"How you wake up sets the stage for the rest of the day," said Murray Hidary, founder of MindTravel, a company that creates meditative experiences through music. Switching to a gentler alarm — even if it's just a song you select on your phone — will help get your day off to a good start. Over time, you might find that you want to invest in an alarm clock that wakes you up by simulating the sunrise or simply playing soothing sounds.