If you’ve ever struggled with morning grogginess, taking a long time to wake up and feel energized, then this post is for you. What follows is a list of a few easy to implement, zero-cost action items that will have an immediate, noticeable impact on your physiology to help you wake up and get going with greater ease.
1) Get Some Sunlight
Not only is the sun the best source of Vitamin D (essential for a healthy immune system) but it also helps stop the secretion of melatonin, which your brain produces at night to make you sleepy. Instead, it increases cortisol, which your adrenal glands produce to keep you alert and focused.
Getting sun in the morning is also great for falling asleep at night, believe it or not!
This is because sunlight in the morning signals to your brain that the day has begun, via the light entering your retinas. Because of this, 12-16 hours later when it’s time to go to bed, your body will have an easier time falling asleep because its natural daily rhythm will have been set in the morning.
2) Drink Water
Most people wake up slightly dehydrated.
This is because we lose water while we sleep through our breathing, and sometimes even sweating. Even a very slight amount of dehydration can affect your cognitive function, leaving you feeling sluggish and groggy.
It’s important to nourish your body with the best brain food there is for a clear head first thing. Yes, water is brain food. Besides oxygen, water is the chief regulator of most of the functions in our bodies, so having at least 16 ounces or more first thing in the morning will help you feel more energized.
3) Take a 10 Minute Walk
We’re not biologically designed to wake up and be sedentary – we’re supposed to wake up and move. This is what your genes are expecting. Morning movement gets your blood pumping which will make you feel more alert.
This should likely feel fairly intuitive – if you wake up and lounge around doom-scrolling VS. getting up and going for a walk, which one do you think will make you feel noticeably better?
As little as a 10 minute morning walk is a great way to elevate your heart rate while simultaneously giving you a chance to get that morning sun exposure.
As you can see, these 3 tips are all very easy to do and build up as habits, require no real investment, and can be done by almost anybody. Give these a try and see how your morning improves as a result!
Want to learn more tips on how to have more energy? Book a free initial session with one of our knowledgable personal trainers here.
