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Try getting up at approximately the same time every day, including weekends. A regular schedule gives the body a predictable pattern to follow.
Keeping the bedroom cool, quiet and dark may also reduce interruptions and improve sleep quality. (Image: Canva)
Imagine opening your eyes minutes before the alarm rings—and feeling rested instead of startled. While this may sound like a luxury, the body has an internal timekeeping system that can begin preparing you to wake around a familiar hour.
Known as the circadian rhythm, this roughly 24-hour cycle regulates periods of sleepiness and alertness. According to the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), it starts promoting wakefulness before a person’s usual waking time. However, waking naturally is easier when your routine supports this internal clock.
Fix Your Wake-Up Time First
Try getting up at approximately the same time every day, including weekends. A regular schedule gives the body a predictable pattern to follow. Frequently staying up late and sleeping in on holidays can shift that pattern, making Monday mornings much harder.
The CDC recommends maintaining consistent sleeping and waking times as one of the basic habits for better sleep. Once your waking time is fixed, move your bedtime early enough to accommodate the sleep your body needs.
Give Yourself Enough Time To Sleep
You cannot train yourself to wake refreshed by repeatedly cutting sleep short. Adults generally need at least seven hours of sleep every night, although individual requirements differ.
If your alarm pulls you out of deep sleep each morning and you immediately press snooze, you may simply not be allowing enough time for rest. Try moving bedtime earlier in small increments while keeping the desired waking time unchanged.
Use Morning Light To Set Your Body Clock
Open the curtains or step outdoors soon after waking. Light is one of the strongest environmental signals controlling the circadian rhythm.
NIOSH explains that bright morning light can shift the body clock earlier, helping a person feel sleepy earlier at night and wake earlier the next day. In contrast, bright light late in the evening can push sleeping and waking times later.
Dim Lights And Screens Before Bed
Prepare your brain for sleep by reducing bright light in the evening. Turn down room lighting and stop using phones, laptops and televisions at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Replace scrolling with a relaxing activity such as reading, stretching or taking a warm bath.
Keeping the bedroom cool, quiet and dark may also reduce interruptions and improve sleep quality.
Watch Late Caffeine, Alcohol And Heavy Meals
Afternoon or evening caffeine may delay sleep in sensitive people. Alcohol can initially cause drowsiness but may disturb sleep later in the night. Large meals close to bedtime can also make it harder to rest comfortably. Regular daytime exercise may help, but vigorous activity immediately before bed can leave some people feeling alert.
Do Not Abandon The Alarm Immediately
Use an alarm as a backup while adjusting your routine, particularly when missing work, a flight or an appointment would have consequences. If you regularly get sufficient sleep but still struggle to wake, feel exhausted during the day, snore loudly or wake gasping, consult a doctor. Persistent difficulty may point to a sleep condition rather than a lack of discipline.
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18Common signs of an underlying sleep disorder include waking up exhausted even after eight or nine hours of sleep, feeling tired all day but having a burst of energy late in the evening, and frequently waking up during the night. Other indicators can be loud snoring, choking or gasping during sleep, morning headaches, a dry mouth upon waking, excessive daytime sleepiness, and poor concentration.
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August 24, 2026, 13:34 IST
