The secret to knowing how to wake up happy seems to be reserved only for the privileged. Honestly, just firing up the engine in the morning is a struggle for most of us, including those of you who say it isn’t. Yeah, we’re on to you, but we hear you – we’re on your side. We all make the same crawl out of bed as our alarm clock screams in our ears, cursing and mumbling as we shamble towards that first cup of coffee. Finally, it’s only after we’ve inhaled our first caffeine fix, that the part of us we call human can emerge.
Is the battle lost then? No! We have a couple of morning routines that’ll get you there anyway. In addition, add some perseverance and you’re off to a good start. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Prep your morning the night before
Prepare your morning routine in advance to help it run smoothly in the morning. As a result, it will give you peace of mind. Because rushing in the morning will test anyone’s patience and risk taking a toll on your morning mood. Make sure your home is organized, with the laundry put away and all the dishes done. Put out clothes for the next morning and make sure your bag is packed, waiting for you by the front door. As a result, you can trust your autopilot to do all the work in the morning.
2. Let there be light
Sunshine in the morning signals your body to stop its flow of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that makes you sleepy. Therefore, make sure you open those curtains and let the light shine on through. If you live up north and the sun is nowhere to be seen in the morning, a Philips Hue light will do the trick. In addition, pair your Hue with your Sleep Cycle alarm clock and let the app work with the lamp to ease you awake in the morning.
3. Prep some good tunes
Set your alarm clock to a motivational ringtone. Roaring lions? Peaceful meditation music? Usher’s “Yeah!”? Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”? Whatever you pick, make sure it puts you in a good mood. Bonus if it makes you want to dance your way into the kitchen for that coffee.
4. Hold off on the snooze
Our brains figured out what the snooze is all about. As you press snooze and drift off for an extra couple of minutes, you are not put back in restorative deep sleep. Your brain signals it’s a false alarm and knows you still have to get up in a couple of minutes. Use Sleep Cycle alarm clock to wake up, as a result, the app makes sure to wake you up in light sleep. Light sleep is the best possible sleep phase to wake up in. Don’t let snooze mess up your natural sleep cycles. Instead, get up as soon as that alarm rings and trust that the app has your back.
5. Drink water before coffee
Your body has to work even harder to wake up if you are dehydrated. Water first thing in the morning will make up for the fluids you lost while you were asleep. Therefore, kick your day off with a big glass of water and you’ll be off to a great start!
6. Leave your phone alone
As tempting as it can be, try not to check your phone as soon as you wake up. We all want to see what we’ve missed during the night, but this will prime your brain for distraction and hijack your time and attention, leaving you with less time to get ready and be at work on time.
7. Move your body
From stretching to working out – let the blood flow to your muscles. Exercise in the morning is a perfect way to relieve tension, unstress and lower your cortisol levels (the stress hormone) to start your day. Moreover, by moving around you also release endorphins, those chemical signals in the brain that increase feelings of wellbeing and happiness.
