FEEL WIDE AWAKE
Put a spring in your step before you leave the house and you’ll stay bright and alert all day long.
1. Wake up naturally:-
Exposing yourself to bright light for 30 minutes as you wake up can help reset your body clock, making you alert first thing. Keep your curtains open or buy a natural alarm clock with an attached lamp that slowly brightens. Your body clock responds to gradual light exposure by accelerating the waking-up process, so you’ve more or less woken before your eyes even open.
2. Start with a stretch:-
Stretch for 2-3 minutes to loosen muscles and get blood flowing. Begin with a cat stretch- on all fours, arch your back, then relax. Repeat 12-15 minutes. Next, stand up, stretch your arms in the air and rotate in opposite directions eight to ten times.
3. Drink a glass of warm water:-
Fluids are vital for energy, and warm water will help trigger peristalsis-contractions that move food along your digestive tract-telling your body it’s time to start the day.
4. Take time out:-
Set aside five to ten minutes to do something you like, such as chatting with your partner, reading the newspaper or listening to a track from your favourite album. It ensures you start your day in a positive frame of mind.
5. Have a power breakfast:-
A good breakfast gives you energy to face the day. Low-sugar cereals are ideal as they contain carbohydrates to fuel your muscles and brain. They’re also fortified with B vitamins, which aid the energy-producing process, and iron, which carries oxygen from your lungs to your muscles.
6. Do a ten-minute workout:-
Morning activity tells your brain it’s time to kick into gear, helping to rest your internal clock. It also gets your blood flowing and carries oxygen to your tissues. Doctors suggest running up and down the stairs five times, followed by a few star jumps or try jogging on the spot or dancing.
7. Go hot and cold:-
Spend two minutes under a warm shower to invigorate yourself. Then switch.between warm and cool water – but avoid wetting your head during these changes as it could make you feel dizzy. This stimulates your circulation and encourages blood to penetrate deeper into your tissues, carrying oxygen and glucose with it.
8. Breathe deeply:-
A burst of oxygen gives your brain and muscles a boost. Breathing through alternate nostrils to energize and strengthen your body is suggested. { generally called as ‘Pranayam’}:-
• Close your right nostril with one finger and breathe in through the left until your chest is fully expanded.
• Close both nostrils, hold your breath and count to 10.
• Release the right nostril and breathe out slowly.
• Start again, but breathe in with the right nostril. Repeat 10 times, alternating nostrils.
9. Enjoy your morning cuppa:-
Don’t feel guilty about your morning caffeine fix. People who gave it up were less alert than those who drank their cup. A study found that just a 60mg dose of caffeine – the same as a cup of tea revived them again. Dunking biscuits won’t help though.