Learn Hardcore Norwegian: Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen, men nå sover jeg bedre. - I used to be tired in the morning, but now I sleep better.

The sentence talks about a previous situation (you used to be tired in the morning), so the past tense var is correct. Varer is a different verb (å vare = to last/endure), not a form of å være.

What is the function of tidligere here, and how is it different from før?

Tidligere means earlier / previously / in the past and modifies the whole state of being tired.

Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen ≈ Earlier / In the past, I was tired in the mornings.

Difference from før:

før = before (often linked to another time or event)
- Før sov jeg dårlig, nå sover jeg bedre. = Before, I slept badly; now I sleep better.
tidligere = earlier / previously in a more general sense, like describing a former situation or habit.

Here, tidligere sounds a bit more neutral and fits a “previously, this was the case” kind of statement.

Can I move tidligere to another place in the sentence?

The most natural positions are:

Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen, men nå sover jeg bedre.
Tidligere var jeg trøtt om morgenen, men nå sover jeg bedre.

Both are correct.

Putting tidligere right after var or at the very beginning is normal.
Other positions like Jeg var trøtt tidligere om morgenen are possible but change the focus and can sound odd here, suggesting earlier in the morning rather than earlier in life.

What is the difference between trøtt and sliten?

Both can be translated as tired, but the nuance is different:

trøtt: sleepy-tired, needing rest or sleep.
- Jeg er trøtt. = I’m tired / sleepy.
sliten: worn out, exhausted (physically or mentally), often after effort.
- Jeg er sliten etter jobb. = I’m worn out after work.

In this sentence, being tired in the morning is about sleepiness, so trøtt is the natural choice.

Why is it om morgenen and not i morgenen? What does om mean here?

Om in om morgenen means in / during and is used for recurring times of day:

om morgenen = in the mornings
om kvelden = in the evenings
om natten = at night

You do not say i morgenen for this meaning.

Be careful:

i morgen (no -en) = tomorrow
om morgenen (with -en) = in the morning(s) (as a general/regular time)

Why is it om morgenen (definite form) and not om morgen?

Norwegian often uses the definite form for general statements about regular times of day:

om morgenen = generally in the morning / in the mornings
om kvelden = in the evening / in the evenings

Using om morgen (indefinite) is not idiomatic here. The definite form expresses a general, habitual time period.

What does men do in this sentence, and could I leave out the comma?

Men is a coordinating conjunction meaning but, contrasting two clauses:

First clause: Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen
Second clause: nå sover jeg bedre

Norwegian comma rules:
You put a comma before men when it connects two full clauses (each has its own subject and verb):

..., men nå sover jeg bedre.

So the comma is correct and should not be left out in standard writing.

Why is the word order nå sover jeg bedre and not nå jeg sover bedre?

In main clauses, Norwegian has V2 word order: the finite verb is in the second position.

Here:

Nå (now) is in first position.
The verb sover must then come second.
The subject jeg comes after the verb.

So: Nå sover jeg bedre.

Nå jeg sover bedre would be incorrect word order in a main clause.
You would only get ... når jeg sover bedre if you used the conjunction når (when), but that changes the sentence structure and meaning.

Why is sover in the present tense, when we’re talking about a change from the past?

The sentence contrasts:

a past state: Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen (I used to be tired)
a current state/habit: nå sover jeg bedre (now I sleep better / I’m sleeping better now)

The present tense sover is used because it describes what is true now, not in the past. Norwegian works the same as English here:

I was tired before, but now I sleep better.

Could I say Jeg pleide å være trøtt om morgenen instead of Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen?

Yes, but the nuance changes slightly.

Jeg var tidligere trøtt om morgenen
- More neutral; simply describes a previous state.
Jeg pleide å være trøtt om morgenen
- Emphasizes a habit: “I used to be tired in the mornings (as a repeated pattern).”

Both are grammatical and natural. In many contexts they are interchangeable, but pleide å focuses more clearly on habitual action.

Why is it bedre and not mer bra?

Bedre is the comparative form of bra (good):

bra = good / well
bedre = better

Mer bra (more good) is grammatically possible but sounds clumsy and is almost never used in this context. You should always say:

Jeg sover bedre. = I sleep better / I’m sleeping better.

Can I say nå sover jeg godt instead of nå sover jeg bedre?

Yes, but the meaning is slightly different:

nå sover jeg bedre = now I sleep better (than before) – explicit comparison with the past.
nå sover jeg godt = now I sleep well – focuses on the current quality of sleep, less explicitly comparative.

In context with tidligere, bedre nicely highlights the improvement from before.

Could I drop the second jeg and say ..., men nå sover bedre?

No. In Norwegian you normally must include the subject in each clause:

..., men nå sover jeg bedre. ✅
..., men nå sover bedre. ❌ (ungrammatical)

Unlike some languages, Norwegian does not allow you to omit the subject pronoun in this way.