getting up early

Sounds like you have a good plan! Also, I would consider perhaps going to bed earlier to help too. Good luck and have fun!

That was my other plan as well (to go to bed early) but I find myself not being able to fall asleep when I know I have something going on the next day!

I share your pain.

I get absolutely EVERYTHING ready the night before and put it in my car (except, of course, my clothes) :) I lay my clothes out on my dresser.

Maybe engage in some activity the afternoon/evening before to help you sleep. For example, walking, going to the gym, etc.

Eventually you will become more of a 'morning person.' Of course, that doesn't mean you'll always like it.

Best Wishes,

Diane

Melatonin might help you get to bed at a reasonable hour the night before. The morning of, COFFEE! Also, I really try to streamline my morning routine so I don't wake the rest of my family up. I set out my scrubs and shoes and whatnot, along with steth, pocket organizer, nametag, what-have-you. I make sure my bag is packed and ready to go right by the door and I try to setup some food that I can just grab and run. This way, I can get up a tiny bit later and I don't have to stress about being late to clinicals because I can't find my right shoe or my nametag or something.

Find a morning routing that works for you and stick with it.

For me I take a long cool shower then coffee.

I take a break as soon as I can after the sun comes up just to stand out in the sunlight. I do notseem to really wake up till I see sunlight.

Mke sure you eat a good breakfast.

Good luck on it

Sandy

I have always had trouble waking up early....my whole life!! On a typical class day I just wake up at the last minute and go, but on clinical days I can't show up half asleep.

I always give myself plenty of time to get ready. I usually wake up about an hour before I have to leave and I turn the tv on and eat breakfast. I think keeping the tv on is what wakes me up the most.

And I guess if you drink coffee, then make yourself some coffee.

Oh and sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep the night before clinicals so I take Benadryl. It usually helps.

I was not a morning person before I started nursing school, and I must say I've gotten much better about getting up early... though I still don't think it's my thing and I'm a month away from graduation lol. Anyway, I set 3 alarms. The first one I don't have to actually get out of bed to turn off, and it's more like a "okay-you're gonna have to get up soon" alarm, and then 5 minutes later I have another alarm and about 2-3 minutes later a third alarm. The last one I have to get out of bed and go across the room to turn off, and I make myself go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and start getting ready right after I turn it off. My friends in NS make fun of me for setting 3 alarms, but I say do what you have to do!

Chewing cinnamon gum on my ride also helped pep me up. Good luck!

Interesting. Thanks for the tip!

Diane

I have never been and never will be a morning person. Nursing school has taught me that I can at least get up and function when I need to, but liking it will never be a part of my psyche. What generally works for me, as others have said, is getting to bed early, even if I read or watch TV. I also set the alarm for 1/2 hour before I need to be up because then I can hit the snooze several times. By the last time, I'm usually awake.

Good luck to you!

Oh yes, the snooze button is my best friend. :)

For me, getting to bed early on clinical days was never possible because I would be doing preplanning untill the early morning as it was. So there is the biggest problem - getting up earlier than usual, while having less sleep than usual. It is hard. On nights where sleeping was more like a nap, I would use the alarm on my cell phone and record a message to myself about the importance of getting up now - I would usually include the instructors name in it. Something like "Get up!, Dr. xxx is going to be angry if you are late"

Many times when it is time to get up early the urge to sleep more is more powerful than whatever the reason is to get up early and my little memo to myself always helps.

As far as actually being awake for clinical - that is a tough one- lots of coffee is what I use.