First things first, ditch the snooze
Does anyone honestly wake up feeling more refreshed after that 7-minute snooze? It’s just a tease, taking you back to that magical sleep you were in only to be pulled back out of it a few minutes later. Turning off the snooze and allowing yourself to wake up straight away not only gives you more time in the morning but will also stop taunting you with the sleep you are no longer allowed to be in.
Plus, constantly snoozing the alarm can have some really bad effects on the body and science can back me up with this! And this is something to think about, everytime you snooze and your alarm goes off is another time your shock your heart.
Leave the bed once you wake up
We all do it when we wake up, spend at least ten minutes under the covers checking up on all the social media we have missed over night, but the longer you lounge in bed the more you want to stay there. Getting out of bed will stop you from so desperately wanting to stay there, so get up and browse your phone from the kitchen table.
The easiest way I find to do this is by placing my alarm across the room from my bed, so when it goes off in the morning I’m literally forced out of bed to switch it off. And once you’re up, you’re up. To go back to bed straight after would be just criminal.
Take some caffeine
Energy doesn’t always come naturally, but caffeine can help to give you the boost you need. Having some shortly after awakening can help to eliminate that morning grogginess, setting you up to face the day.
Besides, there’s no better feeling than waking up with your morning brew of choice. This will really ease you into the day and will make sure you’re ready to go.
Don’t skip breakfast
Are you one of those who claim to not be hungry in the morning? Well, you are. Don’t worry. I used to be that person too. But it’s important to realize that while you were sleeping your body entered starvation mode, and while this can lead to you not having much of an appetite for food, your body needs it.
Remember that food is energy, and your mornings are more likely to be energetic if you have some fuel in you. Think about it, you can’t drive a car without fuel, which means your body won’t be able to function at its best either.
Break the rules, have carbs after dark
On the topic of food, it’s time to break the ‘no carbs after six’ philosophy and carb up at night. Having a bowl of porridge before bed can not only give you a better night’s sleep, which will help you to wake up feeling refreshed, but provides a slow energy release that will last through to the morning.
Beat the tiredness with exercise
When you wake up feeling exhausted the last thing on your mind is probably going to be exercised. While an extra half an hour in bed may seem like the best solution, exercise may actually help you to feel more awake. Invigorating the body can eliminate tiredness, and the endorphins that are released from physical activity are likely to put you in a better mood.
