Are you carving out the caffeine?

Have you fought throughout the day without your caffeine dose? Do you need six cups before 10.30am to keep you going? Well, there are plenty of improved, more effective ways to wake up in the morning, so ditch the Greggs, Starbucks and McDonalds coffees and follow these basic tips

Eating fruit

Eating fruit in general is a good way to start off your day, but apples outdo them all. The benefits of the apple are never-ending. They contain fructose, a natural sugar that wakes you up right as well as other carbohydrates that help soothe your blood sugar levels. An apple’s goodness is released slowly in your body, keeping you awake for longer. There’s no caffeine crash with an apple either, so there’s no need to overload on apples every hour like you might with coffee.

Water

Drinking a cup of cold water when you wake up will not only feel good but will trigger your adrenaline and boost blood flow to your brain. Humans are made up of around 65% water, after you’ve been asleep for the average 6 to 8 hours, your body is crying out to be hydrated. Drink two litres of water throughout the day to stay vigilant.

Taking a cold shower isn’t the first thing you want to do after swarming out of your warm, cosy duvet, but it will wake you up. The change in temperature can relieve stress and make you feel more alert. If chilly temperatures scare you, splashing your face with cold water is easier and has similar effects without being such a shock to the system. 

Tea

If you can’t resist a warm refreshment in the morning, always pick tea over coffee. Although there is still caffeine in tea, there is significantly less and it’s better for you. Try something like green tea to boost your immune system and exercise stamina or black tea to decrease blood pressure – the list is endless.

Exercise

This will be the last thing on your mind when you wake up, but even doing some stretches or a few Sit ups will help to ward off exhaustion and will make you feel energised for the rest of the day. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good and ready for action. Whether you go for a half an hour jog or do five minutes of stretches, you should feel better in yourself.

Get some more sleep

Getting to bed later and later in the evening is a bad habit to try and break. For a few nights, discipline yourself by going to bed an hour earlier then your normal time. Not only does sleeping help those under eye bags, your focus is better, you learn things easier and it can even help with your blood pressure. If you’re tackling exercise as well, you’re sure to perform better as well.