There it goes again... your alarm (that you've snoozed three times already).
It's not often you meet a 'morning person', so you're not alone if you find getting up difficult. From grumpy and irritable to anxious and tearful, we can wake up met by a wave of emotions that then interfere with the rest of our day. It can feel like a battle just getting out of bed, not to mention facing what lies ahead.
To help, we've found some simple tips to help yourself get out of the ‘right side’ of the bed and start your day feeling better.
Look at your alarm
Start your mornings gently by waking up with soft sounds instead of the traditional ear-ringing alarm.
Stop snoozing. Avoid pressing that snooze button and get out of bed. Is the extra 10 minutes sleep worth feeling lethargic for hours?
Airplane Mode on
Do you find yourself scrolling through your phone before you've even fully opened your eyes?
To avoid the temptation to doom scroll, put your phone on airplane mode when you go to bed.
Press play
Music makes us feel good and can have a big impact on our mood. Press play in the morning and wake up with your favourite songs - the more upbeat the better.
While you're at it, stretch it out. By stretching right after you wake up, you are actually helping your muscles relax. Tense muscles lead to poor posture, but by keeping up with regular stretching, you are relaxing and lengthening your muscles which keep your back in better shape and improves posture.
Breakfast boost
They don't call it the most important meal of the day for no reason. It fuels you for the day ahead, so it's important you eat the right stuff. You wouldn't put petrol in your diesel car or risk a motor way trip on an empty tank, so why try get through the day on an empty stomach?
A balanced breakfast includes protein, slowly digested carbohydrates and healthy fats, along with some fruit or vegetables. If you're not careful it can become one of the most uninspiring meals of the day when you have limited time to prepare it.
Get organised
When you know the mornings can be a challenge, don't make them more difficult by being disorganised. If just looking for matching socks feels like you're in an episode of Crystal Maze, it's time to get organised.
Use time the night before to find and prepare everything you'll need for the next day - your clothes, meals, anything (or anyone) you'll need to get organised in the morning.
It's not all about the night before. Make your bed everyday to reduce the temptation to climb back in it. If you're working from home you don’t want to walk past a messy reminder of another task on your never-ending to-do list.
Keep a lid on coffee
For an hour at least anyway. Let your body produce and manage its own natural cortisol (that's the alertness hormone our bodies produce when exposed to stress) before you start filling yourself full of artificial energy. Our cortisol levels peak in the morning, add caffeine and you've a recipe for a mug full of stress.
If you are thirsty, grab a glass (or three)of water. Hydration is key for brain function, energy and mobility, so drink more water.
Fresh air
If fresh air and a lap around the block will perk you up – do it!
We all need to be flexible to find what helps us cope and manage best. If you can't face the cold right now, try standing at your door for a few minutes everyday to get some natural light.
Make it work for you
Who’s in control when you wake up - you, or your morning routine? Make mornings work for you by eating right, avoiding your electronics unless there’s an emergency, and prepping ahead of time.
If you’re one of many in your home, don’t be a morning martyr. Enlist the entire family to work as a team to make the morning rush less stressful.