Do you ever wake up and immediately start thinking about when you will be able to go to sleep again because you’re just that tired? Or your alarm clock has become your arch nemesis? Even after years of developing a nightly routine, I still feel this way sometimes.

The best way to wake up refreshed in the morning is to focus on what you are doing at night. My biggest piece of advice: set a bedtime.

I know, I know. We’re adults, bedtimes are for children. WRONG. Setting a bedtime will get your body into the habit of going to bed early to wake up early. By having a set bedtime, you are setting your body clock. Keeping consistent is important to waking up feeling refreshed, especially during the work week. On the weekends, I try to keep to my routine, but with late nights out or lazy mornings in, sometimes that doesn’t work.

Next, know how much you need to sleep to wake up refreshed. For me, I need at least eight hours of sleep, but I prefer a solid nine. Others may not need as much, but for adults an average of seven is healthy. This number will vary on who you are, but by now you should know how much sleep you really need, what’s too little and what’s too much.

Before I go to bed, I have about a half-hour routine to focus on me. I always wash my face, apply toner, and moisturize. Sometimes, I will throw in a face mask, nose strip, or relaxing bath into that mix. I brush my teeth and use mouth wash. Then I do a night time short yoga session. I find these routines through YouTube. I like to mix it up, but Yoga with Adrienne is one of my favorite channels. Doing a short 10 minute yoga session helps me feel calm and ready for bed. It also helps me wash away the stress of the day and reset for the next day.

I set an alarm on my phone for the following morning and then I flip my phone over and leave it for the night. I know it’s recommended that I should have like two hours of no phone time before bed but that’s honestly unrealistic for me. Instead I set my alarm, turn it over, and then read for a little bit. So at least, I’ll have ten minutes of an electronic detox before bed. Usually though, I try to read for thirty minutes. It depends on the night and when I’m getting to bed, so it’s not every night but I am trying.

And that’s it! Basically I try to wind down for bedtime about an hour before I want my head to hit the pillow. I understand this might not be feasible for everyone, but even incorporating one of these steps can help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start your day!

A lot of waking up feeling refreshed also depends on your morning routine as well, so look out for another blog post on my morning routine for starting your day off on the right foot!