Rise & Shine: 5 Tips to Wake Up Early for a Road Trip
When it’s time to hit the road before the sun rises, you need to make sure you’re awake enough to safely take the wheel. But, being alert enough to drive can seem impossible when you’re near-comatose in the early morning.
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5 invigorating hacks to wake up early for a road trip
You can shake off that morning grogginess and be alert for your long drive if you follow these techniques to wake up early for a road trip.
1. Set the coffee-maker on a timer
Scents are an effective yet non-jarring way to trigger your senses in the morning and bring you out of unconsciousness. If you’re sleeping somewhere within the vicinity of a programmable coffee-maker, prepare it the night prior, and set it on a delay to brew automatically in the morning before your alarm goes off. Your reward for getting out of bed will a hot cup of freshly roasted coffee.
2. Prepare your outfit
Instead of having to rely on your foggy brain to decide on what to wear in the morning, choose your outfit the night before and leave it on a chair near the bed. As tempting as it is to just wrap yourself in a robe, getting dressed when you get out of bed will also get your mind on-track for the day.
3. Leave an energy shot by your bedside
A little bottle of caffeine or B-vitamins can get your body and mind racing, but waiting to chug one until you’re driving is a wasted opportunity. Instead of only using this boost of energy to keep you awake behind the wheel, use it to help you get out of bed, too.
Unwrap it the night before, and place it on your nightstand. Set your alarm 10 minutes early. When it goes off in the morning and you reach for the snooze button, grab that energy bottle next to your phone and chug it. By the time those 10 minutes pass, that half-asleep daze will have dissipated.
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4. Do some pushups
Once you dress for the day, get your blood flowing with some simple exercises. Perform a combination of pushups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks by the side of the bed.
5. Have a smoothie for breakfast
It’s important that you get sustenance in the morning so you’re not groggy when you drive, but don’t waste time cooking breakfast. Also, don’t even think about eating a microwavable breakfast sandwich sopping with grease (unhealthy food actually makes your body feel more lethargic). Your best solution for a quick, mess-free breakfast on the go is a pre-made smoothie packed with protein and veggies. You can either blend your own beforehand or buy one from the grocery store.
Aaron is unashamed to be a native Clevelander and the proud driver of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo (which recently replaced his 1995 Saturn SC-2). He gleefully utilizes his background in theater, literature, and communication to dramatically recite his own articles to nearby youth. Mr. Widmar happily resides in Dayton, Ohio with his magnificent wife, Vicki, but is often on the road with her exploring new destinations. Aaron has high aspirations for his writing career but often gets distracted pondering the profound nature of the human condition and forgets what he was writing… See more articles by Aaron.