How to Get More Energy in the Morning: 11 Proven Strategies

We’ve all been there – the sound of your alarm clock goes off, it’s Monday morning, and you don’t feel like getting out of bed, let alone completing your morning tasks. For many of us, mornings are a struggle, and it often takes time and dedication to train our bodies to get up and get moving without any trouble. However, there are several simple strategies you can start using today to get more energy in the morning. Here are 11 of them:

1. Set Your Alarm Clock to Play Your Favorite Music

The sound of most alarm clocks is miserable and can elicit feelings of anxiety in many people. Thus, by setting up your alarm clock to play music that makes you happy, the first thought in your head each day will be a positive one. Unlike with an annoying alarm clock sound, you won’t even want to push the snooze button! You will just want to dance, and you can’t sleep when you’re dancing.

Before you know it, you’ll be in a headspace that will make it easier to get out from under the covers.

2. Drink Caffeine Shortly After Waking

Feeling sluggish and slow for the first hour or two after waking up can lead to lower productivity and more time spent on certain tasks than necessary. To eliminate the morning groggy feeling, drink a cup of coffee or tea within about fifteen minutes of waking up. It prevents you from wanting to go back to sleep and will give you the energy you need to get your morning tasks done quicker and get to work on time.

3. Place Your Alarm Clock Far From Your Bed

By placing your alarm clock far from your bed, you will be required to get out of bed to turn it off. Use a dresser or a windowsill, but make sure you have to take at least a few steps to get to it. Getting out of bed is often the hardest part about waking up in the morning. By getting out of bed faster, you increase the likelihood of starting your day instead of pressing the snooze button.

4. Exercise in the Morning

Some light exercise in the morning will get your endorphins flowing and give you more energy. The optimal duration and intensity of exercise varies from person to person. After a brief workout at the gym, I feel energized and ready to take on the day. In addition, it leaves the rest of my day open for other activities.

If you prefer something more relaxing, get outside and take a short morning walk when you wake up. Studies have shown that workers who receive exposure to natural light in the morning tend to sleep better at night, experience less depression, and fall asleep quicker. These are all great reasons to get outside in the morning!

5. Drink Water Right Before Going to Sleep

Drinking enough water before going to sleep will make you want to get up early in the morning and prevent you from falling back to sleep. However, try to avoid excess amounts of water within a few hours before going to sleep as it may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. Experiment to find the optimal timing and quantity of water to drink prior to sleeping.

6. Leave Your Blinds Open

Leaving your blinds open at night will allow the sun to enter your room and wake you up, helping you feel more alert. The sun is also a source of vitamin D, which is a natural source of energy. Waking up with the sun also allows your body to wake up gradually, in a natural process, instead of being startled out of much-needed REM sleep with a piercing, sudden alarm.

7. Eat Before Sleeping

One of the reasons why you feel groggy and slow in the morning is because you haven’t had any sustenance during the eight hours you were asleep. A small snack before bed can help prevent this feeling. I usually eat a low-carbohydrate and easy to digest snack, such as cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, and/or peanut butter. Too much food or those that are difficult to digest may prevent you from sleeping, so it’s best to experiment to find the best quantity and types of food to eat before you sleep.

8. Eat When You Wake Up

A small and easy-to-digest meal in the morning will give you a boost of energy. During your 8 hours of sleep, you haven’t provided your body with any sustenance. A healthy breakfast is key to giving your body the boost it needs when you want to know how to get more energy. Try to make sure you get a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and carbs in the morning to give your body everything it needs to produce the energy you’ll need for the day.

9. Go to Sleep and Wake up at the Same Time Each Day

Keeping a regular and consistent sleep schedule helps your body get in a natural rhythm. By doing so, you will begin to naturally fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day as your circadian rhythm gets into a consistent pattern. Waking up will feel more natural, and you will have more energy in the morning. In addition, it will help you fall asleep earlier. Getting the right amount of sleep will help you feel more energized.

10. Do Something You Enjoy Doing in the Morning

Stimulating your mind by doing an inspiring or enjoyable activity will give you energy. Knowing that you will be doing something fun will make you more eager to get out of bed in the morning. Some ideas of things you can include in your morning routine are:

Doing a short yoga practice

Reading an interesting book

Journaling

Going for a run

Find what motivates you to get out of bed and get moving.

11. Schedule Something in the Morning

Having “peer accountability” is one of the most effective motivators. If someone is dependent on you for something or monitoring your progress, you will feel motivated to do it. Scheduling a breakfast or workout with a peer will give you a clear deadline to attain in the morning, thus giving you a kick-start.

The Bottom Line

If you want to know how to get more energy, start applying these simple ways to your daily routine. Maybe add one of them to your routine every month. Gradually, you will have more energy throughout the day and be more productive, achieving more!