We are all too familiar with the obnoxious blaring of the alarm in the morning... it seems to get even more jarring and offensive as the nights get colder and the mornings get darker. I know that when that 6:30am alarm goes off, I want nothing more than to roll over and go back to sleep. We here at Happy Beds, and I’m sure all of you, just want that extra time in our cosy beds! So, to make the most of your rest, I’ve put together some top tips on how to save time in the morning
Stop Snoozing!
I know, we all do it, but snoozing your alarm is the worst possible thing that you can do in the morning, so much so, that snoozing an alarm can actually be detrimental to your health. Neuroscientist Matt Janes, in his Refuse to Snooze research report, states that “When your alarm sounds in the morning, you are torn out of restful sleep. This shock quickly engages your sympathetic nervous system, the fight or flight branch of your autonomic nervous system”, therefore snoozing the alarm and falling back into a slumber multiplies “the assault on your brain and body”. He further states that the negative physiological effects on your body can create inflammation on a cellular basis, leading to various chronic diseases. No wonder we all hate that alarm sound so much!Be kind to yourself, keep your blood pressure low, and get up on the first alarm sound. Try moving your alarm away from your bed, to encourage you to get up to turn it off, or go one step further and turn your phone off and make use of an alarm clock. Making your sleep space into a technology free room will aid a better night’s sleep. Read more: More Than Half of People Who Use an Alarm Press the Snooze Button Every Morning
Plan Your Outfit of the Day
6:30am isn’t the ideal time for a fashion show, so stop trying on everything in your wardrobe and organise what you’re going to wear the night before. Not only will you save heaps of time that is usually wasted on indecision, but your bedroom floor won’t be covered in various tops and trouser combinations and you won’t need to rush to iron something last minute. If you’re wondering how to start a good day, getting ready quickly and easily is a great start!
Prepare Your Breakfast and Lunch
Food prepping is a great way to save time in the morning. Put all your lunch elements together in the fridge the evening before ready to grab and pop in your bag without any morning fussing. You can even do this for breakfast. Try preparing overnight oats and popping them in a jar or container to put in your bag, or even a smoothie or juice jam-packed full of fresh fruits and vegetables. A good, healthy, filling breakfast is a great way to start the day right, after all, it is the most important meal of the day and guaranteeing this doesn’t mean that you have to pry yourself out of bed half an hour earlier than usual.
Organise and Utilise Your Furniture
Space saving solutions and functional furniture are great. They are literally created to make your life easier and to give everything a set place. But, we all know drawers can get out of hand. They turn into a black hole of odd socks and screwed up t-shirts, making opening them daunting. This can make your mornings a million times harder than they need to be, not only does a lack of organisation add minutes to your morning routine, it also sets a negative tone for the day. According to a study by Pixie, we spend around 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced things, if that isn't incentive enough for you to put your things away where they belong, I don’t know what is. Start off making sure everything is put where it should be, if you need to, reorganise your whole living space! Use your bedside table to organise all the things you need for a morning: your keys, cosmetics and spare change. Not only is this convenient, but you can get stunning organisers for all your bits and bobs. So, whilst adding style and flair to your bedroom, it guarantees that you won’t spend hours looking for your keys. Divan beds with storage are also extremely handy. Not only does this built in storage mean essentials are always just beneath you, but they also help free up space in your bedroom. I love divan beds as you can simply pull out the drawer to easily start your morning routine - I like to keep my make-up and hair dryer here, so I can start getting ready without leaving the warmth of my duvet.
Send Us Your Tips
Do you have any advice on how to get ready in 30 minutes or less in the morning? If so, we’d love to hear it and share it with our readers. Alternatively, please get involved with the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and let us know if, and how, our tips have helped you.
