5 ways to make dark mornings easier

While autumn brings a beautiful tapestry of colours to our landscapes, it serves up dark mornings and earlier evenings, which many people can find difficult to adjust to. To help recalibrate, we’ve put together some tips to help waking and getting up in the morning that little bit easier.

1. Get some vitamin D

During the darker months we absorb a lot less vitamin D as we are exposed to less sunlight. Something as simple as maintaining a diet rich in vitamin D can help improve your mood and make you feel more awake. Getting the right amount of vitamin D can also help you get a better night sleep too.

2. Change your bedtime

In preparation for the dark mornings, try going to bed an extra 10 or 15 minutes earlier at night. Not only will you get some extra sleep, but you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. It’s important to do this in the weeks running up to the darker mornings, so that your body is used to your new sleeping pattern.

3. Wake up at the same time every day

It might not sound appealing, especially on the weekend, but waking up at the same time every day help make the dark mornings a little more bearable. According to VeryWellHealth, waking up and going to sleep at the same time can help us achieve a better sleep overall, meaning we can wake up feeling well rested.

4. Don’t snooze your alarm

As tempting as it may be to press the ‘snooze’ button in the morning, it can make you feel more tired when it’s time to get up. If you really struggle not to hit snooze, try placing your phone or alarm at the other side of the room so you need to get out of bed to turn it off. Doing this means you’re more likely to stay up and you can enjoy the morning, rather than rushing around to make sure you get out the door on time.

5. Enjoy a high protein breakfast

Eating a good, healthy breakfast in the morning will instantly wake you up and provide you with enough energy to get through the day. A breakfast high in protein improves brain function and helps you feel more alert…so get cracking those eggs in the morning!