Suffering from addiction, trauma, or a mental health disorder is exhausting, and throughout one’s recovery journey, it is common to feel the effects of this fatigue each morning—even when getting out of bed. Depression and hopelessness, as well as the weight of shame, guilt, or vulnerability, can sap the energy and motivation of an individual.
While an individual may have a number of practiced coping strategies to help with the weight of these feelings, many can only be used if the person is already out of bed and ready to employ these techniques. Getting out of bed amidst mental and physical fatigue is one of the most important tasks each day. Learning to start one’s day off on the right foot can enable the use of other coping strategies and provide each individual with the right start to tackle the day ahead.
Why Is Getting Out of Bed so Difficult?
Those in recovery can find getting out of bed to be one of the hardest tasks of the day, and it is important to acknowledge the physical and mental exhaustion in one’s life. While recovery is a powerful and important journey, it is also tiring to constantly try new therapeutic outlets or manage oneself in social situations.
While adhering to routines can mitigate some of this fatigue, it can take time to adapt to the scheduling of one’s life in recovery. It can also be difficult as one adjusts to the rigid schedule while they transition between phases of recovery or back into the “real world.”
Some may also suffer from disrupted sleeping patterns as a result of their situation. One may experience frequent and debilitating nightmares, insomnia, or fragmented sleeping patterns. This can prevent them from feeling rejuvenated or well-rested after an attempted night of sleep.
Getting out of bed can also contain an emotional block. For some, staying in bed may masquerade as a way to avoid tackling the stresses of the day ahead. It can be easy to mentally and emotionally sidestep the day’s responsibilities while in the safety of one’s bed. The stress of having to cope with daily responsibilities, meetings, obligations, and the world at large can all cause an individual to dread having to leave the bed in the morning.
Tips for Getting Out of Bed and Ready for the Day
While it is common to dread the idea of facing the stresses of the world each morning, it is still an important part of one’s day. Tempting as it may be to remain under the protection of one’s blanket, getting up and moving is crucial to employing other proper coping strategies and continue to progress toward one’s recovery goals. This all works to prevent any emotional, mental, or physical stagnation from manifesting during one’s journey.
Getting to Bed on Time
Being able to get out of bed actually starts the preceding evening. Getting to bed at a consistent time or starting a nightly routine as soon as one feels themselves getting tired can all help ensure they allocate the amount of time needed for a healthy sleep schedule. Turning off electronics, avoiding caffeine, and scheduling a proper bedtime can all help create a healthy bedtime routine that promotes rest.
Keep a Consistent Schedule
Setting a proper bedtime and morning alarm can help program the body effectively. There can be a great deal of difficulty if one’s schedule is not set to a particular time. While the implementation of a rigid bedtime may take time to get used to, being able to program the body to sleep and wake at certain hours provides the ability to readily get out of bed when needed. These times can be kept consistent all year, helping to mitigate the effects of changing daylight hours or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Keep Motivation Nearby
Keeping motivational keepsakes near one’s bed can help remind and inspire an individual of their recovery goals and show how they have overcome these stresses before. Photos or photo albums, journals, souvenirs, keepsakes, or a phone with motivational texts waiting can all help encourage an individual to get out of bed in the right mindset to take on the day.
Start with Self-Care
Much of the dread of getting out of bed is due to the stresses and responsibilities in the day ahead. However, getting out of bed does not mean an individual has to immediately jump into these responsibilities. Setting an alarm that allows a person to start their day with self-care activities they enjoy can encourage them to get moving and begin their day in a safe and comforting mindset. Morning yoga, reading a book, or spending time with pets can all be great ways to start a day without forcing an individual to immediately jump into more stressful responsibilities.
Establishing effective coping strategies is paramount through recovery, but being able to get out of bed in the morning is essential to starting the day off right and ready to use all of one’s other strategies. At Chateau Recovery, we understand the struggle of this time of day and are prepared to help you begin to address your journey with addiction, trauma recovery, or mental health disorders and help you get out of bed and start living a healthy life. We offer an array of therapeutic programs, all of which can be specialized around your unique needs and goals. Through education, mindfulness practices, individual and group therapy, nutrition counseling, and more, we are prepared to help you learn more about your situation while personalizing your journey. For more information on how we can individualize your time with us, or to speak to a caring, trained staff member about your unique situation, call us today at (435) 222-5225.