Not a morning person? Don’t fret, try these tips to help you jump-start the day
Not a morning person? Don’t fret, try these tips to help you jump-start the day
Some people wake up before the roosters, but not everyone rises with the sun. no matter what, most of us will have the alarm clocks on snooze at least on weekdays. So how would you start the day with a little more oomph?
Plan your day ahead
With an average 16 waking hours available to us every day, we usually end up wishing we had more time or wondering why we failed to maximise our day. Getting started is a lot harder when you don’t know what to do. Have a schedule – a chronological to-do list the day before – to help you ease into the day. Since we are most creative in the morning, that’s a great time to get your most complex work done. You’ll get more work done, when you start to prioritise.
When you wake up, maintain a positive focus. Ask yourself questions like, “What can I achieve today?”.
Get physical
Schedule an exercise regime into each day. even just a few minutes of exercise a day can give you more energy and strengthen your endurance. An intense but short workout stimulates the brain, provides a surge of endorphins and produces an adrenalin that boosts alertness and energy.
If this does not appeal to you, try yoga, or better still, have sex – morning sex triggers a chemical rush of testosterone, dopamine and oxytocin that boosts alertness.
Hydrate
When we are dehydrated, we tend to be lethargic. And after sleep, your body will crave water. Just a 2 per cent drop in your body’s water level can cause physical and mental tiredness. So drink a glass of water before or with breakfast. Women may find it particularly more difficult to get going in the morning if they are slightly dehydrated and may be prone to moodiness and headaches, according to a US study. So, it’s best to have a glass of water before you touch your coffee.
Take a cold shower
Swap out your steamy hot shower for a cold wake-up call in the morning. “It allows the wakefulness side of the brain to override the sleep-inducing part of the brain. It tips the balance towards wakefulness,” says Professor robert newton, from the exercise medicine research Institute at edith Cowan University. The benefits include increased adrenaline, alertness and a mood boost, he says.
Eat your breakfast
After sleep your body needs the right type of fuel. So choose foods that give sustained energy by eating a low glycemic index (GI) breakfast. Whole-grain cereal, slice of whole-grain or raisin toast, natural muesli oats, fruit and yoghurt, or eggs on whole-grain toast are a good start.
If you’re short on time or hate eating heavy first thing in the morning, a smoothie is the perfect solution. opt for one with fresh fruit, low-fat milk and natural yoghurt. boost the nutritional value by adding whole-grain cereal, quinoa or chia seeds.
Let the sun in
Most people might think this is a little crazy but waking up to the sun beginning to rise is a natural and relaxing way to start your day. It’s also typically more enjoyable than an alarm screaming from your iPhone. You’ll feel more awake than waking up to a blacked-out room.
Smile
When you smile your body gets a jolt of energy – enough to shake you out of that sleepy state. So give your smile muscles a quick workout at the start of the day, says Dr Clifford Kuhn, also known as the Laugh Doctor.
“After you laugh you experience a surge of energy, which in addition to reducing stress, can help your body regenerate more healthy cells over time,” says Dr Kuhn.
Smell the flowers
If you love flowers; good for you! Keep a vase of fresh flowers in your bedroom. They are an instant mood booster, and according to US research, massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard medical School found that mood improves and anxiety levels fall when we see a bunch of flowers. People also reported having more energy for the rest of the day. Choose yellow flowers for energy and pink to feel calmer.
Don’t be alarmed
Get rid of the loud, jarring alarm clock and wake up to the sound of chimes or ocean waves. blaring alarms jolt us too quickly from a state of sleep inertia, that first groggy, semi-awake stage. US sleep expert, Dr Hans van Dongen, says a jarring alarm forces us to wake up before we’re totally ready. So instead of a loud alarm, choose one with gentler sounding chimes or the relaxing sounds of breaking ocean waves or soft chirping of birds.
