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8 Ways to Wake Up With More Energy

If you're tired of feeling tired in the morning, try these solutions to kickstart your day

By Beth Levine and Grandparents.com

(This article appeared previously on Grandparents.com.)

Brrrrrrriiiiiiiinnngggg! When the alarm goes off, do you:

A. Spring immediately out of bed, shouting, "It's going to be a great day!"
B. Moan, hit the snooze button and then pull the sheets over your head.

If your answer is A, then good for you. In the more likely event that your answer is B, don't worry, help is on the way. Herewith are suggestions on how to quickly shake off the morning blahs and greet the day more refreshed.

1. Go to sleep the right way. To wake up refreshed, get a good night's sleep. This means:

  • No caffeine anytime after lunch since it can be a stimulant and keep you awake.
  • Limit yourself to one glass of wine at dinner. Too much wine can knock you out, then cause you to wake up during the night.
  • Make sure your bedroom is cool. "The dropoff in temperature is a natural cue for your body to fall asleep," says Dr. W. Christopher Winter, Medical Director at the Martha Jefferson Sleep Center in Charlottesville, Va.
  • Don't exercise near bedtime. It will just rouse your body.
  • Stay off the computer — and away from any lit screen — an hour before bed. The light makes your brain think it's daytime. (If you must, download F.lux at stereopsis.com/flux. It's a free software program that makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the light in the room.)

2. Always get up at the same time—even on weekends. "Regardless of how well you slept or when you went to sleep, always get up at a set wake-up time," recommends Winter. Our circadian rhythm, the biological process that drives your sleep-wake cycle, needs consistency in order to work correctly.

Not everyone needs eight hours—some need more, some can get by on less. But if you stick to a set wake-up time, your body will start telling you when to go to bed in order to achieve your optimal amount of rest. The overall routine will help you get the healthy sleep you need to replenish your energy, which means you won't wake up as bedraggled.

(MORE: 3 Before-Breakfast Habits for a Better Body)

3. Don't hit the snooze button. Set your alarm for when you must get up and stick to that. Hitting snooze over and over just leads to fragmented, fitful sleeping and you'll wake up more tired.

If you can't trust yourself not to fall back asleep, move your alarm to a place you can't reach it.

4. Drink water when you first get up. You lose a lot of fluid when you sleep and breathe at night, and unfortunately, dehydration can make you feel sluggish and sleepy. Rehydrating can go a long way in making you feel more alert. You don't have to chug, just quench your thirst.

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5. Seek out light. According to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, light is the main cue influencing circadian rhythms, turning on or turning off genes that control your internal clock. So, roll up your shades as soon as you're awake.

If you can't get natural light in your bedroom, consider a lightbox or alarm that slowly gets brighter, simulating dawn. If you don't want to get that fancy, just flip on a regular light as soon as you get up.

6. Try yoga breathing. An Oxford University study found that pranayama or yoga breathing "had a markedly invigorating effect on perceptions of both mental and physical energy and increased high positive mood."

The most common form is called Three Part Breath or Dirgha Breath. You can do it lying in bed: Inhale deeply through your nose, filling up belly your belly first. Expand your belly like a balloon. Continue to inhale, expanding ribs like gills on a fish. When you are completely full, empty yourself slowly but completely, exhaling through your nose. Do six to 10 rounds.

(MORE: 4 Lies We Tell Ourselves About Our Health)

7. Exercise every morning. "The best time is right when you wake up. It gets your body used to revving up in the morning. If you can stay to a routine, it's amazing what it will do to your energy and attitude," says Winter.

The exercise doesn't have to be rigorous. In fact, gentle yoga, qigong or tai chi routines have been shown to be effective in getting the body and brain started for the day. (You can find videos to follow by searching on Youtube.) Twenty minutes is optimal, but an intense five can do the trick particularly in a bright, stimulating environment.

8. Eat a high-protein breakfast. "Protein in the morning gets converted into dopamine, which energizes you," says Winter. Say "yes" to meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts and seeds. Go easy on carbs (breads and ceereals) and processed foods with lots of added sugar that will make you feel sluggish.

Beth Levine Read More
By Grandparents.com

Grandparents.com is a lifestyle website, social media community & peer group that unites & connects America's 70 million Grandparents to the best information and premier products & services just for them. Our goal is to promote well-being and give timely information on what really matters to you, from health and money to family and relationships to travel and retirement.

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