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So, Green Day might have begged to be woken up when September ends…but let’s be real. Most of us struggle to wake up at all. Now that we’ve flipped the calendar, here are five hacks to make mornings easier—without needing a power ballad to get you out of bed.
1. Move Your Alarm Out of Reach
If your alarm is right next to your pillow, you’re not waking up—you’re just building thumb strength hitting snooze. Put it across the room. Force yourself to physically get up. Bonus: you’ll already have taken your first steps for the day.
2. Brighten Things Up
Your body thinks darkness = bedtime. Trick it by turning on a lamp or, even better, throwing open those curtains. If you want to feel like a rock star, get a sunrise alarm clock that gradually lights up the room like your own personal stage show.
3. Drink Water Before Coffee
Yes, coffee is life. But start with a glass of water first. Overnight, your body dries out like a sponge. Rehydrate, and you’ll feel more alert. Plus, you’ll still get to savor that first magical sip of coffee—it’ll just hit better.
4. Don’t Neglect the Night Before
The best mornings start at night. Lay out your clothes, pack your bag, or set the coffee maker to auto-brew. It’s like doing your future self a favor—and your future self is way more grateful than your groggy 6 a.m. self.
5. Trick Your Brain with a Little Fun
Give yourself something to look forward to in the morning—your favorite upbeat playlist, a podcast, or even a silly dance while brushing your teeth. If you can convince your brain mornings don’t totally suck, you’ll actually start to believe it.
So yeah, September’s gone. But if you’re still begging someone to “wake you up” every morning, give these hacks a shot. You may not feel like a rock star right away, but at least you won’t be late for work humming Green Day under your breath.