1: Quit hitting snooze
Our bodies are designed to go in and out of deep sleep. If we were to allow our body to wake up on it’s own, we would be waking up from a lighter sleep which would help us feel well rested, alert and ready for the day. However, most of us set an alarm that wakes us up each morning. Often times, this alarm wakes us up when our body is currently in a deep sleep and not ready to be woken up. If that isn’t bad enough, each time we hit the snooze button and fall back to sleep, our brain goes back into our sleep cycle. So as we wake up again, we are actually interrupting an even deeper sleep than the time before which will leave us feeling quite groggy.
2: No more Coffee
A hormone that our bodies naturally produce to help us feel awake is cortisol. The caffeine in our coffee is what confuses our body’s cortisol production. If we start drinking coffee in the early morning on a regular basis, that can then lead to our bodies becoming more dependent on the caffeine from our coffee rather than naturally producing cortisol. So if you are someone who feels they literally can’t get through the day without a cup or cups of coffee in the morning, its probably because your body isn’t producing anywhere near the correct amount of cortisol anymore which makes it almost impossible to feel awake, energized and excited for the day.
3: Say goodbye to hot showers
I understand hot showers are amazing! Not only do they simply feel great, but they help relieve tension and stiff muscles. Hot showers are unbelievably relaxing, which most people love. However, for the early morning, that isn’t a good thing. Even though most people don’t look forward to having a cold shower, they are amazing for increasing our mental alertness and relieving our body of fatigue. Taking a nice cold shower is one of the best things we can do in the morning to prepare our body for achieving important tasks and reaching our daily goals.
4: Don’t keep the lights off
Many people do parts or even all of their early morning routine in the dark… put clothes on, brush their teeth, or even shower in the dark. We often do this because its easier for our eyes to adjust rather than what seems like blinding ourselves if we turn a light on. What most people don’t know is that our circadian rhythm, better known as our body’s clock, is greatly influenced by light exposure. Our bodies naturally produce a hormone called melatonin which affects our sleep-wake cycle. Levels rise in the evening, making you feel sleepy and levels fall in the morning, helping you feel more alert. Light is what will greatly suppress the release of melatonin. This is why people find it easier to wake up in the summer. Turn the light on!
5: Don’t leave your bed unmade
Making your bed in the morning is one of the best things you can do to start your day off right. It is a quick and simple task, but it leaves you with a sense of fulfillment knowing you accomplished a goal. Studies have shown hitting small goals early in the morning, like making your bed, will push you to work hard at achieving bigger goals throughout your day. What if the reason you didn’t rock your day at work today was simply because you didn’t make your bed?…
