I’m not a morning person. I avoid them at all costs. And it’s funny, wouldn’t you know it? Today I had a morning appointment. I dreaded it since last week when I found out about it. I knew it was a good type of meeting too, like the kind where we talk about all the fun parts of the job. So why was I dreading it? Because… MORNING UGH. It’s such a yucky word to me. Mornings are when all the traffic accidents take place, coffee shop lines are long, and God forbid you want to actually attempt to drive on I-10 before about 9:30 AM… It’s pretty much the most miserable time of day, in my humble opinion. But… there are some people who absolutely love being up at the crack of dawn.
I never stopped to think, could my negative attitude towards mornings be a result of something I’m doing? I did a little research, and if you’re a morning-hater, like me, you might find this interesting. Your morning habits could be ruining mornings for you! Here are some things you should NOT do in the morning, because they make you more tired.
Don’t hit the snooze! So yeah… I’m guilty of wanting to put off the inevitable. Some mornings it just feels too good snuggled up under the comforter. What happens when you hit snooze really? If you fall back into a deep sleep after you hit the snooze button, you’re entering a sleep cycle that you can’t finish. So you’ll probably wake up more tired instead!
Get up and stop playing with your phone! Checking email or social media is tempting first thing when you wake up. It’s so easy to get sucked in scrolling through your feed while still in bed. This can be bad for a few reason… I’ve noticed scrolling through feeds makes me more sleepy, and I’m likely to fall back asleep with my phone in my hand. Experts say scrolling through your social feeds first thing is bad for a different reason. It’s a time waster! Looking through requests and emails takes time, and you will likely encounter unexpected surprises, and problems, which become seemingly endless… and before you know it an hour has gone by. It gets your entire day off on the wrong foot.
Make your bed! Okay… I really want to fight this one here, but I’m going to try to embrace it with an open mind. Research suggests that making your bed is associated with increased productivity throughout the rest of the day. I know it’s hard if you have a significant other or spouse who is still occupying said unmade bed. Let’s face it, we all have different jobs and schedules, so if you’re not living solo, you may have no control over this one.
Drink your coffee later! *record scratch* Whaaaaaat??? Disturb my sacred bean ritual? Blasphemy! Sorry that one touched a nerve… Here’s the deal with coffee. Your body naturally produces higher amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which regulates energy, between 8 and 9 in the morning. So If you consume caffeine before then, your body will start adjusting by producing less cortisol in the early morning — meaning you’ll have less energy. So do your energy levels a favor, drink your coffee after 9:30 A.M.
Turn on the light! Getting ready in the dark can make your body think that it’s still night and make you feel more tired. Even though that beam of sunlight makes you want to shrink back into your coffin like Nosferatu, fight the urge and open the blinds or curtains so that your body will know it’s daytime and you will feel more awake.
I’m going to try following these simple steps and see if I still hate mornings after a week of my new routine. If you struggle with mornings, you should try it too!