Evie Summers
Sleep is an active process that plays a crucial role in our mental, emotional, and physical performance. While some people wake up full of energy, others struggle to get out of bed and rely on caffeine to get them through the day. Luckily, there are strategies to help you feel more energized and happy in the mornings. These include drinking a glass of water in the morning, exercising, getting sunlight, and establishing a set sleep schedule.
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What You'll Learn
Drink water before bed and when you wake up
Drinking water before bed and when you wake up is an important part of staying hydrated and ensuring you get a good night's rest. However, drinking too much water before bed may cause sleep issues as you may need to use the bathroom during the night. This can interrupt your sleep cycle, which can have a negative impact on your heart health.
Sleep disorder specialist Jessica Vensel Rundo, MD, MS, recommends that you should stop drinking water two hours before going to bed. This way, you avoid flooding your body with extra fluids that may cause an unwanted trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night. If you are experiencing thirst before bed, drinking a small amount of water is still okay.
Drinking a glass of water when you wake up is a great way to start your day and can improve alertness. It is also a good way to freshen up your entire body and can help increase your energy levels.
It is important to stay properly hydrated throughout the day by drinking water consistently and with every meal. This will help you avoid dehydration and prevent excess water intake at night.
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Expose yourself to natural light in the morning
Exposing yourself to natural light in the morning is a great way to boost your energy levels and improve your sleep. Sunlight increases your body's serotonin levels, which improves your sleep and, therefore, your daytime energy. Spending time in nature and allowing yourself to be exposed to natural light makes people feel more alive.
If you find it challenging to go outside in the early morning, try adjusting your curtains to let the sunlight seep in as you're getting ready to wake up. You can also use a dawn simulator alarm clock to naturally mimic the sunrise in your bedroom.
Exercising outdoors in the morning is another way to expose yourself to natural light. Research has shown that those who exercised for 150 minutes a week enjoyed 65% better sleep than those who didn't exercise. Even a quick walk or a few jumping jacks can help bring blood flow to your muscles and wake you up.
If you're unable to go outside, try turning on your smartphone and setting it to its maximum brightness to expose yourself to strong blue light. This will wake up your brain and help you feel more alert.
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Avoid electronics and blue light before bed
To sleep well and wake up full of energy, it is imperative to avoid electronics and blue light before bed. This is because the blue light emitted by electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and TVs stimulates the brain, making it harder to fall asleep. To ensure a good night's rest, it is advisable to step away from electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. This means turning off your computer, smartphone, and TV, and perhaps engaging in some low-key, stress-free activities to calm yourself before sleep.
The bright screens of electronic devices can disrupt your sleep by suppressing melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles. By reducing melatonin levels, blue light exposure at night can interfere with your body's internal clock, making it challenging to fall asleep and wake up on time. Additionally, the stimulating effect of blue light can lead to fragmented sleep, impacting your ability to function throughout the day.
To avoid the negative impacts of blue light, establish a bedtime routine that includes turning off all electronic devices. You can also install blue light filters on your devices or use blue light-blocking glasses to minimize exposure. By reducing blue light intake before bed, you'll be more likely to fall asleep faster and improve your overall sleep quality.
Instead of using electronic devices before bed, try incorporating relaxing activities such as reading, meditation, or listening to soothing music. These activities can help calm your mind and prepare your body for sleep, improving both the quality and duration of your rest.
By avoiding electronics and blue light before bed, you'll be creating an environment conducive to better sleep. This, in turn, will help you wake up feeling more energized and refreshed, ready to tackle the new day with vitality and enthusiasm.
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Establish a set sleep schedule
Establishing a set sleep schedule is crucial for consistently waking up full of energy. Here are some detailed tips to help you achieve this:
Firstly, choose a bedtime and a wake-up time that allows you to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. This might vary depending on your individual needs, but ensuring you get an adequate amount of sleep is essential for feeling rested and energized in the morning.
Secondly, stick to your chosen sleep and wake times every day of the week, even on weekends. Consistency is key when it comes to maintaining a healthy sleep schedule. This helps to regulate your body's internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, which is responsible for controlling feelings of sleepiness and alertness throughout the day.
Thirdly, create a bedtime routine that prepares your mind and body for sleep. In the hours leading up to your bedtime, reduce your exposure to electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and TVs. The blue light emitted by these devices can stimulate your brain and make it harder to fall asleep. Instead, engage in low-key, stress-free activities that promote relaxation.
Additionally, make sure your bedroom is optimized for sleep. Keep the room dark, quiet, and cool. Consider using blackout curtains or a sleep mask to block out light, and minimize any sources of noise or distractions.
Finally, maintain your sleep schedule by sticking to your chosen bed and wake times as much as possible. If you need to adjust your sleep schedule, try to do so gradually, shifting your bedtime and wake-up time by small increments to avoid disrupting your body's natural rhythm.
By establishing a set sleep schedule and adhering to healthy sleep habits, you'll be well on your way to waking up feeling rested and full of energy each morning.
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Try yoga, deep breathing or stretching in the morning
Morning yoga, deep breathing, and stretching are great ways to wake up feeling refreshed and full of energy.
Yoga
Yoga is an introspective practice that blends mindful movement, breathing, and body awareness with strength and flexibility. It helps to reduce morning stress and anxiety, and it increases energy, mobility, and flexibility. Yoga is a great way to slowly wake up your body without depleting your energy for the day ahead.
Certain yoga poses can naturally increase your energy levels by activating your sympathetic nervous system, which is your body's fight or flight response. Poses that require you to balance, back-bend, and perform other chest-opening movements can help to immediately boost your energy. For example, the bridge pose strengthens your glutes and core while correcting your posture and stretching your chest. This pose is fantastic for preventing back pain throughout your day.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises, or 'pranayama' in Sanskrit, are a powerful way to supercharge your body with energy. These exercises are best practiced first thing in the morning, before you've eaten anything. You can sit in bed, on the floor, or on a chair—just make sure you're comfortable and able to sit up straight.
One deep breathing exercise involves breathing out deeply through your nose as you count to five. Continue to breathe in this manner, making every inhale and exhale last for a count of five. Another energizing breath practice involves breathing out short, sharp exhales through your nose, drawing your belly in quickly as you breathe out to help fully expel the air from your lungs. Your inhale is a passive reaction to this sharp exhale. As your belly relaxes, the inhale will naturally follow.
Stretching
Overnight, during REM sleep, your muscles are paralyzed, and reactivating them releases energy-stimulating endorphins. Stretching in the morning can help improve your breathing patterns, oxygenate your body, and calm your mind. One stretch involves lying on your back and bringing your knees up to your armpits. Hold on to your shins with your hands and gently rock from side to side, massaging your lower back.
Additional Tips
- Keep a water bottle by your bed to hydrate immediately upon waking up.
- Expose yourself to sunlight in the morning, as it bumps up your body's serotonin levels, leading to improved sleep and increased daytime energy.
- If you're pressed for time, get your body moving with a few rounds of high-knees and jumping jacks.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to wake up feeling refreshed and full of energy. Firstly, drinking a glass of water in the morning can help to rehydrate your body and stimulate your organs, helping you feel more awake. Secondly, practising deep breathing, stretching or yoga can help to boost your energy levels and brain function. Thirdly, exposing yourself to natural light in the morning can reinforce your circadian rhythms and give you a subtle energy lift.
To wake up feeling energised, it is important to get a good night's sleep. This can be achieved by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, ensuring your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool, and avoiding the use of electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bed. Additionally, drinking a glass of water before bed can help you stay hydrated throughout the night.
To make waking up easier, it is recommended to set your alarm for as late as possible and get out of bed as soon as it goes off. Exposing yourself to natural light in the morning, whether through sunlight or a dawn simulator alarm clock, can also help to ease the transition from sleep to wakefulness. Establishing a morning routine that includes activities you enjoy, such as listening to a podcast or radio show, can also give you something to look forward to when you wake up.
