If you often feel like you can’t get out of bed, it’s a struggle shared by many, not just you. Struggling with mornings is more common than most people admit. According to the American Psychological Association, about one in three adults reports not getting enough sleep regularly, which directly affects energy, motivation, and mood. Combine that with stress, mental health struggles, or health conditions, and mornings can feel like an uphill climb.
The good news is that there are practical ways to make mornings easier. But before we get into the solutions, it helps to understand why it’s so hard to get out of bed in the first place.
Why Is It So Hard to Get Out of Bed?
Everyone has a morning when they hit snooze too many times. But if you’re consistently struggling to get out of bed, there’s usually more going on than just being tired.
Sleep Inertia
When you first wake up, your brain doesn’t flip instantly into alert mode. Instead, you pass through sleep inertia, that foggy state where your body feels heavy and your focus is blurry. Depending on when you wake in your sleep cycle, this grogginess can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
Poor Sleep Quality
Not all sleep is restorative. Even if you log eight hours, issues like sleep apnea, restless legs, or late-night scrolling can ruin sleep quality. The result: mornings that feel impossible.
Lifestyle Habits
Irregular sleep schedules, late-night caffeine, too much screen time, and lack of movement during the day all make it harder to feel rested and energized when the alarm goes off.
Depression and Mental Health
One major reason people feel like they can’t get out of bed is depression. Unlike normal tiredness, depression can make mornings feel unbearable. The bed becomes a safe, heavy place you don’t want to leave. Symptoms like low energy, hopelessness, or lack of motivation often make getting up feel pointless. Anxiety, stress, or burnout can have a similar effect.
Physical Health Conditions
Chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disorders, anemia, or pain-related conditions can all sap your morning energy. If fatigue lasts longer than two weeks despite good sleep, it’s worth getting checked by a doctor.
Ways to Get Out of Bed in the Morning
Wondering how to get out of bed in the morning? The answer usually isn’t sheer willpower; it’s about building habits that make mornings easier. It’s about making mornings less of a battle through routines, mindset shifts, and small tricks that lower resistance. Here are 12 strategies that can help.
1. Move Your Alarm Across the Room
Keeping your alarm close to your bed makes snoozing too easy. If you move your phone or alarm clock across the room, you’re forced to get up to turn it off. That first step out of bed can break the inertia and give your body the signal to stay upright.
This tactic works because movement creates momentum. Once you’re already standing, you’re less likely to crawl back into bed. It’s a small change that sets the tone for the rest of the morning.
2. Use a Sunrise Alarm Clock
Being jolted awake by a loud alarm can make mornings feel harsh. A sunrise alarm clock gradually fills the room with light, mimicking the natural sunrise. This helps your body wake up more gently by aligning with your circadian rhythm.
Research shows that exposure to morning light increases alertness and reduces grogginess. If you often feel like you can’t get out of bed, this can make the process smoother and less stressful.
3. Focus on One Small Step
Thinking about your entire to-do list while you’re still lying down can feel overwhelming. Instead, focus on one small action: sitting up, drinking water, or putting your feet on the floor. Shrinking the task makes it more achievable.
Once you complete that first step, the next one, like walking to the bathroom or brushing your teeth, feels less daunting. The key is not to think ahead but to build momentum through tiny actions.
4. Set Up Morning Rewards
If mornings feel like punishment, you need something to look forward to. Rewards don’t have to be big, a favorite podcast, a fresh cup of coffee, or even five minutes scrolling guilt-free. When your brain associates mornings with small pleasures, getting up feels more appealing.
Think of it as giving yourself a reason to move. Instead of dreading the day, you’ll know something enjoyable is waiting for you as soon as you’re up.
5. Prep the Night Before
Decision fatigue hits hardest in the morning. By preparing small things the night before, laying out clothes, prepping breakfast, packing a bag, you remove barriers that make it harder to leave bed.
A smoother morning routine means less stress and fewer excuses to stay under the covers. This works especially well if you tend to feel anxious about rushing in the morning.
6. Build a Simple Routine
Humans thrive on routine. When you repeat the same actions every morning, your brain starts doing them automatically. Something as simple as stretching, hydrating, and journaling for a few minutes can become your anchor.
The point isn’t to make mornings rigid but to create structure that makes staying up easier. A short, repeatable routine trains your body to expect wakefulness at the same time each day.
7. Use the 5-Second Rule
When you wake up and feel like going back to sleep, count down from five and then move. This “5-second rule,” introduced by author Mel Robbins, interrupts hesitation and forces action before excuses creep in.
It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly effective. By giving yourself a clear countdown, you bypass the inner debate that keeps you in bed.
8. Let Natural Light In
Your body uses light as a signal for wakefulness. Opening your blinds right away or stepping outside for a few minutes helps reset your internal clock. Natural light increases alertness and boosts your mood.
If mornings are always tough, try spending even 5–10 minutes outside after waking up. Over time, this habit can train your body to feel more awake earlier in the day.
9. Hydrate First Thing
Many people wake up dehydrated, which makes fatigue worse. Keeping a glass of water by your bed and drinking it immediately helps rehydrate your body, kickstarting your metabolism and boosting alertness.
This simple habit only takes a few seconds but gives your body an early energy lift. If plain water feels boring, try adding lemon for extra freshness.
10. Move Your Body Early
Physical movement wakes up your muscles and gets your blood flowing. You don’t need a full workout, stretching, yoga, or even walking around the room can make you feel more alive.
If you want an extra push, commit to a short exercise you can do right away, like 10 jumping jacks or a set of squats. This signals to your brain that the day has started.
11. Limit Snooze Cycles
Hitting snooze feels comforting in the moment but often makes you more tired. Each time you drift back into sleep, your body starts another cycle and gets interrupted again. That’s why snoozing leaves you groggier.
A better approach is to set your alarm for the time you truly need to wake up. Training yourself to get up after one alarm may feel tough at first, but it improves sleep quality and alertness over time.
12. Check Your Mental Health
If you’ve tried strategies and still can’t get out of bed, the issue may not be sleep habits. Depression, anxiety, or burnout can all make mornings feel impossible. These conditions drain motivation and make the bed feel like the only safe place.
If you suspect this is the case, reaching out to a doctor or therapist can help. Sometimes the solution isn’t another morning hack; it’s addressing the deeper reasons behind why you’re struggling to get out of bed.
Finding Your Own Morning Rhythm
Not being able to get out of bed can feel like the day is lost before it even begins. But mornings aren’t about winning or failing. They’re a reflection of how well your body and mind are being cared for the rest of the time. Think of each morning as feedback: if you’re dragging, it might be a sign you need more rest, less stress, or better routines. If you wake up with ease, it usually means something in your life is working in your favor.
Instead of judging yourself for struggling, pay attention to what your mornings are telling you. They’re often the first honest check-in of the day. Listening to that signal, and adjusting how you live, rest, and recharge, can make mornings less of a battle and more of a reset button for the day ahead.