It was a constant struggle. Waking up every morning, I felt like I’d wrestled with a bear overnight. The grogginess, the fatigue—it was draining. Know the feeling?
For the longest time, I assumed I just wasn’t a “morning person.” No matter how much sleep I got, I’d still wake up feeling sluggish, hitting snooze more times than I’d like to admit.
But then I started paying closer attention to my evenings.
Turns out, how you end your day has just as much impact as how you start it. Once I made a few small but intentional changes to my nighttime routine, my mornings transformed.
Today, I’m sharing the five simple evening habits that helped me wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go.
Let’s dive in.
1) Establishing a nightly routine
I can’t stress this enough. Having a consistent evening routine made a world of difference for me.
Nightly routines aren’t just about brushing your teeth and setting out your clothes for the next day. They’re about creating a dedicated space of time to wind down and prepare your body and mind for rest.
Imagine it this way: you’re not just abruptly switching off the light, you’re gradually dimming it, giving your body the signal that it’s time to slow down.
For me, my routine includes reading a chapter of a book, writing in my gratitude journal, and doing some light stretches.
But the routine should be tailored to you. What works for me may not work for you. Listen to your body’s needs and create an evening routine that resonates with who you are.
2) Cutting back on screen time
This one was a game-changer for me. I was a notorious late-night scroller, always catching up on the latest Netflix series or checking emails one last time before bed.
But I started coming across so many posts on blue light and how it disturbs our sleep by suppressing melantonin – I thought “Maybe my phone is trying to tell me something!”
So I made a rule: no screens an hour before bedtime. It was challenging at first, especially with my love for late-night TV shows, but gradually it became second nature.
The result? You guessed it; better quality sleep and less morning grogginess.
I also found that this time away from screens allowed me to engage more with other evening activities like reading or journaling, which further promoted relaxation and personal growth.
If you’re also struggling with sleep quality, you might want to try this out. It worked for me, and perhaps it could work for you too.
3) Practicing mindfulness meditation
I’ll be honest, at first, I was skeptical about meditation. I always thought it was something monks did for hours on end, sitting cross-legged in silence!
But as I’ve discovered mindfulness meditation is much simpler—and way more practical.
Basically it’s about being present. It’s the practice of focusing on the here and now—your breath, your surroundings, your body—without getting caught up in thoughts about the past or future.
I started small, just five minutes before bed. I’d sit quietly, close my eyes, and focus on my breathing. Whenever my mind wandered (which happened a lot), I’d gently bring my attention back to my breath. No judgment, no frustration—just awareness.
The impact? Huge.
It helped quiet my racing thoughts, ease stress, and actually prepare my mind for sleep instead of scrolling through endless to-do lists in my head.
Ever found yourself lying in bed, overthinking everything? Mindfulness meditation might just be the thing that helps you let go and drift off more easily.
4) Keeping a worry journal
Anxiety has a knack for creeping up when you’re trying to fall asleep, right?
Well, it does for me at least. All those worries and to-do lists from the day suddenly become so loud in the silence of the night.
That’s where a worry journal comes in. Writing down my thoughts and concerns before bed has been a therapeutic way to unload the mental baggage. Instead of carrying it into my sleep, I left it on paper.
This habit serves a dual purpose. Not only does it help clear the mental clutter, but it also provides insights into patterns and triggers that might be causing stress or anxiety in your life.
5) Using an alarm clock on the other side of my room
Last but not least, I made one simple yet powerful change: I moved my alarm clock to the other side of the room.
Why? Because I was that person—the one who hit snooze over and over, convincing myself that “just five more minutes” would somehow make me feel more rested.
Spoiler: it never did.
By placing my alarm across the room, I forced myself to physically get out of bed to turn it off. And once I was already up, it was way easier to stay up. No more snooze cycles. No more half-asleep debates with myself about whether I really needed to get up yet.
This is well backed by experts, too. Research has shown that “people who hit snooze are roughly three times as likely to feel drowsy when they wake up as those who don’t.”
Snoozing disrupts your sleep cycles, making you groggier instead of more rested. So if you’re stuck in the snooze trap like I was, try this trick. It might feel brutal at first, but trust me—it’s a game-changer.
Final thoughts
Making these small but intentional changes to my evenings completely transformed my mornings. No more grogginess, no more draining starts—just energy, clarity, and a real sense of readiness for the day ahead.
If you’ve been struggling with sluggish mornings, try incorporating even one or two of these habits. You might be surprised at how much of a difference they make.
Here’s to better nights and brighter mornings!
