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Women feels defeated because of her RA flare ups that making getting out of bed and mornings almost impossible.

Monica’s Tips for Handling Mornings

Monica Y. Sengupta's avatar image

By Monica Y. Sengupta

3 min read

I’ve never been a morning person. For that matter, I’ve never been a night owl either. I guess I am an all-around get-as-much-sleep-as-possible person.

Anyways, mornings were always hard for me. I just didn’t like waking up, especially when I was so fast asleep that the alarm jolted me right of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. I didn’t like leaving my comfy, WARM bed. I didn’t like having to make my breakfast. Somehow, making breakfast takes a lot more time than any other meal (in my very honest opinion).

I've never been a morning person

Mornings were hard. Mornings are hard. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has added an extra level to mornings. This disease has elevated my mornings to downright difficult.

The same issues still: my bed is warm, the world is not. I am happier snoozing. But, now I have the added benefits of stiffness, pain, and the inability to be a human without my medications. Also, mornings take even longer. Gone are the days of 'get up and go.' Now, I have to make and eat a suitable breakfast to take all my meds and it has to sit for a while before I can even pill myself.

Ugh.

5 ways to make mornings a bit more manageable

But, as much as I wish I could just will my RA away, I can’t and it’s here to stay. I’ve come up with some tips that make mornings just a little more manageable.

1. Prepare

I put together as much as possible the night before. This is an all-encompassing rule that includes:

  • Putting out my clothes the night before (in order of how I will put them on)
  • Preparing as much as my breakfast as possible. Mostly, all I have to do is warm it up and add my fresh fruit
  • Set up the coffee machine (change the water, keep my coffee mug ready)
  • Putting together the dog food so I just have to blast it in the microwave

2. Say hello to the sunshine

Okay, so it’s not always sunny, but the first thing I do is wake up and open my window. I take a few deep breaths and observe nature. I don’t open my phone (except to turn off my alarm). This is just a refreshing way to start my day and it resets my circadian rhythm so that I am awake.

3. Hit ‘snooze’

The snooze button is my best friend and I am totally guilty of hitting it more times than I care to admit. In the beginning, I could hit it ten times and completely oversleep. Every night, I give myself a limit. I can reset my alarm five times. Hey, old habits are hard to break! And, somehow, it works! I don’t oversleep anymore.

4. Take my meds ASAP

Unfortunately, making breakfast and taking my meds are not nearly the first things I do in the morning. My little dog is almost 16 years old and she needs to urinate in the mornings. I have to walk the dogs first thing.

I make this first excursion as quick as possible so I can get my breakfast and medicate as soon as possible. If it a high flare day, I keep a snack and my meds on the bedside table so that I can take them first thing and they tide over the pain until my main meal.

5. Splash my face with cold water

Initially, I thought this was a good way to seal my pores after washing my face (false). But, it helps me wake up and chase out all last remnants of drowsiness from my mind.

These little tricks have made my mornings more manageable, but it still boils down to: mornings are hard.
 
What about you? Are you a morning person or do you struggle with them as I do?

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