Another day, another chance for you to accomplish your goals and plans. If only it were that easy to feel energized and not feel fatigued early in your day. When you learn to banish morning fatigue right, you feel a steady surge of energy throughout your day. Let’s discuss some true and tested ways to fire up your morning and charge your day with the right amount of energy.
Resist the urge to snooze
When we first hear the alarm we have the urge to snooze. Snoozing the alarm will give you an additional ten minutes of sleep, but it also is the reason why you feel fatigued upon waking up. In fact, we should get up when we hear the first alarm. The act of waking up abruptly will jolt your body into waking up so when you snooze you actually increase morning fatigue. So, you should force yourself to get out of your bed because you’ll feel less fatigued if you don’t. Try sitting upright in bed if you still need a few moments to adjust to a wake-up state. Another great tip to avoid snoozing in the morning is to put your phone or alarm clock out of reach so you’ll force yourself to get up.
Make your bed upon waking up
Let’s be honest – making your bed in the morning is the last thing on your mind. But, this can be a great psychological trick to boost your productivity right when you wake up. This one minute task will provide a sense of accomplishment, which further sets you up for success in your day. On the other hand, it’s a nice habit to adopt so make your bed every morning. You’ll thank yourself later on when you return home to a nicely made bed.
Drink water
When we feel tired and drained of energy, we often fail to do the easiest of things. Fatigue can be a symptom of dehydration. Start your morning with a tall glass of water to hydrate yourself. You can also drink a cup of warm water to speed up your digestion. You can further play with your morning cup of water by adding a slice of lemon, honey, or cinnamon. Either way, drink your morning dose of water to replenish your body and enter the state of wakefulness.
Stretch
Stretching can light you up better than anything else because it slowly prepares your body for hours of activity. If you sleep between 7 to 9 hours every night, you basically remain in one single position for a long period of time. That’s why stretching can help improve circulation, warm up your muscles, and reduce any strain caused by an inadequate pillow or sleeping position. Morning stretches will wake your body up naturally and also release some endorphins along the way.
Practice deep breathing
Just like we need to hydrate upon waking up, we should stimulate the cells within the body with deep and controlled breathing. You can practice deep breathing during your morning stretches if you do yoga as your morning routine. Also, you can do deep breathing without yoga to increase blood oxygen level, and increase the state of alertness. You can repeat the inhale and exhale cycle at least ten times to boost oxygen levels and get rid of morning fatigue.
Take a cold shower
Instead of showering solely in the evening, try showering in the morning as well. But, there’s a trick to it – you have to shower with cold water. It might take a bit of getting used to, but it will be an invigorating experience you’ll never want to miss upon. A cold shower will energize you and jolt you from a sleepy state quickly. If you aren’t brave enough to test this scientifically proven fact that a cold shower can wake you up, there’s an alternative. You can splash your face and neck with cold water a few times until you feel more alert.
Don’t drink coffee right away
Coffee is a great stimulant if you know how to time it right. If you’re one of those peeps who have to drink their dose of caffeine before anything else, rethink this habit. You should give priority to drinking water, stretching, deep breathing, and taking a cold shower right when you wake up. Save your first cup of coffee later on. The best time to drink coffee is between 10 am and noon because it will maximize your energy levels and boost your initial morning energy. Stick to drinking coffee later in the morning and give priority to other energy-boosting techniques.
Give herbal tea a try
Instead of drinking coffee right when you wake up, give herbal tea a try. Tea is definitely a healthier option because many people drink hot beverages on an empty stomach. You can drink a caffeine-free blend like peppermint tea or ginger lemon combination. If you’re a caffeine lover but you’ll listen to our advice and drink coffee later in the morning, give green tea or black tea a try. These are also rich in antioxidants good for improving your immune system.
Eat a rich breakfast
Eating a nutritious breakfast upon waking up can be yet another energy booster you need to banish morning fatigue. We need to feed our bodies to replenish energy levels. Make sure you eat a balanced breakfast rich in various nutrients and not large in portion. You should sustain energy levels throughout the day with small meals so make sure to make your breakfast healthy but not large. Eat eggs, greek yogurt with whole grains and nuts, avocado, fruit, and veggies to boost your morning energy. Make sure it’s low sugar but rich in protein and healthy fats for the best result.
Exercise in the morning
Just like a cold morning shower, an exercise in the morning might not sound appealing. But, this will be your impression at first until you start practicing it. For those people who love to exercise, they won’t have any trouble exercising in the morning because they need that post-workout effect to feel happy and great. Those who struggle with motivation to exercise can benefit a lot from exercising in the morning. Not only will they feel the surge of energy, but they will also finally get into the habit of working out. When exercise is one of the first things you do in the morning, you stop having excuses not to exercise, You simply can’t postpone your exercise until never because you do it as a first task of the day.
If you don’t have the time for morning exercise, have an active commute
We have to acknowledge the fact that not many people have the time to exercise in the morning. Also, some people exercise after work to reduce stress and feel at ease when they come home. Either way, they can still squeeze in an activity in their morning if they bike to work. People who use morning commutes to be active use affordable mountain bikes because they are sturdy and reliable. Early cardio is great for circulation, better mood and it will boost your energy levels in a healthy way.
Smell some incense
The right scents can jolt your body from a sleepy state. This is also a great technique when afternoon slumber hits during work hours. Basically, you’ll also give deep breathing a try and inhale energy-boosting scents. Lemon zest and peppermint are the best for getting your body and mind into a wakeful state. Sniff on some cotton balls sprinkled with a few drops of peppermint or lemon essential oil. You can also give clove and rosemary a try and find the scent that works on you. Even the scent of coffee can have the same effect on you. Stimulate your brain with sunlight.
Listen to the right type of music
Music is known to improve our mood and also boost our energy. You probably know that certain tracks can push you through the day when you need an energy boost. The same goes for waking you up in the morning. You can even use a song that makes you happy instead of a monotone and annoying alarm sound. Listen to those tunes that make you want to dance and seize the day. Make sure you alternate through different songs to avoid boredom if you listen to the same song every time. It doesn’t have to be loud to wake you up. You just need to pick the right tunes.
Start your day with something that motivates you to get out of bed
There’s no harm in starting your day with something you enjoy doing. We can call it a guilty pleasure of sorts because it inspires you to seize the day. It can be something we’ve already mentioned like exercise or a rich breakfast. Or, you can spend a small portion of your morning on reading, journaling your dreams or other motivational activities. Give yourself joy in doing things you love to start the day with the right vibe and energy.
Improve your sleep routine
The last thing on this list is our sleep routine. Everything begins with a healthy amount of sleep and a proper routine. The amount of energy you have in the morning and the entire day depends on the sleep you get every night. You need to go to sleep at the same time every day. This is different for everyone and you should test how you feel when you go to sleep at 10, 11, or 12pm. But, aim to go to sleep between to and 11 pm so you’ll achieve 7 to 8 hours of sleep by the time you have to wake up. Just like you have to go to sleep at the same time, you should wake up at the same time every morning. This is your sleep routine and you should perfect it to always have a similar amount of energy no matter if it’s Monday or Friday.
When you master these 15 tips will help you overcome your morning fatigue with ease. If you start your day low on energy, you’ll know how to banish this feeling and still thrive.