Getting up early

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I am NOT a morning person. For the past couple weeks, I have been trying to get up early to be prepared for nursing school. (Generally, I get up around 8:30.) But now with clinicals starting at 6:30am and class at 8am, I obviously have to be wide awake sooner! I just can't seem to get up before 6:30 and am soooo not alert. Anyone have any ideas on how I can wake up easier and not be so groggy?

(And yes, I do get about 8 hours of sleep.)

You will be surprised how well you will do. You will be so excited that you will have no problem getting out of bed:)

I prefer to go to bed at 5am, not get up then. However, I love clinical so much that once I'm in the hospital I wake right up, no matter how little sleep I've had.

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I am getting really nervous. I am a morning person and will have no problem - especially since I have been looking forward to this for the past 5 years (I know the excitement will wear off shortly). But on the other hand. My children have been home all summer and we have really slacked and I have let them stay up late and get up around 9 am, once school starts they will have to be at daycare 2 days a week at 6:30, and 2 days a week at 7:30. They start Kindergarten this year as well, so on my off day they will have to be on the bus at 8:15 ... Ugh --- It is going to be a tough transition. I am slowly transitioning them to bed earlier, and am going to wake them up earlier - but... I have a hard time making kids go to bed when it is still dark outside - and it is not really dark until after 9:00

Good luck everyone. I think once we get in the swing of things it will be like second nature, as long as we use our anticipation to our advantage in the beginning.

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Specializes in RN, Cardiac Step Down/Tele Unit.

I do the energy drinks too, I know caffeine is bad, but I figure it is for the short term. Do you exercise? If so, have you tried waking up a few minutes early to jump start yourself? I know it sounds crazy to wake up even earlier, but just 10 minutes on the treadmill or around the block can get you going. If you can't safely walk the neighborhood that early and don't have a treadmill, you can get to school early and do stairs or walk around the building. Might be worth a shot to see if it helps you feel awake, if not, get the extra 20 minutes sleep!!! :)

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I get up at 1:45 a.m. for work - start my coffee and jump in the shower. I simply have to shower in the morning to wake up.

I take a hot bath before bed too, turn down the lights and read, turn the fan on for white noise.

Coffee is good for you. All the studies say so . . . until new studies come out and say the opposite . . .;)

steph

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Specializes in ER.

It takes two weeks to start a habit. If I were you, I'd get up early everyday for two weeks (go workout, or do a little homework, etc.) and see if that helps.

I get up between 5:00-5:30 to workout before work. It took a while to get use to at first, but now if I sleep in during the week, I feel like crap.

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Thanks for the suggestions! I will have to try them out. To answer a couple of the questions real quick, I go to bed by 10 (and am trying to get into bed by 9 when I have to get up for clinical), but my husband and toddler can be quite demanding at bedtime, so I am frazzled by the time my head hits the pillow. They just don't seem to get that I need a bit of time to relax at night!

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Thanks for the suggestions! I will have to try them out. To answer a couple of the questions real quick, I go to bed by 10 (and am trying to get into bed by 9 when I have to get up for clinical), but my husband and toddler can be quite demanding at bedtime, so I am frazzled by the time my head hits the pillow. They just don't seem to get that I need a bit of time to relax at night!

My older kids (they are now 23, 21 and 17) always had a bedtime of 7:30 p.m. That is when I was a stay-at-home mom and homeschooled.

Now that I have a 5 year old and work part-time, my son goes to bed when I go to bed. I try to be in bed by 7 p.m. on the nights I work. We read together, usually 3 books (he really likes "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe"). Then lights out. He falls right to sleep.

steph

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Seriously me too! I cant seem to ever get enough sleep! I have had my thyroid tested and I am fine but I have to have at least 9 hours of sleep to function.

I find on the days that I have to get up early I do best when I establish a routine. I like to get up and make some coffee and then walk around the house for a few min picking things up and straightening things in the kitchen. It takes be about an hour or so but I get some coffee and breakfast and get dressed in that hour.

The main thing is getting yourself out of the bed and moving to get the blood going. I am also taking Vit b6 which has been really helpful at getting me to stay alert throughout the day.

Good Luck!:D

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I am the same way, but worse. I have slept for 12-14 hours consistently for two weeks and I still sleep through 4 alarms and the maintenance guy banging on my door at 11:00 am. I saw a sleep doctor and apparently there is some actual disorder where your biological clock is all jacked up - mine is hardcore :).

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