Ever look at a ‘morning person’ and feel a hybrid of emotions, from wanting to clock them with your newspaper to being plain envious of their energy levels? Then, this is for you. The first 30 minutes after you wake can be the most stress your body receives in a day. But being creatures of habit, if we play our cards right in this half hour window, we can so easily train the body and mind into a morning upward spiral, falling firmly into that envy evoking bright eyed and bushy tailed category.

Wake up with light instead of sound

In short, sound-based alarm clocks shock you into waking up, which sends the body into red alert (the stress zone) from the second you open your eyes. So, by simply changing the stimuli around you, and easing the body awake with a sunrise alarm, you ease yourself awake as oppose to purely startling yourself, resulting in an altogether happier start.

Get upside down

Simply getting your heart higher to the ground than your head and ‘inverting’ the body-which can be done by simply standing in a forward fold- can really work to increase circulation and boost energy better than a shot of espresso could! (Just don’t get all Cirque Du Soleil on me.)

Avoid a screen like the plague (or covid)

It’s SO tempting, but grabbing your phone in those moments when you wake up means you’re instantly allowing external circumstances (emails, texts, social media) to dictate your mood, quickly putting you in a reactive state, right as the body and mind are trying to awaken for the day ahead. Get back in the driver’s seat, and avoid external demands.

Rise slightly earlier

When we rush, we instantly set ourselves off on the wrong foot, our minds are in the stress zone and we’re more likely to make mistakes, a sure-fire way of creating a negative domino effect as the day progresses. Our willpower decreases as the day unfolds, so your mornings are prime time to lay the foundation for a strong day ahead, and for that, we need a slower pace.

Have a cold shower

Quite simply, by dialling down the heat you induce a higher state of alertness, whilst stimulating you to take deeper breaths, meaning you’re energised without putting your body into fight or flight. Win win!

Start a self-care ritual

Slap on your skincare and apply your make-up in autopilot? Turn these daily rituals into a self-care routine. Take a deep breath as you apply your moisturiser, with each inhale take notice of the scents and feel so you bring yourself into the moment. Using your fingers apply pressure in an upward direction - start at the centre of your face and work outwards to awaken your face and give yourself a basic lymphatic massage. This mini massage will awake your skin, get the blood pumping and give you the best base to apply your make-up.