8 Ways to Make It Easier to Get Out of Bed

Anyone whose experienced depression knows how your bed can become a safe refuse when you're lacking the motivation and energy to get up.  When dealing with depression, even the smallest tasks can seem insurmountable - and you're not alone in that.  But, if you know that you feel a little bit better when you are able to get up, if only for a few minutes, these steps can help make it just a little bit easier to try.

Having a little chocolate stash in your living room or kitchen rather than in your bedroom encourages you to have a little pick-me-up ready.  Even if you take a square back to bed with you, you're still getting up.  And that one square may leave you craving another.

When your day seems completely overwhelming or interesting, its natural to want to stay under the covers.  And while sometimes this is necessary, creating a plan the night before can help, even if its just setting out your clothes for tomorrow the night before.  Planning something to look forward to in your day can be helpful, and even setting up a daily routine can help make it easier to move through the motions even when you're not feeling it.  If you're really serious about needing help to get up, making a commitment to someone else - even if it's just a video chat - can help ensure that you fulfill that promise to yourself.

Sure, breakfast is the most important meal of the day - but it's okay to put your mental health first.  Having something yummy to look forward to can make it that much easier to get out of bed and get started with your day.  Whether it's a muffin, your favourite doughnut, or something quick and easy like a granola bar or your favourite sugar-y cereal, knowing that you have it the night before gives you something to look forward to when you wake up.  If breakfast is too much, a promise of a great coffee or hot chocolate works, too.

One of the tricky things about depression is that it can make you feel absolutely so exhausted that it's nearly impossible to get even the little things done - but that doesn't mean that you can't feel accomplished.  Creating a checklist with manageable tasks that you know you can complete - be it getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, having something to drink, or taking your medication, can help you see that you are getting things done, even when it might not feel like it.

It seems simple - but its totally effective!  Having something to drink will force you to have to get up and use the washroom, as well as take just a few steps.  Plus, you still need to stay hydrated even if you're not moving around much.  

When you wake up in a dark room, its super easy to just want to roll over and shut your eyes again.  Sleeping with your blinds open with allow the natural sunlight to gently wake you up, encouraging you to sit up and slowly ease into your day.

There's not much worse than being jarred awake by one of the awful default alarm tracks on your phone!  Making your alarm something that you enjoy can help to prevent that wave of anxiety you might associate with waking up.  Whether it's a song you're currently loving or just some soothing nature sounds, it's a simple switch that can make getting up just that much more pleasant.

Although we're often told not to linger in bed after waking up, its okay to take things slow and gradually ease into your day when you're having trouble getting out of bed.  Moving from a laying down position and sitting up and taking a few moments to yourself with a meditation, such as Yoga with Adriene's 7 Minute Meditation to Start Your Day can help you feel a bit better about getting up.  If you're able, some mindful movement done in bed, such as this 5 Minute Gentle Morning Yoga can help to get your blood flowing, making you feel a little bit better in taking on your day.

Having something that you are able to feel encourage or maybe even excited about is so important when not only trying to recover from depression, but to help make getting out of bed easier on those more difficult days.  It doesn't have to be something big like working on a step towards your goals - even something simple like watching a YouTube video you've been eyeing, taking your dog outside, or having a special meal or snack.