Do You Struggle To Get Out Of Bed In The Morning?
There’s nothing worse than your alarm going off in the morning and feeling like you’re not ready to face the day. Rest assured that you’re not alone in finding that waking up in the morning is a struggle. That temporary morning grogginess is completely normal — it’s called sleep inertia.
Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways to fight off the urge to go back to sleep and kickstart your morning so you feel more energised for the day ahead. Experts from meal kit review site Meal Delivery Experts have revealed the best ways to improve your morning routine and increase your energy.
What is sleep inertia?
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Sleep inertia is the feeling of grogginess and drowsiness when you first wake up. It is characterised by temporary sleepiness and poorer cognitive function. It is the result of a compound called adenosine lingering in your brain when you wake up. It usually takes 60 to 90 minutes for the adenosine to disappear, which can make you feel sleepy for some time in the morning.
How can I combat sleep inertia and boost my energy in the morning?
To help your brain and body wake up in the morning, here are seven things you can add to your morning routine:
1 Doing yoga stretches
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You don’t need to be a yoga expert to be able to carry out some exercises in the morning and make a difference to your energy levels. Completing some simple stretches and yoga moves after you wake up will not only get your heart rate up and stretch your muscles, but it will also help reduce anxiety and increase your focus throughout the day — perfect for overcoming the morning grogginess.
2 Playing some music
The benefits of music have been studied for years, and it’s commonly agreed that listening to your favourite music positively affects your mental health. Listening to music can reduce stress and it has been proven to speed up the recovery process after a stressful event.
Playing stress-relieving songs first thing in the morning can prepare your mind for a good day and wake you up so you feel refreshed.
3 Drink some warm lemonade
Drinking a glass of warm lemonade in the morning might seem a little strange, but the vitamin C found in lemons helps regulate the exchange of water in your body and supports a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C also aids the conversion of fat into energy, so drinking warm lemonade can help fight the fatigue you feel in the morning.
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To make your lemonade, add the juice of one or two lemons to a glass of warm water. If you want to add a bit more flavour, you can also add some mint or fresh ginger.
4 Do some light exercise and jogging
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If you’re someone who has more energy to burn and yoga is not your style, try another form of light exercise or go for a morning jog. Not only will exercising release endorphins which boost your feeling of well-being, but you can have a nice refreshing shower afterwards which will help wake you up in the morning. Additionally, if you jog before breakfast you will burn fat as your body will use up the stored fat instead of what you’ve eaten that morning.
5 Eat an energy boosting breakfast
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It should go without saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that doesn’t stop many of us from skipping it. Whether you don’t have enough time in the morning or you’re feeling too tired to eat, try to have an energy-boosting meal first thing in the morning.
Keep it light and try to include plenty of variety and think about the nutrients you’re going to take in, try not to rush with just a pastry which will be heavy on the carbohydrates and won’t help your energy levels through the day.
6 Spend time with your family
Spending time with your loved ones in the morning does wonders for both you and your family. Getting everyone ready with breakfast and having a catch up about your day will help prepare you for what you have planned and boost your energy before you leave your home.
All it takes is a little planning to get everyone up together, but once you get into a routine, you’ll find it much easier and you’ll start to enjoy your well-deserved family time.
7 Take an energising snack with you for your day
Once you are ready to leave your house, make sure you take an energising snack with you to nibble on later in the day. It’s very easy to get swept up in your plans for the day and forget to eat, so making sure you’re prepared will help avoid this. The last thing you need is a mid morning slump because you don’t have enough sustenance to get you to lunchtime.
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Foods like bananas and breakfast bars are excellent choices as they are quick and easy to grab and release energy slowly, stopping your blood sugar levels dropping dramatically during your day.
Moira Chisholm
I'm the Health Editor on My Weekly and am always interested to hear what's new in this fascinating field. I also deal with the gardening, shopping pages, general features, our website content and the Ask Helen problem page. I have a special interest in Christmas content because I'm on the team for Your Best Ever Christmas Magazine, too!
