You snooze, you lose. That's more than just a turn of phrase. As it turns out, hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock can cut your sleep cycle short, leaving you groggy even after you roll out of bed. It can be a difficult habit to shake, though. Thankfully, by using a well-planned morning routine to draw your attention elsewhere, you can start to overcome the temptation to hit the snooze button every morning. There's a whole host of apps, websites, and devices to help you follow through with this goal.
If you struggle to climb out of bed every day, you're far from alone. In fact, the period of intense grogginess and even disorientation you experience when waking up is known as sleep inertia, according to an article in Sleep Medicine Reviews. Like other forms of inertia, you want to remain in a state of rest. Here's how to build some momentum in your morning with a few tech tips.
1. Check Out Smart Alarm Clocks
If you're well-rested, then you're likely to wake up without an alarm clock to guide you. If you do need a little help waking up properly, then buy an alarm clock that won't look kindly on your snoozing habits. In fact, the best smart alarm clocks use features such as natural sound, light that mimics sunrise, and even Alexa compatibility to help you wake up in a gentle way. If loud, blaring alarms don't do the trick, then these clocks with adjustable volume for the music or sounds you choose are better options.
2. Use Apps to Awaken
Plenty of great alarm clock apps are designed to get you up and moving in no time. By asking you to use your brain or move around for a bit, these alarms can help you break the snooze button habit.
Alarmy
Perhaps the most beloved alarm clock app—and the one with the cutest name—Alarmy can wake you up with math or typing missions, exercises, and a check to make sure you're fully awake.
For instance, the squat mission has you start the day with a certain number of exercises, while the typing option has you type out an inspiring or difficult phrase. Ranging from simple equations to tricky triple-digit multiplication, the math problems will kick your brain into gear as well.
With over 160,000 reviews and an average of 4.8 out of 5 on iOS as well as over 10 million downloads on Google Play, it's one of the most popular alarm clock apps available.
Download: Alarmy for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
Mathe Alarm Clock
Engage your problem-solving skills first thing in the morning to shut off the Mathe alarm clock app. By the time you figure out the three problems required to silence the alarm, you'll probably feel pretty alert. The app also lets you set a morning routine, as well as personalize the clock function's appearance. It's free to use, and an upgrade will get rid of the ads.
Download: Mathe Alarm Clock for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. Use Music to Get Moving
There's nothing like a playlist of your favorite upbeat songs to get your body moving. Use it as part of your morning routine. Create a "morning" playlist on Spotify or SoundCloud, or set a music alarm on Google Home or Google Nest. Create mood-based playlists, choosing peppy and energetic tracks for weekdays and something nice and dreamy for the weekend.
4. Wake Up to the News
Listening to what's going on in different parts of the world will keep you informed for the day ahead. Use an app like NewsON to stream your local news for free live or on demand. Or browse good news websites to start your day on a positive note.
5. Exercise Yourself Awake
Boost your heart rate and exercise yourself into wakefulness. Try out some of the best beginner workout apps, such as 7 Minute Workout, to get into the habit of moving around each morning. Even a few minutes of stirring around can help clear your head considerably.
Once you get into the habit of exercising consistently, you can experiment with other forms of exercise such as aerobics, yoga, running, swimming, cycling, or hiking. If these aren't for you, just put on your sweats, play some good music, and dance your heart out. The important thing is to work up a sweat and give your metabolism a boost.
6. Find a Mental Push
Getting a healthy dose of inspiration in the morning is a wonderful way to start your day on the right note. It helps your brain get into gear right away.
- Set up an IFTTT recipe to deliver inspiration to your inbox, based on specific keywords or via specific sources.
- If you find a song or a quote that you know gets you off the couch and raring to go, use it as a trigger to start your morning on a positive note. Turn that quote into your phone's wallpaper or that song into your ringtone.
- Pick a handful of podcasts that share stories of people who have made it, and listen to an episode or two. Start with the Good Life Project.
- Check out an app that has informative articles on self-improvement and read an article at random. You might find inspiring insights this way. Then, try out the best self-improvement Android apps, such as Make Me Better.
7. Partner Up for Accountability
If you find it a chore to work on your morning routine by yourself, pair up with an accountability partner. You can find a virtual accountability partner to make sure you get up on time and follow through with your intended morning routine. Push each other to exercise every day, and see who keeps up the longest streak over time. Bounce ideas off each other. Exchange interesting trivia. Did you know that the little doohickey at the end of your shoelace is called an aglet?
Take The First Step to Make Your Mornings Better
If you haven't adopted a morning ritual yet, it can structure your day for the better. With the help of a few apps and other tech, you might even start to become a morning person (or at least someone who can get up at the first alarm). If you're still working on your own habits, there are many more apps to start a happy and productive morning routine. With a little thought and creativity, you can create the perfect start to your day, your way.