Everyone has those days where they wake up tired, but if it’s becoming a consistent problem, you may have to change a few of your behaviors. Some habits you perform before bed could be the cause of your grogginess. At the same time, you may just need a better morning ritual.

What to Do to Supercharge Your Mornings

Waking up tired isn’t just, well, tiring; it can also be demotivating. While we can’t guarantee you’ll pop out of bed with a spring in your step, these techniques will increase your morning energy.

1. Get Up and Make Your Bed

Hitting the snooze button disrupts your REM cycle and leads to something called “fractured sleep,” which affects your ability to function. It’s better to get up and leave your mattress, even if you’re feeling tired, and make your bed, so your body understands it’s time to start your day.

2. Drink a Glass of Water

Fatigue and morning moodiness are common symptoms of dehydration. We recommend drinking 10-20oz of water when you wake up, an equivalent to 1-3 glasses. While that sounds like a lot, the average person should drink 90-125 ounces a day to maintain their health. In order to sustain the standard amount of water, you should check if your water supply is enough. You can search for water companies near me and contact the nearest water supplier near you.

3. Stretch or Exercise

The last thing you want to do after you wake up is move, but your muscles need to wake up with you. During REM sleep, your muscles literally become paralyzed. Reactivating them releases energy-stimulating endorphins. A 25-minute walk, jog, or yoga session should do the trick.

4. Eat a High Carb Breakfast

The medical community still isn’t sure if skipping breakfast is a good or bad thing, but they do know that missing meals impacts your energy and focus. Breakfast foods full of protein and carbs, like toast and peanut butter, oatmeal, and chia pudding, are perfect for fighting fatigue.

5. Drink Less Coffee

It’s completely fine to drink coffee in the mornings. In fact, coffee blocks adenosine receptors in your brain, which helps you fight off grogginess. However, too much coffee can contribute to increased fatigue. If you’re feeling tired during the day, caffeine addiction may be the culprit.

6. Smell the Fresh Air

While fresh air will wake you up, sunlight increases vitamin D, which also increases serotonin levels. A big reason why people develop Seasonal Affective Disorder is because they’re low on vitamin D. That’s why it’s essential to supplement vitamin D in the winter.

7. Address Prolonged Stress

If you have a stressor in your life that’s affecting your sleep, like your job, relationships, or school, you should address these issues right away. While you can fix certain situations overnight, you can identify the source of your exhaustion and take action to alleviate them.

8. Get Excited About the Day

Sometimes all we need is a bit of excitement or hope to start our day with gusto. If you’re in a situation you can’t fix, find something about your daily commute, job, or free time that you can look forward to. Even something as small as calling a friend can inject joy into your life.

9. Consider Seeing a Doctor

Whether you’re suffering from prolonged or recent insomnia, lack of sleep, if it goes untreated, can have severe consequences to your health. People with depression can feel worse in the mornings, or insomnia can be caused by stress or physical pain. Either way, speak to a doctor.

10. Adopt Bedtime Habits

It goes without saying that sleeping less than 8 hours a night can leave you feeling tired in the morning, but having an irregular sleep schedule can also lead to poor sleep. It’s crucial to develop a consistent bedtime routine and a comfortable sleep environment to rest peacefully.