up at a set time, even a routine, always try to do your calculations carefully. And consider the time you need before you're ready to go, not only to get dressed, go to the bathroom, take a shower, and eat breakfast, but also to include the so-called downtime. Starting with the minutes you need to sip a glass of room-temperature water as soon as you wake up and take a few walks around the room and the kitchen before sitting down to dinner. Breakfast, A meal not to be skipped. Avoid using snooze buttons.

No smartphones as soon as you wake up

Just as it's unhealthy to go to bed with some electronic device, it's harmful to wake up and fiddle with your smartphone. Scrolling, checking and exchanging messages, rushing through a few phone calls. There's time for these activities, and at least twenty minutes should pass between the alarm clock and the moment you begin your virtual activity. Waking up well, like sleeping well, remains a great and natural pleasure.

The alarm clock on weekends and holidays

Obviously, on weekends, when you have no commitments, and on holidays, don't force your body to wake up as if they were normal days. But don't make the opposite mistake either: oversleeping on days when you're relaxed can make recovery and the return to normalcy, expected just a few days later, more difficult.