Best wishes

Good article. I’d also recommend planning to do something you really enjoy for first thing in the morning. I think we all know the difference between waking up when we want to do something ie holidays, golf, movies or waking up on a normal Monday to trudge off to work.

Here are some things I couldn’t manage without:

Proper humitidy: A few months ago I moved to a drier climate, and boy did that effect my mornings! A dry, clogged nose, scratchy throat, and cracked lips greeted me when I woke up until I put a humidifier on the dresser. It made a huge difference in my mornings. I highly recommend it to anyone who tends to wake up with sore throats.

Morning tea: I’m just not a coffee person. Most mornings I steep a tumbler full of Earl Grey White, my favorite AM pick-me-up. White tea (good, whole-leaf loose tea, not the bagged junk from the grocer) has tons of antioxidants, and add to that the oil of bergamot (which my housemate, who works at the local tea shop, says is a natural antidepressant), and it can’t be beat for taking the “ick” out of my morning. (All with almost no caffeine.)

Unplug before bed: I’ve read that for some people, staring at backlit screens messes with the brain’s perception of when night began. If I turn off the computer and TV (and anything else back-lit, but normal lights are okay) for a half-hour or more before I try to sleep, I fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly.

I definitely second your recommendations re: not eating before bed, darkness, temperature, taking time to mentally prep for the day, and getting going outside (walking my son to school each morning helps here — it forces me not to wimp out on the morning walk because if I did he would miss class!). I may try the lemon + fiber or salt tricks at some point, too.