No one likes being shocked awake by a blaring alarm clock and Taylor says that easing yourself awake could be the secret to getting out of bed in the morning.

“Consider buying a wake-up light to help ease that morning struggle, especially during the darker winter months. They give out gentle light which simulates the sun rising, so your body’s wake-up hormones reach their optimum level by the time your alarm sounds,” she explains.

“Many of these lamps also come with soft sounds to help you wake up, like bird song, as well as sunset settings to get you falling asleep quicker and get quality rest by boosting your levels of the sleep hormone melatonin.” Lumie is probably the best known sunrise alarm.

How to make it easier to wake up in the morning when it’s dark outside