I Can’t Get Out Of Bed
We all know the feeling…that feeling when you just can’t muster up the strength to get out of bed. Maybe it’s the work-week and your alarm just won’t shut up. Maybe it’s the weekend and you can’t find a good reason to plant your feet on the floor and make something out of the day. Whatever the situation, we can all relate. And for someone with depression, this can be especially difficult.
And you know what? It may not be our fault. A 2013 study found that people with depression often times have disrupted circadian rhythms. What does this mean? Well, this disruption is one of the main causes of morning depression. See, depression comes in many forms. Some people experience it during certain times of day; some during certain times a year; and others experience it on an ongoing basis. Some experience it once or twice, and some experience it over the course of their entire lifetimes. It is different for everyone, so don’t discount the will of that person who just can’t seem to get themselves out of bed. Maybe, just maybe, they are suffering more than you know.
But there is hope! Whether you suffer from depression or not, here are some helpful tricks to win the morning.
Ways to win the morning
1. Stick to a schedule
As hard as it can be, try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including the weekends. For most people, this isn’t possible 100% of the time, but getting into this habit helps to train your body and get into a healthy routine, making each day a little easier to manage.
2. Prevent eating right before bed
We’ve all heard this before, and it’s actually fairly controversial. But eating before bed fuels your body, especially if you eat sugary foods. So do your best to give yourself a few hours between your last meal and bedtime. If you are absolutely in need of a snack, try something healthy and filling like a few handfuls of nuts.
3. Give yourself something to look forward to in the morning
Maybe it’s your favorite cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch, for me) or that morning cup of coffee. But finding something you can look forward to in the morning will help incentivize you to take that small step of getting out of bed. If you have one of those coffee pots that can be set on a timer, even better!
4. Take daily showers
This seems obvious to most adults, but keeping clean is an extremely important part of warding off depression. With depression, it is so easy to fall into the “screw it” mentality. Whether you shower at night before you jump into bed, or first thing in the morning, showering daily is a crucial part of keeping a positive attitude, helping motivate you to put your feet on the floor in when your alarm goes off.
5. Give yourself a small task to achieve
First thing in the morning, give yourself something simple and easy to achieve. It could be to put away last night’s dishes, read a chapter of a book, or simply take a shower (see #4). No matter what it is, starting off the day with a little victory gives you the motivation to get moving, and keep moving. It also gives you something to immediately accomplish, helping you get your day started on the right foot. Keep in mind that this task should be small, and achievable in a matter of 10-15 minutes.
Don’t give up
When you just can’t seem to get out of bed,
when you’re day is full, full of dread,
place just one foot on the ground;
then another, strength you’ve found.
Stand up tall, you’ve earned this win.
It’s time for a beautiful day to begin.
No matter what you do, do NOT give up. There is no fool-proof way to win every day. But there are things you can do to improve your chances. I try to practice the five tricks cited above, and even with those, I don’t always find myself able to gather up the strength to get out of bed in the morning. So don’t be disheartened. There will be good days and bad days. Expect this. All you can do is recognize that tomorrow is a new day to try again. Tomorrow is a new day to win.
Alex Hanna
By day, Alex works as a technologist. By night, he runs Challenge the Storm. Suffering from depression and anxiety, himself, he dedicates every day to help one single person. Something as small as putting a smile on someone else's face may have a bigger impact than you think.
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