5 Ways to Kickstart your Morning

You didn’t get enough sleep last night, or the night before that. You have to wake up early even though you are not a morning person.

Instead, you find yourself cursing your alarm clock, groggily climbing into the shower, get ready, and clutch your coffee on your morning commute as if it were your lifeline.

If only you were a morning person! It would make these morning commutes so much more joyful, or at least tolerable.

There are some easy and helpful tips you can put into practice to kickstart your mornings, make you feel fresh and recharged, and even trick people into thinking you are a morning person.

Stretch!

Even before you get out of bed, spend five minutes stretching.

• Start on your back and flex your toes up, then point them down.
• Flex your leg muscles and slightly arch your back
• Slowly swing your legs around and lift your torso up to sit on the edge of your bed with your feet on the ground.
• Lock your fingers together and stretch them upwards, then side to side.
• When you are ready, stand up. You can still have your eyes closed.
• Lock your fingers behind your back, pulling your shoulders downward, and let your head drop slowly side to side.
• Bring your arms forward and stretch them out in front of you as you bend into a squat, stretching your upper back.
• If you feel up to it, straighten your legs, and drop down your upper body towards the ground, trying to touch the ground.
• When you are ready, bend your knees slightly and roll your back up.
• Shake it out as you open your eyes, and pop into the shower.

You will find that you will instantly feel slightly more awake than usual, and your muscles and digestive system will get a kickstart to their morning as well.

Use Shampoos and Soaps With Invigorating Scents

The Entrepreneur magazine published an article about using essential oils to boost mood and productivity in the workplace. The author recommends the use of lemon, lavender, jasmine, rosemary, cinnamon, and peppermint scents to boost mood, concentrating and to invigorate the mind. You don’t have to use essential oils- you can find shampoos or soaps with these scents and it will work just as well.

Prepare the Night Before

Get out the clothes you are going to wear, pack your bags, and even make your breakfast. If you aren’t a morning person it is more likely little things, like forgetting your jacket on a chilly morning, will get you in a bad mood. Prepare everything that is important and that requires a bit more thinking the night before. It will save you time, and keep you on time. The small successes early on in the day will set the mood for the rest of the day.

Lights Out at Night

Make sure that artificial light is off or far from you. This includes your phone, the TV, and the hallway light. Artificial light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to control your sleep and wake cycles. When you fall asleep with the TV on, or check your phone right before going to sleep, you might be getting poorer quality sleep.

Rise and Shine

When you are sleeping, keep the lights out. But when you are awake, open the curtains! The natural light will help to wake up your mind and body, getting you ready for the day ahead.

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These five tips could make a significant improvement on your mood and productivity in the morning. You might not want to implement them all at once. Try with stretching first thing in the morning, and slowly build up to planning for your day the night before.

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