The only thing I’ve tried that actually works: apps like Sleep Cycle.

The app tracks your sleep, but that’s secondary for you. What you want out of it is the alarm part. You give it an interval of time when you want to wake up, and it’ll do it based on which sleep stage you’re in.

The idea is simple - you have different stages of sleep. Sometimes you’re in deep sleep, sometimes in REM (rapid eye movement), sometimes in light sleep - there may be others, idm. You want to wake up from light sleep, that’s when you feel the most fresh. Waking up from deep sleep you’re all groggy and still half asleep. So the app determines when you’re in the lightest sleep, and it plays an alarm gradually, so that you’re not just scared awake.

You can read more here: https://www.sleepcycle.com/features/smart-alarm-clock/

The thing is, this feature is actually not why I got the app. I wanted to track my sleep, I didn’t really care about how I woke up. But I honestly just found it easier to wake up with this, so now I recommend it.

I’m pretty sure that’s a physical impossibility in the known laws of the universe. Best I can do is wake up earlier to give me time to feel like garbage, but then be fine by the time I have to do anything.

I don’t. I’m not a morning person and I’m always garbage if I try to be.

I do the classic where I get anxious about having to be up and actually alert, and don’t sleep as a result. Don’t really recommend.

Wake up early consistently every day for at least a week before then. Also go to sleep early every day for a week before then.

Routine. Go to bed at the same time. Reduce electronics before bed.

Be born different, my friend. Never regret how you were built, however, as it is prized and unique.

I’ve redefined what early means. My work starts at 2pm so waking up at midday is early and it feels slightly better

Try Melatonin and Vitamin D about an hour before bedtime.

Waking up early and feeling like garbage is amplified for me by drinking, staying up late, eating just before bed, watching screens until I fall asleep, having inconsistent hours over the weekend, and getting accustomed to snooze.

Avoiding these things seems to help.

Having kids and hearing them do stuff early in the morning seems to get me moving early.

Don’t forget that whatever method you adopt repetition and time are the most help. Like exercise or quitting smoking, eventually your body will get the message that now it’s time to go to sleep, and now it’s time to wake up. But it takes practice to make a habit. I heard once a habit takes on average 36 consecutive attempts, so expect at least a month or more before you don’t feel like you’re trying anymore and it just happens on it’s own.

I do several things in conjunction.

1. I plan when I need to go sleep using either sleepyti.me or wakeupti.me and set my alarms accordingly. Setting your alarm to align with your sleep patterns makes the act of waking up much easier.

2. I set my phone on my desk away from my bed. The reasoning is two-fold; it forces me to get up and out of bed to dismiss my alarm(This works extra well if you make it a habit to get dressed as soon as you’re out of bed.), and it prevents me from laying in bed while playing on my phone.

3. I wake up at the same time every day. Consistency is paramount managing sleep.

4. I only sleep in my bed. I don’t do anything else. This builds an association to automatically get sleepy when you get in bed because the only thing you in bed is sleep. Your brain knows what to expect and just does it. Sort of like how some guys get excited when they see their girlfriend tie her into a ponytail.

My estradiol alarm. Starting the day has never felt so good.

I wake up between 4-5AM every single day of the week, and all year long. I don’t even need an alarm clock. I can go to sleep at anytime

• No screen before bed. No computer, no phone, no tablet, no TV (we don’t own a TV, so we don’t have much choice here ;). What do I do instead? I read a book, journal, write, chat with my spouse or friends, play chess or board games,… I do various stuff just not on a screen. Not even using a Kindle.
• No coffee in the evening. No alcohol at all (evening as well as in the day: I was an alcoholic many, many years ago). No soda either. Either I’ll drink water or herbal tea.
• Light & healthy diner. I don’t stuff my stomach, don’t eat garbage pre-packaged industrial ‘food’ either (this alone was a huge change for me, the day I quit eating that absolute turd a few years ago and my health has jumped through the roof, pre-packaged food is just poison in a fancy packaging and a lot of marketing, I would not be surprise if it was to become the tobacco of the XXI health-wise).
• No snacking, no candy, chips, or whatever.
• At least one long walk during the day. Every day.

Get up. Don’t fuck around with snooze, those few extra minutes don’t help.

Allow time to reward yourself for getting up. For me it’s word puzzles and coffee before I get ready.