How to wake up in the morning
How do you wake up in the morning? Do you have an alarm clock that brings you back to waking reality with a jolt or maybe your alarm clock is human or four-legged, if you have children or pets. Or perhaps you’re super lucky and your partner brings you a cup of tea shortly after you’ve naturally woken up after a good night’s sleep - that’s the dream, right! However, if you don’t wake up easily, rest assured, you’re not alone.
So how can you wake up and feel ready to seize the day as yours? Firstly, before you get up in the morning, notice how you’re feeling as you wake. Is it a feeling of joy in your belly or uncertainty in your throat? Check in with your body and notice your feelings, you might like to write in your dream journal at this point, if you keep one.
Mindset
Next, notice what you are thinking. This is a good time of day to tell yourself positive affirmations or mantras and any other ways of being you are trying to instil. Avoid checking your emails and social media until you’re dressed and ready for the day ahead. Otherwise this will add extra stimulus in the morning and prevent you from waking up in the right frame of mind, if you’re racing through messages and other distractions.
Light
Exposure to white light in the morning can really help to boost your alertness. So, season-dependant, pull open those curtains and let the light in. Because getting enough light during the day helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, which leads to better sleep. Try to work near a window or take some outdoor exercise. These days there are also lots of wonderful lamps, lights or light boxes you can buy that provide light therapy to help improve your mood. They produce very bright lights to recreate the morning sunlight that you miss during the winter months.
Caffeine
Although it’s tempting to turn to caffeine, if you can, it’s best to limit your intake. Caffeine can help you to wake up quicker but remember there’s always a crash, and actually, it’s important not to mask your tiredness; it can be more beneficial to work on the root of your tiredness. However, sometimes we need that coffee to wake up. That’s OK, just bear in mind that a cup of coffee late in the afternoon might make it hard for you to sleep at night.
Exercise & Health
One way to have a slower morning, if you can manage it, is to take some early exercise which can help you start the day with more energy and focus, and positive feelings. After morning exercise, we are more likely eat healthier food, and also remain active throughout the day. Plus, in addition to helping us wake up and start the day in a positive mindset, it can also have an impact on the quality of sleep we receive that night too. So use your morning to set the mood for your day ahead.
Food
Many nutritionists agree that a good breakfast, especially a healthy one, will give you more energy and allow your blood sugar levels to stabilise. Our body needs blood sugar for our brain and muscles to work. Breakfast can help to replenish it. If you don’t get that fuel from food, you may feel zapped of energy, plus you might be tempted to overeat later in the day.
Sleep Schedules
Try and manage your circadian rhythm, keeping your bedtime and wake-up time as consistent as you can. Of course, it won’t be possible to do this every single day but bear this in mind and try to keep to a pattern when you can and aim to wake up within the same 15-minute window every day. Because if you drift back to sleep, you might wake in a new sleep cycle and if you wake during deep sleep, that can leave you feeling groggy.
Habit Stack with Clementine
Habit stacking is about clustering the habits you want to develop and keep. Because we stand a better chance of remembering them by associating them with a related task. It’s a way to make lots of small changes count. So why not get your mornings off to a bang by doing one of our Clementine morning sessions whilst you're getting ready for the day? Take a listen to our of morning sessions whilst you're brushing your teeth, boiling the kettle, putting on your make-up, or even sitting on the toilet! They're all under 4 mins long and are designed to set you up perfectly for the day. What's even better is that they're all free in our app too! Here's our recommendations of sessions to try to help you wake up:
My Day, My Way (4 mins): For preparing to have the best possible day simply by visualising what you want out of it.
My Mind is Amazing (4 mins): For those busy days when you need a reminder of just how amazing your mind is and that it can handle whatever you have coming up today.
Today is Mine to Own (3 mins): For when you want to get your head in the game, ready to be confident and in control of your emotions for the day ahead.
I Got This Sh*t (4 mins): For when you want a boost to be ready for the day and remember just how f*cking brilliant you are! Made even more punchy with the power of swearing.