Get enough sleep
If you haven't slept well, chances are you're going to notice it during the day. A good night's sleep often means 7 to 9 hours of sleep. This should be enough to leave you feeling refreshed, preventing fatigue from taking over. Having trouble sleeping? No worries! Because the very last tip on this list can help you with that.
Pay attention to your nutrition
Your energy level depends much more on your food than you probably think. Beware of sugary foods, these give you energy for a while at a time, but they can also give you a sugar crash. The result? Fatigue. So make sure you have a well-balanced diet. Different kinds of plants are very important in a well-balanced diet.
Hydrate your body
Your energy levels drop not only when you are hungry, but also when you are thirsty. When you are tired, are you also quick to reach for a cup of caffeinated coffee? You're not the only one! But this is not always necessary. When your body lacks water, you also experience fatigue. So drink enough water in a day to stay hydrated and energized.
Increase your serotonin
Regular exercise can have a positive impact on your serotonin levels in your brain. This ensures that your mood and general well-being are also increased. In addition, it can also improve your appetite and sleep cycle. So exercise is key!
Make a gratitude list
According to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, a gratitude journal improves your sleep. Spend just 15 minutes each day writing down a few grateful feelings before you go to bed. You may sleep better AND longer as a result. It's worth the try, right?
There may be ways to energize the body and help someone feel more awake in the mornings.
Stretching
Someone who performs simple stretches helps warm up their muscles and promote circulation in the body, which could aid waking up in the morning. Many people stretch instinctively, such as moving their arms over their head, or extending their legs in bed.
A person who takes 5 minutes to stretch or perform some simple yoga poses may help awaken their muscles and body.
Quick exercises
Exercise while tired may not sound appealing, but it can stimulate the body, get the blood flowing, and help make a person feel more alert. The workout does not have to be intense.
Simple activities, such as a short brisk walk, dancing to music, or even a few jumping jacks, can help get the heart and breathing rate up, which can wake the body up faster.
Breathing exercises
Breathing exercises can stimulate the body, as it raises oxygen within the circulation, which could make a person feel more awake.
Long, deep breaths, or guided breathing meditation techniques may help someone feel more awake and alert.
Avoiding the snooze button
When someone wakes up to an abrupt alarm, the temptation to snooze for a few extra minutes may feel good, but it could make them feel more tired when they wake up again.
As they try to fall back asleep, they are unlikely to feel the benefits of rest, and may instead experience sleep inertiaTrusted Source. This is the feeling of confusion and fatigue after waking up.
For many people, it may be better to immediately get out of bed and start their day when the alarm clock goes off.
If this is difficult, a person can try to keep the alarm out of reach from the bed. If they place the alarm across the room, they will be less likely to snooze, as they physically need to get out of bed and turn it off.
Cold showers
Cold showers in the morning may energize and invigorate. While warm showers tend to relax the body and mind, cold water may do the opposite.
A 2016 study, suggests that an increased norepinephrine concentration occurs from having a cold shower.
A study in North American Journal of Medical SciencesTrusted Source notes that cold water causes the deeper tissue blood vessels to dilate, which increases heart rate, blood flow, and circulation. Therefore, cold showers may stimulate the body to wake up and be more alert, causing a person to feel energized.
If a person does not wish to have a cold shower, they can splash cold water on their face. This may produce a similar stimulating effect.
Energizing smells
Some scents tend can quickly make a person feel awake or brighter, though effects vary from person to person.
Simple smells such as brewing coffee, fresh peppermint, or lemon zest may help energize someone almost instantly.
An animal study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine suggests that some smells may help reduce fatigue, including essential oils of:
rosemary
peppermint
orange
clove
While the study focuses on sluggishness from exercise fatigue, the same oils may help invigorate someone in the morning.
Eat a lighter breakfast
While breakfast is important to energize the body, it may have the opposite effect if someone eats a large meal. People who consume a big breakfast may notice they feel more sluggish as the body digests their meal.
They may also rely on stimulants, such as caffeine, to give them energy.
A smaller and healthful breakfast may help people start their day quicker and sustain their energy levels. They could try porridge, cereals, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.
Avoiding stimulants
Stimulants are a simple way to get an energy boost in the morning. Caffeinated drinks, such as coffee and tea, are popular breakfast choices because they are effective.
However, many people can experience a caffeine crash after a few hours, and energy levels may drop to even lower than before.
A study in Open Access Journals of Clinical Trials notes that while cognitive abilities can receive a boost with caffeine, these levels reduce around 5 hours afterward. This could encourage someone to consume higher quantities of caffeine to stay awake or alert.
This can also affect sleep for that evening, and result in more fatigue the next morning.
While it may seem difficult at first, a person who avoids stimulants in the morning may have more natural energy throughout the day.
Get some sunlight
A person who takes in sunlight after waking up, for example, during a morning walk, may feel more energized. This is because the short wavelength blue light found in sunlight stimulates the brain.
A study in the Journal of Biophotonics notes that this short wavelength light is important to suppress melatonin in the brain, which is a hormone that makes a person sleepy.
Good sleep habits
The best way to ensure someone gets energy in the morning is to ensure good sleeping habits. People who wake in the morning and feel tired may wish to look at their nighttime routines, and make changes to help them get better rest.
Some research, suggests that more than a third of adults in the United States do not get enough regular sleep.
Some general sleep tips include:
- sleeping between 7-9 hours every night
- avoiding sources of bright lights and loud noises, such as televisions, computers, and mobile screens
- turning off all bedroom lights
- listening to the body’s sleep signals
- going to bed and waking up around the same time every day
- trying a relaxing routine, such as a warm bath, or reading
- avoiding stimulants or exercises shortly before bedtime
Summary
There are several ways to help someone get more energy in the morning. While these tips will work for many people in the short term, it is important to create long-term habits that help them feel energized throughout their day.
A person can practice a combination of good sleep habits and morning routines to help them muster enough energy in the morning.