Here's how you can make it easier to get out of bed on cold winter mornings

Cold mornings make it impossible to make it out of bed but two sleep researchers have revealed how to make it easier to get up.

In a piece for The Conversation Dr Siobhan Banks and Crystal Grant, a PhD student in sleep and chronobiology, both from the University of South Australia tell us a few tips that will help in feeling refreshed on cold winter mornings.

Research suggests that the transition from falling asleep and waking up are very gradual.

We may feel unconscious until morning, but we cycle in and out of lighter and deeper stages of sleep. 

It is important to get enough undisrupted sleep to be able to wake up feeling fresh.

Anywhere between seven and nine hours of sleep a night is enough to ensure normal functioning for an adult.  

Here are a few tricks that will make sure you get enough sleep and wake up feeling your productive best:

• Exposing oneself to bright lights in the morning help keep one's sleep/wake schedule regular, improving health and alertness.
• However, bright light also suppresses melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. So it is best to avoid bright lights at night as it would make it hard to sleep.
• It is advisable to avoid using devices in bed right before sleeping. 
• Researchers advise to eat your last meal at least two to three hours before bed to ensure it is properly digested.
• When one eats a large meal right before bedtime there is a lot of pressure on the oesophageal sphincter ( this prevents acid, stomach contents from travelling back up) when one lies down. This would result in heartburn and mess up your sleep.
• It is best to drink lesser liquids as the day progresses so that you don't disrupt your sleep because of needing to use the toilet.
• Alcohol is another culprit, although it may make you feel sleepy, having it too close to bedtime will disrupt your sleep as the metabolism of alcohol during sleep results in night sweats, nightmares, headaches and poor quality of sleep later during the night. 
• Researcher suggest to avoid alcohol at least four hours before going to bed.
• Stress also plays a big role is disrupting sleep, relaxing with a good book, a warm bath and a glass of milk can help avoid restless nights.
• Exercising, playing computer games and watching TV increases physiological arousal and will make us feeling refreshed, thus making it hard to sleep, hence it is best to avoid. 
• Fixing your body clock by having a regular routine improves the quality of sleep.
• Sleep in a cool, quiet, dark room with comfortable bedding to have a pleasant sleeping experience.

So follow this advise and maybe it will be easier to escape the hugs from your bed.