Reaching for a steaming cup of coffee or a chai tea may be your main motivation for getting out of bed in the morning, but the caffeine may be making you more tired in the long run. Caffeine works by changing the chemistry of the brain. It blocks the action of a natural brain chemical that is associated with sleep. This can be very helpful when you feel like you are about to fall asleep at your desk, but too much caffeine can cause headaches, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, irritability, insomnia, and sleep disturbance.
There are other, less tasty, ways to wake up that will help keep you energized without a caffeine crash waiting for you later in the day. If you drink more coffee than a Gilmore Girl, it might be time to find a new way to wake up. Try a few of these!
Start the night before.
You are never going to have the desire to get out of bed if you haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep first. This means no late night Netflix binges! In fact by turning off electronics an hour before bedtime you’ll avoid the melatonin suppressing blue light on screens. Try to relax before bed by taking a bath, reading a book, or journaling. These activities will naturally tire you out and prepare you for a restful sleep.
Have a consistent sleep schedule.
If you fall asleep and wake up at different times every day, your body will never know what to expect. While it is tempting to sleep in late on the weekends, try not to sleep too much later than normal. Come Monday morning your body will thank you!
Source: Houzz
Let some light in.
Being exposed to light is a natural indicator to your body that it is time to be awake. You can wake up and turn on the lights of course, but if you have trouble getting out of bed to even turn on the lights, then leaving your curtains open might be the perfect solution. Allowing natural light into your room will tell your body as soon as you wake up that it is time to be awake—you will feel much more ready for the day.
Wake up at the “right” time.
How is it that every day we are awoken by alarms, but every morning it still feels so jarring? It’s because your alarm clock doesn’t know your sleep cycle. There are a variety of fitness gadgets and sleep apps on the market designed to track where you are in your sleep cycle and will gently wake you with a vibration or quiet alarm when you are at the best “wake” time of your cycle.
Source: Surge Beauty
Give your shower a boost.
A nice hot shower is a great way to warm up in the morning, but if even that is not enough to get you going, try adding aromatherapy. You can make aromatherapy shower tablets using essential oils and with whatever scent wakes you best. Citrus scents such as lemon, orange and grapefruit can boost your body’s production of serotonin, a hormone that makes you feel happy. They also reduce levels of the stress hormone norepinephrine, which will help you wake up calmly.
Break a sweat.
Exercise is a proven way to boost your energy and you will get the most benefits by working out in the morning. Not only will you be forced to shake off sleepiness, but you will get your workout out of the way for the day. If the idea of dragging yourself to the gym first thing in the morning is too much to bear, then try working out at home with one of these online workouts.
Source: Dish By Dish
Eat a well-rounded breakfast.
You’ve heard it countless times, and we’ll say it again: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Seriously, eating a well-balanced breakfast will give you the needed energy to start your day off right. Choose a breakfast with protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats to provide you with energy and keep you full until lunch.
Get some fresh air.
If you rush straight from bed to the office, it’s no wonder you feel tired all morning! Carve out ten minutes for a quick walk outside and enjoy the fresh air. Research shows that spending time in fresh air, surrounded by nature, increases energy in 90 percent of people.
