Gastroenterologist suggests 7 habits to adopt if you wake up tired every morning

When you eat earlier, your digestive system can work more efficiently, breaking down and absorbing nutrients effectively.

7 habits to follow if you wake up tired (Source: Freepik)

If you wake up tired every morning, feel exhausted by afternoon, or depend on caffeine to get through the day, you need to fix your sleep habits. Gastroenterologist Dr Pal Manickam took to Instagram to share 7 tiny habits one must adopt if they wake up tired every morning. Dr Manjusha Agarwal, senior consultant in internal medicine at Gleneagles Hospital, Parel, Mumbai, and Dr Yatin Sagvekar, Consultant Neurologist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Navi Mumbai, decoded these habits and explained why they are necessary for good sleep.

1. Fix your sleep timing

Creating a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, can help regulate your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Develop a calming bedtime routine that helps you wind down before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath. Avoid stimulating activities, such as screen time, for at least an hour before bed.

Optimise your sleep environment for darkness, quiet, and coolness by using blackout curtains, earplugs, and a comfortable mattress. Regular exercise can also improve sleep quality, but avoid strenuous workouts close to bedtime.

2. Block bright light before bed

Blackout curtains provide the added benefit of blocking external light sources such as streetlights, car headlights, and early morning sunlight. The mere presence of darkness can also trigger the release of melatonin and, coupled with the cadence of the body’s movements, help induce a deep sleep.

Light entering the bedroom can interrupt sleep, reduce deep sleep, and make waking up in the morning feel harder. By keeping the room dark, blackout curtains help the body maintain a consistent circadian rhythm, which improves sleep duration and quality.

3. Keep your room cooler

Ambient temperature can be a silent sleep killer. Aiming for about 18 to 18.5 degrees Celsius (roughly 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit). A cooler room helps initiate this natural temperature drop. An ideal sleep environment is cool, around 18°C—this helps the body lower its core temperature, supporting melatonin release and natural sleep onset.

Eating dinner early allows your body more time to digest the food before you go to bed. (Source: Freepik)

4. Use your bed only for sleep

Psychologically, it may also remind you of unwinding or taking short naps, which can create a natural connection to feeling drowsy. The combination of plush cushions, warm blankets, and ambient distractions, such as background TV noise, can create the perfect storm for accidental napping.

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5. Eat dinner earlier

Eating dinner early allows your body more time to digest the food before you go to bed. This can help prevent issues like acid reflux or indigestion that may arise when you lie down with a full stomach. When you eat earlier, your digestive system can work more efficiently, breaking down and absorbing nutrients effectively.

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6. Avoid caffeine after 3 pm

Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours, affecting your ability to fall asleep. Avoid coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate after this point.

7. Sit in silence for 10 minutes

Meditating calms the mind by reducing anxiety, stress, and overthinking, lowering nervous activity and allowing the body to enter a calm state, which helps sleep.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

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