Tips for embracing the darker mornings and early evenings

If you're anything like me you'll find it starts to get 'really' hard to wake up when the days become shorter and we wake up to what is essentially night. Follow my top tips on how you can embrace the early evenings.

Make a cosy den
When it's summer we feel a lot more carefree and want to enjoy as much of the daylight as we can. In the darker months it's normally dark by the time we get home from work so it doesn't feel so necessary to be out all the time. This is the perfect opportunity to make your bedroom or living room all cosy and make it somewhere you want to relax.  Fill it with the perfect accessories; blankets, candles and a good book. Oh and Netflix is good to have too.

Sort your stuff out the night before
When you're struggling to get out of bed the last thing you want to do is have to get up even earlier to grab your stuff. Get organised and prepare everything you need for the next day the night before. That includes your lunch, clothing and anything your kids might need (if you have any). You might not get a massive lay in but every little helps!

Make plans
Whilst it's good to get cosy it's not so good to spend all your time at home. Use your spare time to make plans to do stuff with friends and family, explore Autumn/Winter events and just have fun. Things like bonfire night and halloween only come around in the colder months after all.

Get yourself into a routine
Even though you get less daytime hours it's essential to maintain a routine so you get used to the increase in darkness. Make sure you eat at the same times and at night avoid using electrical items (especially phones) at least an hour before bed. The  extra light vibrancy can trick your brain into thinking it's still daytime, whilst darkness makes it want to sleep.

Eat the right foods
Food like bananas are great at helping you sleep as they're high in magnesium which can help you relax. Salmon contains Omega 3 which is great for reducing stress levels so you can drift away without worrying. Make sure you avoid alcohol as this can actually disrupt REM sleep and leave you feeling tired and lethargic.

Avoid the snooze button
Tempting as it may seem, the snooze button is actually your worst enemy, especially on dark mornings. By delaying the inevitable you will feel grumpy and annoyed when you have to get up and start your day in a bad mood. Why not leave your snooze button on, get up and start getting ready for your day. You'll think you've still got time to chill out but you'll start to wake up as you go about your business.

Makeover your bedroom
If you don't like your bedroom very much you probably won't want to be in there all that often. Why not refresh it for Autumn/Winter by repainting and replacing any old furniture. It's important to replace your mattress ever 7 years to avoid causing unnecessary back pain.

Don't be a letdown
If you feel like waking up in the dark is a massive challenge for you it may be worth getting a friend/family to help you overcome the hurdle. You could set up a early gym session with a friend or personal trainer who would expect you to turn up on time, dark or not. You could even text a friend or family member when you get up so they know you're keeping to your promise. No one likes a let down right!