what gets you out of bed in the morning?

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Petunia

Petunia

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
6,126
Location
USA
I saw a new doctor yesterday and he wants me to try something for a month to get my sleep/wake hours back to normal- My hours are just all over the place

he insists that I set a bedtime and stick with it, even if I'm not tired. He called is "sleep hygiene" and says that if I keep the same bedtime, in about a month I'll be getting up at the same day every day and won't even need an alarm clock (not that I hear an alarm any way LOL)

Ok so last night was Night One. I went to bed at a "reasonable hour" LOL but of course I couldn't sleep.
after tossing and turning for about 3 hrs I fell asleep.
I'd set the alarm to get 8 hrs sleep and actually woke up when it went off,
got up, went to the bathroom, fed the cat, and went to lay down "for a few minutes".....

and woke up 4 hours later!

If I had just stayed up when I got up the first time......... :gaah:

I need to know, what is it that makes people STAY up when the first wake up in the morning, or what is it that makes you want to get out of bed?

I need to find something that will make me want to get up and stay up.
I may be a bit depressed, I'm not sure (and neither was the doctor) but going back to bed and sleeping for 3, 4 or more hours longer is NOT helping, it's only making me more discouraged

so I need some inspiration!
tell me, besides "I have to get up and go to work", what are your reasons for getting up in the morning?
 
The only thing that keeps me up in the morning is the fact that I must walk my dogs and then take my rats out.
But I also keep a good bedtime. I try to be in bed by 11pm every night. Sometimes I stray on weekends and pay of it. But I always wake up at around 7am, alarm or no alarm, my body wants to wake up. I run my dogs at 8:30am for almost an hour. That's quite a wake me up. lol
 
Oh yes I can see how having dogs would help!
I used to have an apt with space for a garden and bird feeders, and I was up at the crack of dawn every day....

and then i had a small porch I could grow stuff on and I would go out early in the morning to watch the birds

hmm, I really need to move to where I can do these things again......
(my porch got torn down, landlord didn't want to pay to replace them when they rotted out :( )


when I was younger I'd get up to have a special breakfast
and when I had my daughter I'd look forward to getting up with her


I thought about taking the rats out first thing in the morning but honestly I don't know if I'd be able to get out of the rat room and do anything else afterward

taking them out is my treat for getting some chores done
but I guess I could try that for a bit

thanks Joanne
 
I will loan you Kasey, he got me up at 2:30 am this morning, I was not amused. The dogs are what get me up in the morning, there is no sleeping in at my house, I am up by 5:30 or 6 am every day rain or shine.
 
The animals definitely have me up whether I want to get up or not. They're mst active early morning and then evening due to my schedule, so even on a weekend I feel guilty sleeping in because they're used to have that a.m. playtime. Aside from the rats, I always lay in bed thinking of 4 million chores I need to be doing. I can't remember the last time I allowed myself to stay in bed. Its kind of irritating really. But its what gets me up besides work and animals.
 
I have the same problem as you petunia, on the weekend even if I manage to get myself out of bed at a decent hour, I sit down somewhere "just for a minute" and wake up hours later. The doctor did testing to see if I have a thyroid issue (runs in the family, but I don't) and prescribed antidepressants, I have always been low energy but never THIS low to the point. I have an hour lunch so often times I will go for a nice 30 minute walk but even then an 8 hour shift at work just WIPES me out, sometimes it feels like my body is just made of lead. I can easily sleep 12-15 hours now
 
So first thing I noticed, was some of your replies are at 1am! :shock:

I used to have this problem too. Here are some things that have helped me.

KEEP A ROUTINE. Never change it for anyone. Nightly routine goes along the lines of brushing teeth, changing into pajamas, crawling into bed, reading for a bit, set the alarm clock, lights out Always in the same order, every night. Also, if you have clothes you use ONLY for sleeping, it helps. Don't wear your pajamas around the house, or at least put on a fresh pair to sleep in. You are then telling your body what you intend to do when you change. Don't use your bed for anything but sleep (unless you share your bed with a partner, then only for two things). Again, you are telling your body when you get into bed, exactly what you intend to do. if you have a TV in your room, take it out. Only allow yourself to read in bed. Reading slows you down. TV, especially news, cop shows, CSI, gets your thought patterns going, often to a negative space, and make falling asleep harder.

And, if you can't sleep, don't reward yourself by doing something fun (like posting of forums :wink2: ). Just like ratties, only reward yourself for desired behavior. If you can't sleep, tell yourself, 'If I don't fall asleep in 30min I'm going to get up and clean the bathroom'--or some other undesirable job--then follow through. You will start to fall asleep more often after this.

Second part, the harder part, what to get up for in the morning? Here's what works for me. First thing I do EVERY morning is shower. this wakes me up. Then I cook breakfast. Yes, you heard me, COOK breakfast. No cold cereal, or microwaved oatmeal (SO not worth getting up for). I cook an egg, toast, and fresh tea. In the summer months I make a fruit smoothie. Something yummy, worth looking forward to, but no so hard as to keep me in bed. (No potatoes, sausage, etc, too much work). Then while I eat breakfast, I do that rewarding task that I wanted to do last night, like posting on this forum, looking up rat/ferret/kitten videos on youtube, etc. Never start the day with cleaning, or dishes, or any dreaded task.

By the time you eat breakfast you should be awake. A week or two of being awake in the morning, falling asleep shouldn't be a problem anymore.

Google 'sunrise alarm clocks'. Because winter is so dark, I am thinking of getting one of these.

hope this helps, good luck.
 
Rissa said:
I have the same problem as you petunia, on the weekend even if I manage to get myself out of bed at a decent hour, I sit down somewhere "just for a minute" and wake up hours later. The doctor did testing to see if I have a thyroid issue (runs in the family, but I don't) and prescribed antidepressants, I have always been low energy but never THIS low to the point. I have an hour lunch so often times I will go for a nice 30 minute walk but even then an 8 hour shift at work just WIPES me out, sometimes it feels like my body is just made of lead. I can easily sleep 12-15 hours now
Click to expand...
I used to be like this and then we found out I was anemic. I just upped my iron and now I'm much better.
 
I will say maybe 6years ago I could also sleep for hours and hours and felt draggy all the time. I was also overweight, never exercised, and had a junky diet. Went to college, began eating healthy, began exercising, lost some weight, and began experiencing higher energy levels, and no longer felt like staying bed so much. Just to say, sleep problem can definitely be associated with our physical habits. I also struggled with a bad bout of depression at one point and noticed I could hardly get out of bed and slept a lot. So, sleep is also definitely associated with our mental well being as well.
 
I could loan you Hayden for a while, lol, I get up either because I have been in bed so long (I often go to bed but read or play my DS for hours before sleep comes, due to being on night shift routine) that I am sore, or for work. On the days hubby works and I am home with Hayden, I get up because of the noise, Hayden when he wakes he bangs his toy hammer on the door until we open it! And now it makes the puppy bark.

What if you were to start a project? Something you love doing, be it something online like building a web page, or doing crafts like scrap booking or cross stitch or something, that you only do in the morning, and then you would look forward to getting up and working on it? Or if you play video games, that would be something too.....I look forward to getting up (before the kid and puppy) to get back to my online daily things and then playing my games (back before I had to think about things like distracting someone while I check my dailies and make breakfast lol)
 
I asked my doctor if I was low on iron perhaps and at the time I didn't have a period so he told me it was impossible because I was never losing blood. I also can not take a multivitamin with Iron because it makes me vomit I've been told though there is a form of Iron that is easier to stomach so perhaps I should do a trial test for a month and see how I feel.
 
I only read your first post petunia, because I hate reading and was too eager to attempt to give advice.

I want to help because I've been depressed to the point where I can't get up. Now, however, I'm excited almost every morning to greet the day (as cheesy as that is...). I always do something I enjoy every morning. Sometimes I find that I'll be playing a videogame past the time I would normally sleep in, but when you think about it, that's much better than sleeping in (because I'm having fun, of course). I find myself getting up early just to play, but just remember to start getting ready for the day after awhile (that's where I have trouble). If you can't find anything in the world that you enjoy, then I would suggest you might have depression and that you should see the doctor again.

As far as going to bed on time, I suggest making your day as busy as possible. Don't let a single moment go without something going on - whether that be laundry, dishes, work, play, rats/pets, sewing, cleaning, etc. but don't get too stressed out (that's where I have trouble, yet again). You need to use all of that energy up before bedtime. Also, eat an early dinner (say, 5 or 6 o'clock) and don't touch food or drink (besides water) after that.

I hope my advice isn't too hard, and most of all, I hope it helps even the tiniest bit. Good luck.
 
Having a routine always was my way of getting through the night and mornings, though this could also be due to either like ya'll said, depression, even age at times or stress. Granted, I do get depressed and stressed out alot these days, but I always stick to my routine cause that's what I'm comfortable with, that and I guess im a bit of a perfectionist with myself and my belongings a little? Every night, sometimes a flip depending on the occassion, I go to bed at 10 or 11pm. I'll wake up either at 5 or 6am in the morning to go to the bathroom, then go back to bed, i get back up around 7:40 or 8am later on, feed my boys, give them their meds, get dressed, bathroom again lol, coffee time lol, then i let my boys out to play for their morning play time while i get on the computer to start my day on job hunting and talking to my finance lol. Yes this is a daily routine of mine, i dunno how i stick with it i just do lol
 
Rissa said:
I asked my doctor if I was low on iron perhaps and at the time I didn't have a period so he told me it was impossible because I was never losing blood. I also can not take a multivitamin with Iron because it makes me vomit I've been told though there is a form of Iron that is easier to stomach so perhaps I should do a trial test for a month and see how I feel.
Click to expand...
I wasn't losing blood either, except for heavy menstruation. I was put on ferrous gluconate which you need to ask the pharmacist for. I too in the past could not take any iron whatsoever. But with the ferrous gluconate, I take two pills with a meal and I'm good. I must take it with a meal or I will be sick.
It's a very simple blood test. I'm surprised your dr. didn't do that yet.
 
thanks for all the helpful advice.
I really think after the way that today went, that I am depressed and not 'just tired'


I might look at an apt tomorrow that is right behind where I live now, but it's on the first floor

this would help a lot, getting off the 3rd floor. Of course this apt couldn't be coming available at a worse time, I have no money, and just broke a tooth....
and I'm in terrible shape physically so just doing housework is hard,
moving?!?! I am out of my mind?!?!

well actually, yes I do believe I am........


I know they allow cats but I don't know about the rats.
and it's one less room so they rats would have to share my bedroom...
hmmm

I'll call anyway, it's got most of the things I want in an apt- washer and dryer hookups, gas heat, and as far as I can tell a gas stove...
first floor, decent neighbors
quiet ppl in the building.

the view from the kitchen isn't much but then the view from my kitchen here is awful too.
Living room looks out to a porch with window baskets
Looks like the bedroom doesn't have any windows

well it's something different to do, that's for sure
 
Don't guess I can help as I am clinically & severely depressed. I get up for my pets, that's really it. You have to do it for a job or children or to keep a spouse but if you don't have those you either have the desire to get up or you just don't. I get up to feed my cat and turn on the tub tap cause that's how she likes her water. Gives me pleasure to see her having pleasure and I make coffee. I wouldn't get out of bed without my pets. I hang in there by promising each one I will see them thru til it's their time and that's a commitment. I only take kids with short times to go tho. There's no quick fix for anything, it has to be about the individual, but critters are always a benefit...
fumblesquid - what helped you?
 
Hey Petunia, glad to hear you have plan in mind. If your doctor told you it was impossible to be low in iron because you weren't losing blood, they are an idiot. You can be low in iron simply because you don't take in any iron. It is also possible to have a menstrual cycle without actually bleeding. You can absorb it. At any rate, your doctor should have a blood test done. That's a no-brainer. If you can talk your doctor into it, have them check for mono, as well. I had it once when I was in college, and NOTHING could pull me out of bed (14+ hours of sleep a night). It felt like my bones were connected to the earth with rubberbands, and everytime my muscles tried to move me, those rubber bands snapped me back down.

Also, if you determine you are depressed, my opinion, for what its worth, is don't let them put you on meds right away. I have been through depression, and refuse to medicate. Counseling, change of scenery, pick up hobbies, travel, etc. Depression usually has a source (not always, but usually), and if you deal with the source, the depression takes care of itself. Sources can be like, loneliness, loss of family, childhood trauma/abuse, recent divorce/breakup. If you are taking in pets that are constantly dying, then you may be adding to your source, as well. Depression is also natural, I don't care what the media says. Its the body's way of saying you need to slow down and deal with somehting, whatever that may be.

Good, luck, and keep us updated. We are rooting for your recovery!
 
Long as your comfortable that's what is important :) hope everything works out for you
 
One thing that you need to remember as well is that diagnosing over the internet can be difficult, your doctor has seen you, and knows your medical history, as well as has a medical degree. If you do not agree with him, you are within your rights to question him, or go to a different doctor, but just because one person has gone through what might be similar, does not mean it is for sure what is happening to you. There are other factors to think about as well, are you over/under weight, eating properly, diabetic, etc etc, things that your doctor already should know. (If you are going for blood work, ask to be tested for diabetes, or his opinion on it, as it might be something simple like a low blood sugar in the morning......) Hope you get it figured out soon though, doctors are by no means perfect, but like I said, you are always within your right to question them and/or get a second opinion from another doctor
 

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