7 Tips To Fight Morning Fatigue And Stay Energized
Do you feel like you wake up tired every morning, even if you’ve gotten plenty of sleep? Some of your nightly habits may actually cause morning fatigue and grogginess! Adopting different morning habits can help you re-energize, eliminate stress, and build focus to fight off that morning fatigue.
Here are some tips for waking up feeling energized rather than exhausted.
1. Don’t Hit Snooze
Do you constantly hit the snooze button in the morning? Sleeping for an extra five to ten minutes might sound dreamy, but it’s actually doing you harm!
Avoid falling asleep again once your alarm goes off. Otherwise, you will end up feeling fatigued and inactive.
Spending the last half hour or so of nighttime rest in what researchers call “fragmented sleep” has consequences for your ability to function throughout the day. Try to get up and start your day immediately after hearing your alarm. If you have trouble doing this, try keeping your alarm away from your bed rather than next to you. This will force you to get up and move your body in order to turn it off.
Another tip is to try the 90-minute sleep cycle hack by setting two alarms–one for 90 minutes prior to when you want to wake up, and one for the time you actually want to wake up. The idea is that the 90 minutes of sleep you get between snoozes will be a full sleep cycle, allowing you to wake up after your REM state instead of during.
2. Drink A Glass Of Water First Thing
Fatigue can be a classic symptom of dehydration, and even a mild case can trigger sleepiness, a decrease in cognitive ability, and mood disruptions. A glass of water first thing in the morning can freshen up your mind and body before you start the day.
If you find yourself still feeling lethargic, you can try increasing your intake of water and other non-caffeinated drinks throughout the day. It’s always a good idea to stay well-hydrated all day, not just in the morning.
3. Do Some Morning Exercise
Getting in some physical activity in the morning is the best thing you can do for your health. Your muscles are paralyzed overnight during REM sleep, and reactivating them releases energy-stimulated endorphins. That’s why it feels good to stretch when you wake up. Exercising can be the body’s natural way of waking itself up after being immobile for so long.
And it doesn’t need to be a rigorous exercise. Morning stretches, yoga, or walking after waking up can help you avoid being groggy and stay energized. In fact, 25 minutes of yoga in the morning has been shown to boost energy levels and brain function.
4. Eat Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Research shows that skipping this meal can negatively affect your energy and ability to pay attention during the day.
But since what you eat at breakfast can affect you for hours after, making the right choice of food is important. Build a fatigue-fighting breakfast meal with a combination of foods like lean proteins, whole grains, eggs, nuts, and fruits.
However, if you’re planning to work out in the morning, you should eat after the workout, not before. This will help you burn more calories, boost your metabolism, and avoid an unsettled stomach.
5. Get Sunlight Exposure
Sunlight, especially in the morning, helps boost your body’s serotonin levels, leading to improved sleep–which in turn leads to increased energy, calm, positivity, and focus. If it isn’t convenient to step outside in the early morning, adjust your blinds or curtains to let the sunlight seep through when you’re getting ready to wake up. This method helps to push away the laziness and convinces you to get out of bed.
6. Set A Bedtime & Waking Routine
You’ve probably already heard of bedtime best practices to help you sleep better at night. These include tips such as:
- Turning off screens (phones, tablets, TV, etc) an hour before bed
- Going to bed at the same time each night
- Avoiding caffeine at night
- Creating a comfortable sleeping environment
However, few people think about their waking routine. If your bedtime habits can so greatly affect your sleep quality, so could your waking routine. Waking up at the same time every morning helps maintain circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that’s responsible for feelings of sleepiness.
So make an effort to get up at the same time every day–even on weekends. This will play a huge part in banishing the afternoon slump.
7. Add Some Cardio To Your Morning
We know, exercise may sound pretty unappealing first thing in the morning when you’d rather crawl back into bed. But it may be exactly what your body needs to function more efficiently. Research has consistently linked aerobic exercise with reduced fatigue. Exercise improves the overall working efficiency of your heart, lungs, and muscles and gives you more energy for any kind of activity.
See if you can squeeze in a quick walk, a bike ride, or even a longer workout to boost energy levels. If you’re pressed for time, you can get your body going with a few rounds of high-knees and jumping jacks.