Whether you’re traveling, working, or just have trouble sleeping, 3AM wake-ups are tough. You’re not only waking up at an ungodly hour, you’re starting what is most likely going to be a long freakin’ day. So how do you prepare for something like this? I’ve been working at 4AM this week, and therefore waking up just before 3AM. So this is how I deal with the early wake-ups:

Relax: I always do my best to get 8 hours sleep. So when waking up at 3AM, that means bedtime at 7PM. I hate it. It reminds me of getting in trouble and being sent to bed early as a kid. But it’s not that bad if you relax. You need some ‘me’ time to turn yourself off. Nothing worse than to go-go-go, then jump into bed all tightly wound. So take a deep breath, or my favourite, take a bath with Bath and Body Works Sleep Aromatherapy Lavender and Chamomile bubble bath. Hands down the most relaxing scent I’ve ever experienced. Breath deep for best results, a relaxed, sleepy bliss. Paired well with a big cup of Celestial Sleep Time Extra Tea!

Early to Bed: Like I said, 8 hours sleep. So the earlier the better. I find that if you’re not used to waking up that early then you’ll have trouble sleeping – waking up every half hour staring at the clock, hoping you didn’t sleep in or miss your alarm. So if you want 8 hours, give yourself more. After a few days in a row you might need naps thrown in there too.

Prepare for the Day: There is no way you’re waking up early enough to do anything but get dressed and go. So be completely prepared. If you’re traveling, NEVER attempt to pack that morning when you wake up. You should be 100% ready to go. Heading to work? Pack your lunch and lay out your clothes the night before.

Hydrate: When you’re not used to these early mornings and weird schedules they can take a toll on your body. You get hungry earlier and your whole eating schedule is out of whack. So stay hydrated! I get stomachaches the first few early mornings, and I know that I need to drink lots of water the night before and the early morning of. No need for travel or workday migraines and achy tummys.

Stick to Essentials: As much as you may love a full face of make-up maybe just skip it today. On these days, it’s a three item routine. Face powder, eye liner, mascara. Get dressed then out the door. No time for anything else. Stick to your essentials, you’ll find it’s quite refreshing.

Anyone else have experience with early wake-ups? We weren’t meant to see these hours of the day.