I’m sure you’ve felt it before – the dreary, tired feeling in your bones and the mental obscurity that confronts you when you wake. Obviously, a good morning will ensure that you’ll have a good, productive and focused day ahead. Thankfully, there a a few simple things you can do to make sure you start your morning and your day right.
Morning Hack #1: Get your night right!
Much of what determines how you feel in the morning depends on how you well you slept the night before.
Here are some things you can do to ensure the best possible sleep. First, try to avoid caffeine at night or in the late evening. I know, some of you may go “but I’m used to it!” or “it doesn’t really affect me” but guess what? Scientific studies have shown that consuming caffeine 6 hours before sleep can have major disruptive effect on sleep. So while you may not ‘feel’ that caffeine affects you – it actually does!
Also, try to wear loose and cottony clothes to sleep so as to reduce the chances of you being woken by static electricity (when you toss and turn) or restrictive clothing.
Morning Hack #2: Cut down your electronics (both at night and when you wake!)
Do you have a habit of checking your phone right before you sleep? Perhaps you go onto Twitter for news when you first wake up? One simple way to increase your energy levels is to remove electronic usage one hour before you sleep and in the first 15 minutes after you wake.
Multiple studies have shown that the bright lights (from phones and tablets) affect your body’s sleeping patterns and prolongs the time it takes for you to fall asleep. On the other hand, if the first thing you do when you first wake up is to use your devices; your mind races ahead without your body being fully alert yet.
Morning Hack #3: Try some light morning exercises
Don’t be scared off by the word ‘exercise’! All you’ll need to do here is spend 5 minutes doing some basic stretching. Do whatever feels ‘right’ for you without it being too intense. It gets your blood flowing and makes you feel much more alert as well.
Of course, more exercise certainly wouldn’t do any harm and it is also a good habit to cultivate in helping you reduce your stress levels.
Morning Hack #4: Be in the sunlight
Try to get some sunlight (maybe when you do your light stretching). Draw the curtains open or just step outside for a bit. The natural lighting gives an signal to your body to get awake and get ready for the new day.
Morning Hack #5: Chug down a glass of water
You lose water at night through breathing and sweating. Also, if you breathe with your mouth – it can leave your lips and tongue feeling very dry. Therefore, your body craves water in the morning. It is good practice to hydrate yourself fully first thing in the morning because de-hydration leads all sorts of energy sapping nasty stuff like headaches.
There you have it – 5 simple ways to start the day right and to feel refreshed.
