I wanted to reach out and ask if anyone has any good advice for getting up in the morning? I struggle with depression, but I’m mindful enough to understand the importance of having a morning routine. Any advice will be much appreciated.
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Get a cat / cats. 
I spent years struggling with my alarm, my snooze button, my everything, anything to get myself up and get myself going.
Once I got a cat (actually two cats), Daisy - the opportunistic one who knows what she wants and goes for it - started waking me up at 4:00 am to feed her (she does it like clockwork, every single day) and I have been making the most of it. I take the chance to exercise, enjoy breakfast, pray, meditate, and spend time with my cats (who are pretty affectionate).
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Hey good to see you. I struggle with depression too. I think I’m starting to understand that mine is seasonally affected and gets worse in the summer so I’m going to be vigilant these next few months.
I’m an evening worker and my mornings don’t start until noon. Acceptance helps me here, I always thought that I should be getting up for a 5 am run to be my best person. My earliest hours are quiet now. I drink coffee, read books, tidy my house or stare at the wall if I need to. If I’m feeling technologically inclined I spend time on this app.
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I have to agree with @Matt 
. If it wasn’t for my dogs, it would be very easy to stay in bed.
But I will say, I keep a glass of water next to my bed, and I always chug that first thing in the morning. I also have some gummy vitamins that I take first thing. It’s silly, but it’s almost like a little sugar treat.
If you drink coffee and have a coffee-maker with a timer, that could work to give you something to look forward to.
Just my two cents 
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I find it hard to, I’m on antidepressants have been for years, some mornings I can get up at 5 o’clock others can be a real struggle at 7 o’clock, I’ve been exusted today, hopefully more energy tomorrow, I shall certainly be going to bed sober
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An automatic coffee maker. The smell of coffee in the morning is something that really gets me going 
Or an early shift at work will do it too.
Or if you have kids like me, just leave your door open when you go to sleep and they will find their way into your room early and wake you up 
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I wake up between 5-6 every morning and it’s a struggle some days. It works for me though because I work out before work and then have the rest of the day. It’s my “me” time.
I have a watch alarm, and then a phone alarm (out of reach) that forces me to physically get out of my bed to turn it off.
That combo works for me, I’m well aware it’s harder for others!! I wish you luck and I’d say don’t put too much on your plate at once. If you eventually want to wake up early and have a to-do list of other things - JUST start with waking up. Don’t put meditation, journaling, exercise, work etc on yourself at once or you’ll surely set yourself up for failure!
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I never hit snooze. It’s proven that it can actually make you feel more tired when waking up.
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Not really. Sometimes i struggle with this too. Most of the time i get it done and am a late for work. But thats fine. I can manage my workingtimes myself.
But if it comes to depression, what really helps (me) is a body work out. I know that this isn’t something that you would do when depressed, but if you somehow manage to go there about 4 times plus and on a regular basis, depression starts to fade.
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I too struggled /struggle with getting up in the morning - few thing’s that have helped me
- My alarm on my phone is an inspirational upbeat song.
- Lay with my eyes closed listening to the message /song and getting in touch with myself - scanning to see what does or doesnt hurt emotionally, mentally and physically
- Giving myself a hearty mental hug and saying that i just need to get up slowly- go to bathroom and brush teeth and i can crawl back into bed if needed afterwards. 90 % of the time just starting morning routine and checking in here is enough to get me going. For those rare cases i do need to crawl back under the covers - i start process over.
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Like @Matt said, the cat thing does work. However they don’t get the changing of the clock twice a year 
What I find really important is not just the morning routine, but also the bedtime routine. Go to bed on time, have a calming routine in the evening. Sleep the same amount of hours every night. No lie ins on the weekend. And no snooze button.
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I asked this before and was looking for an actual method to get up out of the bed.
In winter I find it is light that makes the difference, get an alarm clock with a light that turns on. If you don’t have one, turn on a light immediately when you alarm goes off , even if you keep your eyes closed.
Start to move, wiggle toes and fingers then hands then just move to wake up your body.
Don’t lie there thinking stuff over, if your anything like me it’ll be negative stuff and that will make you want to sink back down under the covers. Try to just get up, think that crap over whilst you shower or something!!
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The biggest thing for me was setting the alarm on my phone and then placing my phone across the room so it forced me to get up and out of bed to turn it off. That helped me begin setting a routine for when i wake up. It works the majority of the time lol Then i always begin my day with coffee and then i do my morning recovery routine (prayer & daily reflection readings). Then a workout. Basically once i get my foundation in place for the day, i begin my day 
The days where i really struggle and feel depressed, it is harder to get this done. BUT… i remind myself that i will not feel better sleeping the day away. As much as i dont want to do healthy things, sometimes i almost have to force myself to do baby steps (1 small task at a time). Once i get the momentum going it gets a bit easier to get other bigger tasks done
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I make sure i go to bed tired. And I have a plan of the day when i wake up. Easier said than done…but it is what worked for me
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Is the reason you are having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning because you want to actually keep sleeping long past when maybe you should get up–maybe in your depression you don’t want to wake up and face the world or something similar; or is the issue for you literally getting out of bed because you’re so depressed that you just want to stay there, even though you’re awake?
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I can only speak for myself, but i guess it might be simmilar for others. I hope it is ok, if I answer here.
When I’m in a depressive episode (which i’m not right now, thankfully) i am in a totally altered state. It is really hard to reconstruct how this actually feels, while I’m not. And vice versa, when i’m depressed, i can not imagine how to ever be happy again and ever actually do anything again at all.
I remember being pretty numb, under a feeling which can be described as hopeless and isolated. Not seeing sense in anything.
It is not a matter of what you want. Wanting is not really a thing. You don’t want anything. You don’t want to stay in bed or want to sleep. You simply can not do it. You don’t sleep well, if at all and wake up exhausted. The day looks like an impossible overwelming task. You just wish it would be over.
Wishing all the best @michaeljlogan74
Get well soon. 
It gets better and there is hope. Keep it up. Don’t be affraid to ask for help irl too, if it persists.
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I pray and meditate. Then look in the mirror and say: Good Morning Gorgeous. You are sober and strong. Get my coffee, drink it and start my day! 10 months and going strong!
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These are wonderful strategies 
I was up at 8:45 AM today…ugh. Need to get up around 7:00 AM to make it a great day. Living alone is hard and so not having anything to be accountable for is tough. I hope to reunite with my family in August. Anyway, I’m rambling. Sorry.
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Set your alarm and connect with this community first thing in the morning. That’s what I do most days, just reading through the newest posts.
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This is actually a good idea. Thank you. I should get my sponsor back as he and I had a morning call each day.
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