Six More Ways to Start the Day Right

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

13 Feb 2008 01:36 PM

Are you having a hard time getting out of bed these days? If you aren't fond of waking up before the sun rises, try these tricks to help you start the day right!

1. Focus on the positive. Leave yourself a sticky note the night before that reminds you of something good about the coming day. Thanks to hormonal shifts while we sleep, many people wake up feeling down or just kind of blah. A reminder about something good in the coming day (like lunch with a friend) can help boost your mood.
2. Keep flowers in your bedroom. A study from Harvard Medical School found that women especially get a mood and energy boost from seeing bright blooms at their bedside.
3. Use your imagination. Visualize the day to come -- the act of visualizing an activity uses the same parts of your brain that are used in actually DOING the activity! Thinking positively about the day can get you energized.
4. Give yourself a facial massage. This will boost circulation and help you feel more alert. Lightly tap your fingertips over your entire face to wake up and get a healthy glow.
5. Drink a full glass of water. Your body loses fluid overnight, and this is a good way to replenish your stores. When you don't have enough water in your body, your systems have to work harder and you can feel fatigued.
6. Use light to help you wake up -- daylight signals your body to stop producing sleep hormones (like melatonin). Daylight can also boost your brain's serotonin levels and boost your mood. If your alarm clock goes off before the sun is up (mine does) try a daylight simulator to gradually wake you up. Even when your eyes are closed, light passes through your eyelids and signals the brain to start producing wake-up messages.

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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Courtney Mroch (9169) 15 Feb 2008 11:17 AM

Having a hard time "just" these days? Try every day! Not a morning person, and the cats don't make it any easier. They love nothing more than snuggling up next to me when I open my eyes...which promptly puts me right back to sleep!

Aimee Amodio (11995) 15 Feb 2008 12:37 PM

Yeah, the last week has been all tough days for getting out of bed on time. I've usually got a dog on each side trying to keep me pinned under the covers. :)

jonpaul (203) 15 Feb 2008 05:41 PM

Don't forget about diet. Eating the right meal in the morning can do wonders for mood. Fruits and oats are a great way to start the day. Too much bread, of stodgy fatty food, can leave you feeling lethargic. In if you wake up with a coffee, try to kick the habit.