10 Easy steps to being a morning person
Instead of fearing the alarm clock every morning, here’s how you can get start the day right on a right and cheerful note.
Mornings are a struggle for most human beings. The whole process of waking up and getting ready even before the sun has fully risen is tough, we get that.
While getting up on the right side of bed is a good thing, that’s only one part of the grand plan. So to really get the positive energy flowing right from when you open your eyes, here’s a quick and easy 10 step system to shake and wake you up in the mornings.
Step 1:
Set an alarm and don’t press snooze. Once you press it once you’ll press it again. While you might think hitting snooze will give you a chance to finish your natural sleep cycle and wake up feeling rested, you’re wrong.
After you hit snooze and drift off, your brain starts its sleep cycle all over again. You go into a deeper, earlier part of your sleep cycle, which results in you feeling even worse than you did the first time. So remember you snooze, you lose.
Step 2:
Splash your face with cold water. Doing so will probably shock you awake but it’ll also get you feeling refreshed at the same time. Additionally, cold water is great for minimizing the appearance of pores the natural way – a win win either way.
Step 3:
Do some morning stretches. Stretching yourself out after a long rest helps you loosen your muscles, and gets your body warm and ready for a fresh start. You also won’t feel so tense throughout the day. Say goodbye to cramped necks and sore arms.
Step 4:
Go outside and soak yourself in natural light. Our skin needs a healthy dose of Vitamin D daily. Studies have also shown that people with higher levels of Vitamin D have a lower risk of heart disease or multiple sclerosis.
Step 5:
Eat breakfast. This isn’t even a question of whether it’s healthy or not (although preferably it will be), but because having breakfast provides you with essential energy and nutrients that lead to increased concentration.
A car can’t run on an empty gas tank, and so can’t you.
Step 6:
Start your day with a positive attitude. If you go about in the morning looking like you just got told horrible news, chances are you’ll continue to be in a bad mood.
You don’t have to smile maniacally all the time, but have a bright mindset. After all, according to psychologist, Daniel Goleman, positive people outperform negative counterparts in the workplace.
Step 7:
It may be hard or undoable sometimes, but as much as you can, sleep early the night before. Get at least 8 hours of sleep.
It has been proven by many studies that more sleep results in better health, because your body has more time to rest and recuperate. More sleep would also improve your mood, concentration and lowers stress levels.
Step 8:
Say no to screens in the bedroom. Sure, this is sort of impossible, but avoid them as much as you can in the time leading up to sleep. Put them out of reach, lock them in a drawer, just don’t use them.
A study in color psychology has proven that the color blue reminds us of the sky and thus daytime, so it will make us feel more awake. This is why a lot of social media apps have blue logos.
Step 9:
Drink a warm little cup of chamomile or lavender tea before you sleep. Chamomile is known to be a sleepy time tea and it’ll knock you out like in an instant. They are nature’s sleepy leaves.
Step 10:
Sleep around the same time every night. Calculate when you need to get up, and sleep at least 8 hours. If you work a 9-5 job, this is even easier because you need to get up at the same time every morning.
Bernice Ng
Photo: Getty Images
