"Urgh. It's morning again!" How many of you feel that way every day? I did.

For many of us, waking up can be the biggest struggle of our day. There’s no realisation more unpleasant than the one that hits you when your alarm goes off and you know you just have to get out of your sweet, sweet bed. It’s the worst feeling, ever.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

That's what Benjamin Franklin said. Seems legit. But that's just not me. All the good intentions in the world simply couldn’t pull me out of bed.

Ever wondered why it’s so damn difficult? I did.

And I wonder if there's anyone out there like me? So, I did a little bit of research and realised:

Four in 10 Singaporeans (44%) lack sleep on weekdays, perhaps because most of us aren’t getting the recommended eight hours of shuteye a night.

Out of curiosity, I also researched on "how can I fight the Zzz monster in the morning?". There are in fact lots of insightful articles that generously share tips on how one can become an early riser. But let's take a look at some interesting ideas:

1. Build or buy yourself a good slapping alarm clock

Rather than you slapping that snooze button, have the alarm clock slap your sleepy face until you're wide awake. Innovative? I guess they get the idea from Donald Duck.

2. Buy a good pocketed spring bed

One that springs you out of bed every morning without fail. The success rate is almost 101%, although there might be some slight injuries :/

3. Get a dog

When all else fails - Get yourself a dog and train it to do the job. It's better than the alarm clock, because you can't slap it away :X

Alright! Time to be serious...

So how can we fix this "Can't sleep at night; Can't wake in the morning" problem? How can we, for once, conquer the damn alarm clock?

After much "research", I realised the crux of the problem usually lies with motivation. Because we're most often not motivated to what we're going to do the next day, we dread, and we fear waking up — only to go through the same old routine. I don't know about you, but that's totally me.

Every time when my 6 a.m. alarm calls, I think of the mundane stuffs I'm going to do at work, and I drop back to bed only to realise later — "Shit, I'm going to be late."

So, here are some tips I have if you're someone like me:

1. Find yourself a job that you love.

Only then, you'll realise you can't wait to get out of bed because you're on fire! Your brain is just filled with so many possibilities that you'd like to try out at work once you're out of that damn bed. Remember the time when you just fell in love or get into a relationship? That's exactly the same feeling!

If you're unfortunate like me, who still can't land that dream job, at least find something to do in the morning that excites you. Cultivate that as a habit. Remember: Humans are habitual beings. I used to start my mornings by reading the Bible and praying. You can try the same, or do a morning workout (if that's something you love). Even looking forward to a good, yummy breakfast might do the trick.

2. Exercise. Run, Do weights, or sports.

That's what I'm doing nowadays. The aim — get yourself super tired that once you're on that bed, you sleep like you're dead. It solves the problem of "Can't sleep at night". And when you finally wake up in the morning, you'll feel super energetic, refreshed and recharged. You no longer feel like you "Can't wake up in the morning". Because your body will be so hyped up, and it works better than an alarm clock.

The best part is: You're now much stronger and fit. Instead of slapping the snooze button, you can just punch that stupid annoying alarm right in its face with your newly gained muscles.

3. Build momentum. Stay consistent.

The list of tips can go on, but it's useless if you can't maintain the discipline. It takes about three weeks to make a habit stick. Follow through until it becomes a routine that motivates you in waking up early every day.

After you've success in building the momentum, the challenge is to stay consistent.

Yes, you can’t become an early bird overnight. But you definitely can be one over time. Find that motivation. And you'll find that morning person in you.

Time to conquer that alarm clock

When I depended on willpower alone, I had limited success waking up early. But I’m mastering my mornings now — all with motivation and a bit of discipline. I hope they help you, too. I hope they get you

From this miserable morning

To a happier morning

Have you tried any of the methods above? Let us know in the comments!