Feeling Stressed When You Wake Up? How to Have Calmer Morning

Have you ever wondered how your mornings have become so unproductive, and messy-truly setting the tone for the rest of your day? Have you found that your mood has suddenly soured before clock strikes noon? If you find yourself in this predicament, how you set your mornings, albeit unintentional, can be the sneaky culprit behind how your day starts and ends, affecting everything from a dip in your mood, energy, and drop in productivity levels. The simple and practical tips below, if implemented correctly, should help to untangle you from having frustrated mornings before you ever make it out the door.

• Make Your Bed.
  A messy bed is a messy head. Your mother might have uttered something like this when you were younger about making your bed, and no adage could be closer to the truth. What she may have been trying to tell you is that if you do not make your bed in the morning, you could be shooting yourself in the foot. Making your bed clean and neat, even if it takes 2-3 minutes in the morning will give you a clear head to start your day.
• Meditate.
  Simply be and close your eyes upon awakening. You can start for 1-2 minutes daily, and work your way up from there. You can even play some nature tunes as you close your eyes, like a water fall, or rain drops if you cannot stand the silence. Just make sure it does not lull you right back to sleep, the opposite effect of your meditative intention.
• HIIT Exercise.
  Research shows that engaging in high bursts of activity for few minutes daily, especially in the morning, can help to maximize your energy, and speed up your metabolism. This can include anything from jumping rope, to jumping jacks. Although it is just 10 minutes or so, completed in short bursts of activity, this method will provide you with enough energy to get your morning going. This also can do wonders to maximize your endorphin levels, and feel good hormones before you enter the workplace.
• No smartphones.
  Do not reach for your phone first thing in the AM, if you can help it that is. Responding to/looking at work emails before getting to work, could be one of the reasons that your stress levels are exceedingly high in the morning. This is especially true when you have the urge to check it immediately after opening your eyes in the morning! Unless it is an “emergency”, wait until you get into the office, as your emails and other projects/task oriented things will still be there.
• No TV, no tablet.
  Do not read the news on your tablet, or turn the TV on first thing in the AM. You can look at it later. Just make sure it’s not the first thing you do when you wake up, as that is another sure fire way to send your cortisol levels sky high.

  Remember, you need a certain right amount of cortisol, our natural stress hormones, to stay motivated and start your day off right. Too much of it, too little of it, or too much external and/or mental interference can cause an imbalance that derails you even before you get to work.

• Make breakfast your goal.
  While there is much debate about the importance of eating breakfast, or perhaps skipping/delaying it, the general consensus is that it’s important not to skip it, and to obtain a good ratio between protein and carbohydrate. That can be anything from eggs, or oatmeal to a slice of whole grain toast with a little butter and a side of fruit.

  People who eat breakfast tend to be more focused at work for longer periods of time, and less obese due to their stabilized blood sugar levels. When you also eat breakfast, especially the right kind of breakfast, your productivity levels soar giving you more energy, while improving your short term memory.

• Prep your wardrobe the night before.
  If you find that deciding what to wear stresses you out the morning of, set aside a few minutes the night before to pick out your outfit, and if need be, iron what needs to be ironed.
• Set your work goals for the week, the night before.
  It’s important to be realistic about what you set out to accomplish the next day at work, and your macro goals for the week. Do not bite off more than you can chew, or if there is a lot on your plate, you must learn how to prioritize, and if need be delegate.
• Gratitude journal.
  This might be optional for some. Journalizing or writing down just the top 3 things that you are thankful for either before going to sleep, or in the morning when you awaken can go a long way to preserving and cultivating your gratitude. This positive mindset can not only help you sleep better, but can better prepare you to have a positive outlook at work amidst the chaos.

If you are having some trouble with your mornings, try implementing a few of the tips above. You can even try to incorporate one tip at a time and see how you feel. Your morning(s) might not be so smooth all the time, but having a stockpile of built in routine tips you can resort to when you are feeling stressed can be a lifesaver.

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