Good news for all night owls! You too can now wake up bright-eyed and fresh in the mornings. Research shows that students and professionals who haven’t had a good night’s sleep and must adhere to early morning check-ins end up compromising their attention span. This tired and disruptive state of mind hinders productivity and they achieve lesser than those who are well-rested in the mornings.
But fret not, night-crawlers! Follow these quick and easy tips to rise and shine every morning. After all, the early bird gets the worm.
A real eye opener: Invite light in!
Science has proven that the human brain is sensitive to light and temperature, explaining why we find it hard to sleep well after a certain time in the morning – particularly when the sun comes up. If you have trouble waking up in the morning, you should place your bed in front of or near the window so that the sunlight may wake you up.
Exercise: The earlier, the better!
According to fitness guru Jeannette Faruque, a quick pre-breakfast work out is perhaps the best way to wake your body up. “Early morning exercise is particularly helpful for an active state of mind and body throughout the day,” she says. “A simple 15 minute walk around your garden can energise you and give some much-needed fresh air as outdoors are always better than indoors,” adds Jeannette.
If you are unable to head out in the wee hours of the morning, 15 minutes on the treadmill will also do you good. “Exercising in the mornings not only brightens your day but also keeps weight in check,” shares health-enthusiast and aspiring doctor, Maleeha Khan. “It’s a great way for busy women to get active before they begin the day’s activities.”
For those who are willing to go the extra mile, Jeannette recommends five rounds of the popular yogi mantra, The Sun Salutation. This involves a sequence of yoga poses – designed to be done in the direction of the sun – which stretch, warm and awaken the human body. Practising the Salutation every day will gradually strengthen your body and make it supple so it’s great not just for early mornings but your muscles as well!
Diet: Proteins by day, dairy by night!
The food you eat plays an integral role in your physical and psychological well-being. Generally, we should include a portion of each food group in our daily diet but what should you eat to boost your energy? According to Dr Moti Khan, a nutritionist at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, “The reason why most people are dull during the day is because they either choose to eat too heavy a breakfast or skip the meal completely.” Moti advises against consuming rich dishes like fried eggs and parathay as these can cause acidity and eventually trouble the body. “The word breakfast literally means breaking the fast from the previous night,” she explains. “It acts as your energy fuel for the rest of the day so it must be healthy.” A hearty breakfast can include:
• A bowl of whole-wheat cereal with milk and fruit
• Two slices of bread with egg or milk
• A plain roti with either egg or yogurt and one fruit
• An omelette sandwhich with butter and a glass of milk
Most nutritionists also suggest consuming protein during the day as they are harder to digest than other food groups and disrupt your sleep cycle if consumed at night. It is better to indulge in dairy products post sun-down as these contain tryptophan which is known to induce sleep.
It is also advisable to replace your morning coffee run with a simple cup of tea, so long as it doesn’t serve as breakfast. Caffeine in the coffee gives a sudden energy boost which eventually dulls the senses down later on.
Napping: No more!
Napping for more than 25 minutes during the day makes it difficult to sleep at night, triggering a cycle of late nights and rough mornings. It is best to avoid napping unless you feel you can’t continue without the shut-eye.
Night-time activities: No burning the midnight oil
How can you possibly become more of a morning person if you don’t get sufficient hours of good quality sleep? Your nocturnal routine is essential in determining whether you wake up on the right or wrong side of the bed and must be kept in check. For instance, both Jeannette and Moti recommend an early dinner – at least four hours prior to bedtime. “You should be done with eating maximum by half past eight,” says Moti. “This will give your body ample time to digest meals properly.” Smoking, too, should be avoided at night for cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug so addictive that the body craves it during sleep as well, causing restlessness and insomnia.
Many people consciously slash an hour or two from their day to rake in more hours of rest. Trimming evening or late-night obligations down prevents overexertion of the human body and induces slumber, increasing the chance of you waking up happy the next day. Of course, once you are in bed, you must keep all electronic devices off and focus on falling asleep. In fact, Maleeha suggests turning the volumes of your TV and phones low during the night to lull you into sleep mode. “This helps condition the mind to slow down at night. It’s hard to relax if your room is as loud at bedtime as it is at five pm.”
Early morning energy boosters
Have a glass full of these delicious energy drinks for breakfast and stay healthy and alert throughout the day.
• Banana-almond crush: Mix two bananas, one cup of orange juice, 3/4 cup plain yogurt and one tablespoon of raw honey together. Dash it with 1/3 cup of raw almonds and a dash of nutmeg.
• Blueberry breakfast shake: Blend together 2 and 1/2 cups of frozen blueberries, 1 and 1/4 cups of apple juice, 1 cup frozen yogurt (vanilla) and 1/4 cup of skim milk in a food processor. Add 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for added taste.
• Lemonade wake-up call: Mix one cup lemonade, 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, 3/4 cup of pineapple chunks, 1/2 cup pineapple juice and ice tremendously well to make this revitalising energy drink.
• Ginger mix: A glass of warm water with a dash of lemon juice and some ginger is a great antioxidant and serves as the ideal pick-me-up in the morning.
Morning mind tricks
Are you a Smartphone addict looking to become a morning person? Try these cool, new morning apps to stimulate your brain every morning.
The Sleep Cycle Alarm App: Available on both Apple and Android, the app tracks your sleep cycle by monitoring your movements through the night. Sleep Cycle then uses a three minute alarm window that ends at the alarm time set by you and wakes you up in the lightest phase of your sleep.
The Math Alarm App: This fun app doesn’t let you hit snooze until you have successfully solved a math problem, by which time your brain is too awake to go back to sleep.
The Rise Alarm App: Thanks to Rise, you can create your own morning playlist! Wake up and get into the groove to your favourite songs without having to move a muscle. Rise also offers an option for a going-to-sleep playlist as well.
SOURCE: ENTREPRENUER.COM
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, October 19th, 2014.
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