Get that blood pumping and stimulate those synapses!
I’m the only person among my group of friends you could potentially call a “morning person,” if only because I’m the only one who can reliably wake up before 10:00 AM. If any of my other friends are online and chatting between 6:00 and 9:00, it’s because they haven’t actually gone to sleep yet. That said, I fully understand how difficult being a morning person can be. You wanna sleep in, you wanna be comfy, you don’t want the world to bother you. But you’ve got stuff to do and you can’t do it half asleep, so if you’re having trouble getting into the awake mindset, try a little active exercise.
Some light exercise as soon as you wake up helps to jump start your body’s circulatory system from low-power mode. When you get that blood pumping, it flows to your extremities, giving you energy, and also goes up to your brain, waking you up. You don’t even have to go on a long morning jog to accomplish this (though if that’s what you’re into, then by all means). Just a few minutes of activity will get you up and running.
I’m willing to bet you’ve got your phone within grasping distance of your bed, yeah? Well, if you’ve got music or YouTube on your phone, put it on and start bouncing. About five minutes of bouncing on the balls of your feet to your favorite music will get your blood flowing, give you a little calf workout, and start your day on an upbeat note.
If you’re feeling a little stiff, try some morning yoga stretches. A few minutes of downward dog will loosen you right up and warm up that blood flow. It doesn’t even have to be yoga; simpler stretches like a hip flexor will work just as well.
If nothing else, think of how good that night’s sleep is gonna feel after an energetic and productive day.
