Simple tips to help you stay awake in the morning and banish fatigue
As a chronic night owl, I marvel at the early birds’ ability to spring out of bed and kick start their day on a fresh note.
More often than not, I wake up feeling sluggish and unmotivated, so I understand how difficult it is to feel awake and refreshed in the AMs.
Need a little help feeling more attentive? Here are some simple tips to help you perk up and feel less tired in the morning.
Take a cold shower
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Taking a cold shower in the morning can jolt you awake and help you wake up. It’s also known to increase your metabolic rate which can help you fight off morning fatigue.
Drink water
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Drinking water the first thing in the morning helps to hydrate the body. It can also ward off fatigue arising from dehydration which can trigger feelings of tiredness and negatively affect your concentration and cognitive ability.
Eat a healthy and light breakfast
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Eating a light and healthy breakfast is a great way to boost your attentiveness in the mornings.
However, it’s important to note that while eating breakfast can provide you with the energy you need to start the day, consuming a large and heavy meal can do more harm than good. People tend to experience sluggishness after a big meal as their bodies digest the food.
You’ll also want to avoid eating sugary snacks in the morning as these foods can cause a sugar crash and leave you feeling more lethargic than before.
Drink less coffee
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If you’re a person who’s been downing espresso in the mornings, it’s time to cut back. Although coffee is known to bring about a myriad of benefits, it’s also been reported that consuming it in the morning may contribute to increased tiredness later in the day.
Adopt a healthy sleep routine
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Your bedtime routine has a profound effect on how you feel in the mornings. The best way to feel awake in the AM is to get regular and enough rest.
Some tips you can try to get better rest include:
- Sleeping between seven to nine hours each day
- Limiting your screen usage an hour before bedtime
- Adopting a relaxing bedtime routine
- Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day
- Reducing daytime naps
- Exercise regularly, but not before your bedtime
Use soothing music as your alarm
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Studies have shown that waking up to a soothing melody can decrease grogginess in the mornings and help you feel more alert.
According to research findings, songs with melodies have an energising effect that stimulates your body and helps you feel more refreshed.
Don’t hit the snooze button
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It may be very tempting to hit the snooze button after being awakened, but doing so may cause you to feel more tired when you wake up again. As such, getting out of bed immediately after the alarm clock goes off may be better for you.
If you find this difficult to do, you can try placing your alarm clock on the other side of your room. That way, you’ll have to get out of bed to turn it off, making it less likely for you to snooze.
Avoid caffeine or heavy meals at night
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Caffeine has a disruptive effect on your sleep and can make it hard for you to fall asleep easily at night.
Similarly, eating heavy meals at night can cause indigestion which may negatively impact your sleep quality.
If you really need to drink or eat something late at night, try to quell your thirst or hunger with water instead.
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