Seven Things Not To Do When You Wake Up
By Brian Acton
Getting up to start your day can be difficult enough, especially when you aren’t a morning person. But some common habits and coping mechanisms can actually make things worse, negatively affecting your ability to wake up and the quality of your entire day. Here are seven things to avoid doing if you want to make the most of your morning.
Getting up to start your day can be difficult enough, especially when you aren’t a morning person. But some common habits and coping mechanisms can actually make things worse, negatively affecting your ability to wake up and the quality of your entire day. Here are seven things to avoid doing if you want to make the most of your morning.
- Hitting the Snooze Button - You might be sabotaging your sleep every time you hit the snooze button to get a few extra minutes of shuteye. That’s because a consistent schedule - in which you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day - regulates your body’s internal clock, helping you fall asleep in the evening and get quality sleep all night long. The snooze button disrupts your ability to maintain that consistency.
- Checking Social Media - Social media can be a powerful temptation in the morning, but there are a few reasons you should try to avoid it right when you wake up. First, social media can be time consuming, and it leaves less time to prepare for the rest of your day. Second, you can’t fully control what you see on Facebook or Twitter, and negative or worrisome content can start causing you stress before you even get out of bed.
- Checking Your Work Email - Checking your work email when you wake up leaves you vulnerable to stress. The emails that came in overnight (or are left over from yesterday) can cause that stress to start piling on too early. If you must get some work done, try concentrating on a solitary task instead of responding to emails.
- Taking a Hot Shower - A hot shower feels very pleasurable in the morning. But cold showers can do more to wake you up, shocking you into a state of wakefulness. They also provide a number of other benefits, including muscle recovery, better circulation, and even mental benefits.
- Drinking Coffee - Coffee doesn’t always produce the intended effect when you drink it too early. When you’re just getting up, coffee can interfere with your body’s production of cortisol, which wakes you up naturally. This means your body will produce less cortisol and rely more heavily on caffeine. It also could lead to a higher caffeine tolerance. The best time to drink coffee, according to studies on the subject, is actually between 10 AM and noon.
- Skipping Breakfast - Skipping breakfast can buy you some extra sleep. But breakfast is an important step in starting your day. When you skip breakfast, your blood sugar may drop, your metabolism may slow (making it harder to lose or keep off weight), and your stress levels may rise.
- Hiding From Daylight - You might like to wake up gradually, avoiding the harsh light of day and keeping the curtains closed. But daylight helps your body know it’s time to wake up naturally. Open the curtains and let the sun shine in.
Sources: http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/robert-rosenberg-sleep-answers/hitting-the-snooze-button/ http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/what-happens-your-body-when-you-skip-breakfast https://www.positivehealthwellness.com/beauty-aging/9-scientifically-proven-benefits-cold-shower/ https://www.themuse.com/advice/heres-what-happened-when-i-stopped-checking-my-phone-as-soon-as-i-woke-up https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/06/01/when-to-drink-coffee-so-you-get-the-most-out-of-the-caffeine/?utm_term=.1fad4f98c4a6