Every person experiences those mornings when he simply cannot get rid of the feeling of sluggishness and fatigue, and even when he had enough sleep the night before. In an attempt to recover, many of us reach for a cup of coffee. But excessive caffeine consumption can make us jittery and anxious.
Therefore, in the following text, find out what strategies you can apply when it is difficult for you to get out of bed and start the working day.
1. Don't snooze the alarm on your phone
That frequently used option on your phone might not be very helpful after all. Researchers advise that when planning to wake up and when setting a morning alarm, use the following: set one alarm 90 minutes before the desired time to get out of bed and another at the desired time to get up. It is thought that the 90 minutes of sleep between these two alarms will cause you to wake up in the REM stage of sleep, making you significantly more alert and in good spirits.
2. First drink a glass of water
Fatigue is a classic symptom of dehydration, and even mild dehydration can cause drowsiness, changes in cognitive abilities, and mood disorders. Drink a glass of water immediately after getting up and thus get rid of morning fatigue.
3. Stretch
There's a reason you feel good when you stretch after waking up. Overnight, during REM sleep, your muscles are literally paralyzed (atonia), and their reactivation releases endorphins that stimulate energy.
4. Splash your face with water
If you don't want to take a full shower, splashing cold water on your face, which leads to the creation of a signal to the brain about a change in body temperature, which activates the mechanisms for awakening - is a good trick to get rid of morning sleepiness and lethargy.
5. Have breakfast
Research shows that skipping your first meal can negatively affect your energy and ability to stay focused throughout the day. But, if you exercise in the morning, don't forget to eat after the workout, not before it.
This sequence of activities (training-breakfast) will:
- (a) burn more calories
- (b) speed up your metabolism and
- (c) reduce gastrointestinal complaints
In terms of food choices, the best options are lean proteins, whole grains, nuts and low-sugar fruits.
6. Avoid sugar until lunch
Sugary foods like sweetened coffee drinks, pastries, and breakfast cereals can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes that can leave you feeling run down.
7. Drink less coffee
Although coffee has certain positive effects on human health, excessive consumption of coffee in the morning can indirectly contribute to feelings of increased fatigue later in the day. Participants in one study reported feeling more tired the day after consuming caffeinated beverages.
8. Get outside to activate your brain
Sunlight raises serotonin levels in your body, which leads to better sleep - and therefore an increase in daytime energy levels. All of this sounds like a very good reason to spend some of your morning outdoors.
9. Include cardio training in the morning
A large body of research links aerobic exercise with reduced fatigue. Therefore, try to go for a brisk walk or bike ride in the morning.
10. Get rid of stress
Although it is easy to say and harder to achieve, reducing the feeling of stress will significantly improve the general mood, the quality of sleep and thus reduce the feeling of morning fatigue.
11. Take care of sleep hygiene
Good sleep hygiene means creating an ideal context for sleep: maintaining a regular bedtime, avoiding stimulants and alcohol, and taking care of the environment in which you sleep.
Most people sleep best in a room that is dark, not too crowded, cool, and free of electronic devices or anything else that might distract you. No matter where you are, try not to use screens for at least an hour before going to bed. In addition to keeping you awake and alert, most TVs and smartphones emit blue light that can keep your brain awake for longer.
If you're listening to the radio, music or podcasts on your device, set a timer to make sure it turns off as soon as you fall asleep.
12. Put your sleep first
You've probably heard the boastful stories of successful entrepreneurs and world leaders about how they manage to function on just four hours of sleep a night - but the truth is that most people most certainly can't.
Even if you feel rested after just a few hours of napping, the cumulative effect of too little sleep can take its toll on your physical and mental health. Getting less than five hours of continuous sleep per night can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke or cancer, and medical statistics show that sleep deprivation shortens your life.
Make sure you get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night by sticking to a regular sleep schedule. This means going to bed and getting up around the same time every day - yes, even on weekends!
Tips, recommendations, topics about health await you on Thursday, January 12, in the new issue of the Zdravlje supplement, which you get for free with the printed edition of Vijesti.
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