I can't get out of bed! -

GMD

Some people feel they do not have the energy or motivation to get out of bed in the morning. However, some simple tricks may help a person get going once they wake up.

Depression, stress, anxiety, or lack of sleep can make staying in bed tempting. However, staying in bed can worsen some symptoms of depression and insomnia.

Where possible, it is best to try to get up at the same time each day.

When a person finds stress, anxiety, or depression overwhelming, they can try following the tips below.

✔️ Set manageable goals

Sometimes, anxiety about the day’s tasks can make it hard to get out of bed. If so, it may help to divide the day into manageable steps.

Setting goals is crucial for people with chronic illnesses, like depression, as it helps them better manage their lives and enhance their overall well-being.

Setting goals can be easy, but meeting them can sometimes be challenging. For this reason, researchers recommend setting SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed. This way, a person can plan their goals and know when they have achieved them.

Possible goals include:

Walking in the park.
Planning to complete one small step of a project.
Making one phone call or answering one email.
Setting a number of steps to walk.

Some people may need to break things into smaller steps, such as:

Getting up.
Using the bathroom.
Getting dressed.
Having breakfast.

Breaking up the day into manageable goals can make it seem less overwhelming.

Individuals can write down tasks and cross them off as they complete them. This produces a sense of achievement that can help people feel more motivated before starting their next set of tasks.

✔️ Get a pet

Research indicates that being with animals, such as pet dogs and cats, can enhance mental and physical well-being, particularly during challenging periods.

Interacting with animals may have a positive impact on people’s well-being.

Their perception of their ability to cope with challenges.
Stress.
Anxiety.
Overall well-being.
Positive emotions.

Having a dog may also encourage someone to exercise, which can help reduce stress and boost overall health.

However, having a pet will not reduce stress for everyone. People should only consider getting a pet if they can commit to caring for it.

✔️ Be accountable to someone

Research shows that being accountable to someone can help people keep to a plan and meet their goals.

Friends and family members can help a person find a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

For example, they could arrange with the person to:

Wake them up at the same time every day with an interactive activity such as a phone call or bringing them a cup of coffee.
Walk, run, or exercise first thing in the morning.
Meet at a coffee shop on the way to work.
Carpool to work.
Talk with each other on the way to work or school each morning.

Reaching out to a trusted friend or family member may help a person with depression feel less isolated.

✔️ Focus on a feel-good event

Looking forward to events can benefit a person’s well-being and mental health, according to a 2017 study. Thinking about a positive upcoming event can motivate a person to take action or keep going.

Although every day does not need to have something exciting planned, simple things can also bring pleasure, such as:

The post-exercise feeling.
The first sip of morning tea or coffee.
Enjoying a breath of fresh air.
A tasty breakfast.
Seeing a friendly face.

Focusing on these things may help prevent negative feelings from taking over.

✔️ Use an alarm clock

The natural light-dark cycle and our internal body clock should help us sleep and wake up at the right time, getting enough hours of sleep. However, the demands of daily life can disrupt this.

Alarm clocks can help when people need to be somewhere sooner than their body clock would like, often due to social or work pressures. Sometimes a health condition means a person sleeps more than they want to, or they cannot sleep at night and are tired in the morning.

An alarm clock can wake someone up in the morning and help them establish a regular sleep schedule when it’s off track.

For people who go back to sleep after the alarm sounds, here are some tips:

Set the alarm to allow time to get ready but not enough time to make it worthwhile going back to sleep.
Put it far enough away that you have to get up to turn it off.
When it rings, open the curtains or switch on a light.
If this is hard, focus on putting your feet on the floor and heading toward the alarm, one foot after the other.

Use a clock instead of a phone or other devices at night, and keep the phone in another room. Receiving messages during the night can disrupt sleep and may make it harder to wake up.

✔️ Brighten up the room

Humans are biologically programmed to sleep in the dark and wake up when daylight comes. But, factors such as light pollution, shift work, and seasonal changes can make this impractical for many people.

Darkened rooms are good for sleep. People who have trouble falling asleep may find that reducing ambient light can help them fall asleep.

In the morning, however, a darkened room can make it hard to get up. In this case, when the alarm sounds, a person should turn on a bright light or open the shades or curtains.

Another option is to set a timer for the light to turn on at a particular hour and help them wake up.

✔️ Turn on some music

Research suggests that music can alter a person’s mood.

Listening to music in daily life can influence the emotions that it evokes, as stated in a review.

Music can relax a person and help them sleep, but it can also boost their mood and motivate them. Turning on some upbeat music in the morning may help a person get started.

✔️ Seek medical advice

Most people have days when they do not want to get out of bed or do much. Often, the feeling passes after a few days. If it persists or there are other symptoms, a person should seek medical advice.

Depression has a range of symptoms, including sleeping more or less than usual for at least 2 weeks.

Health conditions that can cause fatigue or make it difficult to get out of bed include:

Thyroid problems.
Iron deficiency anemia.
Sleep apnea.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
Long COVID.

Dysania refers to an inability to get out of bed after waking up. It is not a medical term but may describe the type of staying-in-bed that affects people with depression.

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🟡 🔴 🔵 FRECUENTLY QUESTIONS

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Why can I not get up in the morning?

Possible underlying reasons include depression and anxiety. Depression is linked to dysania, a nonmedical term for when a person feels the need to stay in bed without sleeping. A wide range of physical conditions can also lead to fatigue, making it hard to get up. They include ME/CFS and long COVID.

What practical tips can help me get out of bed?

Tips to help with daily routine include creating a to-do list, using an alarm clock, opening the blinds upon waking up, and having things to anticipate.

How do I know if it is a health problem?

If someone is still struggling to get up despite trying practical actions, it’s a good idea to contact a doctor. Difficulty waking up or getting up may be due to depression, chronic fatigue, or another mental or physical condition.

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🟡 🔴 🔵 REMEMBER

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Sometimes, people may find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning.

Use an alarm clock, make a to-do list, and wake up to music to help with waking up.

If nothing seems to help, a person should seek medical advice. A doctor may assess the person for depression, anemia, long COVID, ME/CFS, or another condition.

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MedicalNewsToday

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