Do you feel like you struggle with waking up energized? Perfecting the art of getting ready for work in 20 minutes or less is most definitely something that we’ve all been proud of ourselves for at one point or another! We hop into our clothes, throw our hair into that cute messy bun that’s all dry shampoo and bobby pins, grab a granola bar and hop into the car like the next winner of the Indy 500. Why on earth would I wake up any earlier and give up those precious moments of sleep? I want to have a great and well-rested day!
Well, you can!
Without rushing like a chicken with its head cut off or hitting snooze a million times, there are simple upgrades you can make in your daily life to naturally wake up energized and intentional:
1. Look Forward to 1 Thing
The first hour of your day sets how the rest of your day will go. Truly! Give yourself a positive morning routine and create something to really look forward to- I look forward to my espresso with flaxmilk (hello Omega 3’s!), gratitude journal, and Wall Street Journal because these three items stimulate my body, brain, and mindset.
2. Invest in Yourself
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you check your texts, Instagram, and your email? Email and social media kicks off your day focusing on other people’s lives and priorities. Use your mornings to focus on enriching yourself so you can bring the best version of you to your entire day.
3. Skip the wine before bed.
Wine can be such a treat for a fun night or after a long and productive day at work, and we at DIY Cleanse are all about the 80/20 balance! However, if you’ve noticed, wine can actually contribute to restlessness during the night if consumed too close to bedtime. Alcohol keeps our bodies from falling into the deeper stages of sleep. Although it may make us feel relaxed and ready for bed, the effect is short-lived and we will often wake up a few hours later, avoiding the deeper stages of sleep where the body does most of its healing! To wake up feeling the most energized and refreshed possible, skip the glass of wine too close to bedtime and upgrade to kombucha in a wine glass or sparkling water with lime. Your body will thank you and you will wake up a happier, more rested you.
4. Set a 10:00PM bedtime.
Two hours of sleep before midnight are worth four hours of sleep after midnight! Before I learned this fact, I spent many a weekend wondering why I felt groggy even though I got eight hours of sleep! Midnight to 8AM… doesn’t that count?! Yes, I got my eight hours but my internal clock got out of the swing of its circadian rhythm. Our bodies like to sleep when it’s dark and wake when it’s light, ideally 10PM-6AM. This can be a tough practice if you tend to stay up late, so the best strategy is to mindfully and intentionally remind yourself of how much better you will feel in the morning, and you always will!
5. Commit to no cell phone.
Have you ever noticed that if you wake up in the middle of the night to check a text or even check the time, it takes 30-45 minutes to fall back asleep? The white light is disruptive to the pineal gland which is responsible for the release of melatonin into the blood stream. This creates stimulation to the brain, creating a longer time period for you to go back to sleep. This may be the single biggest change I have made in my quality of sleep- I used to wake up in the middle of the night and read articles, check messages, and occupy myself until I got tired or could fall back asleep. In reality, I was sabotaging myself, and I have a feeling that many others of us may be as well!
There you have it! Commit to choosing one upgrade to increase your energy levels in the morning, and don’t be afraid to try new strategies as well! Happy energizing!
