1. Slowly but surely

Set a goal for a time you want to wake up, and in the coming weeks prepare your body by slowly easing into the time through steady increments. For example, if your goal is to get up at 8:00 then start at 8:45 one day, 8:30 the next, 8:15 the following day, and so on. This will ease your body and mind into the idea of getting up early, without being too drastic.

2. Happy sounds

Ever hear the sound of an alarm clock and are instantly angered even before you’re out of bed? Well, you are not alone. Set your alarm clock to a happier ringtone, or even play an upbeat song to get you rising and shining. Apparently someone already had this idea and made you a list.

3. Say no to the snooze

Alright, now that we’ve established what soothing sounds you need to be woken up to, there’s another very important lesson to be learned about the alarm clock. NEVER hit the snooze button. That’s right, I said it. According to sleep experts, the hour before we wake up is the deepest sleep we get all night, and therefore is the most important. Apparently disrupting this part of the sleep cycle with multiple snooze alarms prevents the stimulation of the brain regions which are linked to cognition. Translation: Just set one alarm and stick to it, you will be much more lively all day!

4. Let there be light

Sticking with a scientific theme here, research also shows that waking up exposed to a little bit of light, whether natural or artificial, enables us to wake up much more easily. So before you go to bed, leave the blinds open, or when we start entering those dreary winter months, pick up one of these snazzy alarm clocks and simulate your own perfect sunrise.

5. Food for thought

Breakfast is actually the most important meal of the day, as annoying as me preaching that sounds it’s true. The kickstart to your energy for the day starts here so boost your brain power with some eggs or cereal. Also, if you’re really terrible at waking up, try having a special treat waiting for you for breakfast like a delicious muffin or a warm latte.

6. Bite the bullet

Finally, even though we are technically supposed to rely on at least 7 hours of sleep a night, if you don’t exactly meet those requirements, just biting the bullet and waking up anyhow can be productive as well. Sleepy minds can be some of the most creative minds according to researchers, so if none of these tips work… just get out of bed and let that creativity flourish.