Are you the person who is already thinking the night before that you haven’t slept enough as you set your alarm for the following morning? You already know that when you need to be somewhere, you are going to have to rush to be less late because you completely ignored the alarm? You are waking up tired every day. Or are you one of those people who before the break of dawn are already on the go, fresh, sparkly, bright-eyed and excited to start the day? Maybe you have already checked off a third of your to-do list before the break of dawn.
If you are like me, you are probably somewhere between bitching and cheering your way out of bed. I call us the morning wannabes. We know that cultivating our best self and our amazing day requires milking the best stuff out of ourselves during the early morning hours, and yet if only there was a way to make the transition from sleepyhead to energizer bunny easier.
Well, this post is for anyone who is on this journey towards the best self and is tired of waking up tired in the morning. I am giving you 7 perfectly personalizable ways to tweak your morning routine and set yourself up for increased energy throughout the day.
But before I get to them…
Wannabe to the Real Deal – This is what I have learned
So I get up early because I want to start my day off the best way possible. I have always forced myself out of bed except for exceptions, like Sunday mornings after a late Saturday night, and on some holidays. My strength – consistency. So I was up at dawn. But, I was no cheerleader. My weakness – what I felt on the inside. Really tired.
On most mornings, I had that don’t you dare talk to me before my run or workout look on my face as I dragged myself out of bed. Do you have one of these?
If I snooze, I lose has been a common personal mantra for me at 6am.
Obviously, being an early riser was never easy for me. It was just something I felt that I had to do whether it was getting up at 5am to workout before feeding my newborn daughters, heading out at 6am to run before the heat of the day made even the sidewalks sweat, or the day simply became too busy.
I even used to set my alarm for 3 hours before official wake time just to feel happy about having another 3 hours to sleep,
YES, I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, and on his less patient mornings, it drove my husband crazy. “Of course it did,” I used to think, “he is a true morning person.” I have proudly cut this down to an hour! 😝
Most of the time, now I even look forward to the start of the day.
So what has changed?
Well, I learned to regularly tweak my morning routine by cultivating joy and connection before all else.
As a result, I now focus on:
- what I need instead of what I believe I should do, and
- acceptance, mindset and perception.
Getting Flexible and Embracing Change
What worked for me when I was in my 20’s or as a young mom in my 30’s wasn’t working for me in my 40’s. Now that I am in my 50’s, I have truly learned the importance of personalizing our routine and changing it regularly to fit our changing needs.
Or rather, do what promotes joy and connection.
I have let go of the idea that I must push my mind or body to fit the age or lifestyle of somebody else and remind myself that like everything else in life, change is necessary because nothing is the best for us forever.
So the question becomes, can I be flexible and open enough to accept the changes in myself and change my habits, patterns and routines accordingly?
ENERGY TIP: Know what your mind and body need to feel energized, joyful and connected. These things will always feel just right.
Energy requires THE RIGHT RHYTHM & BALANCE
We are all born morning people. Maybe you are internally shaking your head saying, Nope, not me. And yet…
We are meant to rise and go fall with the sun. In an ideal world and with a more natural lifestyle, this is what we would do.
There is no need to go into why this is not possible for most of us and yet, the healthiest people intentionally respect this natural, wake-sleep cycle as part of their health program.
You got to get your circadian rhythm back on track. Remember that when it is dark out we are supposed to power down. And when it’s light, we’re supposed to power up. – Dr. Mindy Pelz, author of the books Fast Like A Girl, The Reset Factor: 45 Days to Transforming Your Health by Repairing Your Gut, and The Menopause Reset
So, yes, we are. Morning people. And the one of the major reasons we are waking up tired is that our insane, modern day sleeping habits produce excess stress and this sense of disconnectedness with our feel good rhythm.
A go to bed at midnight and wake up at 7am sleep schedule works against how the circadian rythm is supposed to be for our minds and our bodies.
One other thing.
Being a morning person does not mean that you should transform into the type of person that needs to have exercised, planned your day, eaten breakfast… washed, dried, ironed and folded your laundry… and checked off a third of your to-do list before 8 am.
Often the need to be overly productive in the morning becomes a dependency based on a fear-driven need to control. This is rigidity, not flexibility and this is never our intention.
Too much chasing after what we believe we need to do to be successful, happy human beings is just as bad as having low energy for our personal goal.
Remember our goal is to be more flexible so that we can actually provide our mind and body with what it needs to feel energized.
YOU ARE NOT MEANT TO MERELY SURVIVE
So you wake up tired in the morning already thinking to yourself, Ugh, again. This type of self-talk is an energy sucker-outer. Well, it is time to change this.
Return to instinct which tells you that you must feed our mental, emotional and physical being what they need to promote a positive mood. These are the basic needs that we all need to feel energized.
And in order to do this, you must first remember that you did not bloom into this world to merely survive (or want to push the snooze button 20 times because your day doesn’t deserve the extra oomph.)
You are made of pure gold.
You have to have the energy building, I am worth it mindset first.
So repeat this: I am made of pure gold. I am golden as the morning sun! I trust this above all else.
Unfortunately as we grow up our minds become dimmer and dimmer. It is shoved, along with our heart, inside of boxes. With time, we become smaller and smaller to fit inside these boxes; boxes that society tells us we belong in, And there is no space for instinct inside these boxes because they are stuffed with fear. (Read more about this in the post HOW TO BECOME A HAPPIER HUMAN BEING -4 Truths to Arriving at the Happy Life)
We get out of these boxes by deciding that we deserve to be the best us always.
About Finding Time for a Routine – 4 golden rules
- You are always well worth the time you dedicate to yourself. Any time you dedicate to self-love, self-care and overall well-being will pay you back a zillion times over.
- Less is always more than none. Whatever time you manage to devote to yourself is better than devoting no time at all.
- Little can be alot. When done in full presence and with 200% intention to be your best, little is much more than alot done in partial or complete absence. This is why multi-tasking is not the solution when it comes to your health or your life.
- The golden morning hour is golden. First, it sets you up for your amazing day. Second, as the day proceeds the excuses grow, the distractions get bigger, the requests get more exhausting, the energy dwindles and the hours fly. When it is done it is done. And when it is done first thing in the morning it is done best. Always!
‘The Stop Waking up Tired’ Secret Ingredient
We need to feel connected. Everybody. This is the secret ingredient for feeling alive.
Connected with ourselves through healthy, loving habits, with how and where we occupy our time. Connected with others through authentic interaction and communication.
And connected with the world which is based on the meaning we offer and receive from our direct experience with, and perception of, the wider external space.
When we feel connected, we feel joy within and when we feel joy within, we feel energetic and excited for another beautiful day. We want to get up!
And this is what we are going to tweak into our morning routine. We are going to add things that feed this sense of DEEP CONNECTION.
Stop waking up tired & increase energy – 7 ways to tweak your morning routine
HOW TO USE
- I invite you to try each one before you say no. Not only once, but for 3-4 weeks. Only then will you be able to see the true effect on your level of morning groove. They need to become rituals like brushing your teeth and pouring your coffee.
- Feel free to switch it up. Adapt these steps so that they fit your needs and the schedule you already follow. Get creative.
- Be ok with not feeling comfortable at first. You may experience discomfort. Some of these suggestions may not feel natural. You may even feel ridiculous. Remain open, relaxed and keep practicing.
- Choose the amount of time that is suitable for each day. Avoid getting rigid. More is not always more and less is not always less. Some days you will have an hour to tweak in a bit of movement. Some days you may only have 5 minutes. The goal is to make you feel energized, never guilty or more stressed.
ENERGY BUILDING BEGINS THE NIGHT BEFORE
- EARLY DINNER. HEALTHY DINNER. You cannot be in a healthy state to sleep when you eat a big, unhealthy dinner just a few hours before bedtime because instead of relaxing, the body is using its energy to digest your meal. Eat your dinner at least 3-4 hours before bedtime. And keep it clean and simple.
- UNPLUG AND EARLY TO BED. Think caveman schedule. The cavemen did all their strenuous activity during the light ours. When the light went away they went into relax mode. So protect the two hours before you go to bed. Give yourself permission to have a transition period. Get away from blue light by unplugging from all devices. Remove yourself from any other stressful habits and activities. Before going to bed listen to relaxing music, take a bath, meditate, read or cuddle.
When we do not prepare ourselves for rest our brain and nervous system are in a constant state of sympathetic go and we will wake up feeling tired.
To change this and wake up energized for our day, we want to transition ourselves to a parasympathetic state before going to bed to promote complete and deep rest.
- SET YOURSELF UP FOR THE MORNING. I find it super helpful when I already prepare myself for my morning routine the night before. This means putting out whatever I will need. This will save time, avoid freaking out when you can’t find something, and prevent you from making excuses to skip it altogether: workout clothes, mat, towel and other equipment, music or other things to set up your environment, books and journals. Also prep your breakfast (see tweak #7 )! When you are running late you make the worst food choices. Most of all, it means having a plan. Before you shut the lights for the night, visualize what your morning routine will look like and know step-by-step what you will do. If it is helpful you can even write it down.
WHEN YOU HAVE A PLAN, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO THINK WHEN YOUR BRAIN IS STILL TELLING YOU, please let me sleep.
For example, I already know what yoga practice I will be doing the next day before I go to bed. I set up my clothes and my props, I set my alarm and I set my intention for my morning routine.
RESOURCES:
23 Vegan Buddha Bowls For Healthy Vegan Dinners
HAVE TROUBLE FALLING TO SLEEP? TRY THIS: THE HELP ME SLEEP MEDITATION
MINDSET FIRST
Ok, we are now ready for the morning. And as I already mentioned, changing the morning mood has so much to do with changing our mindset.
So, what does this look like for me?
Well, when the alarm rings the second time, and I am still under the covers, I rub my eyes, stretch my body out from head to toe, take a deep breath, and internally say: I AM READY!
This is my trigger word to start moving and grooving.
Just as we transition for sleep at night, we take some time to transition out of sleep mode and into our day in the morning.
And this is how we do it…
Stop Waking Up Tired TWEAK #1 – KEEP IT SLOW
Jumping out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off may work for you, but it is an immediate stress on your nervous system. So for at least a minute or two, keep it slow. LINGER IN BED. Remain in silence.
FULL ATTENTION:
DO NOT GRAB FOR YOUR PHONE!
SUGGESTIONS:
If you have one minute: Place your hands on your belly and take 3-5 deep, full breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Reconnect with yourself. Remind yourself that you are here.
If you have 5 minutes: Do the above exercise and then simply feel your breath move in and out, and throughout your body. Thank your breath for showing up for you another day.
Stop waking up tired TWEAK #2 – What are you grateful For?
GIVE THANkS FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING. This requires you to think of people, things and experiences in your life that you love profoundly, and truly feel the blessing. Feel it in your body, mind and heart.
This type of daily gratitude practice, even when brief, is a major source of your energy. It reconnects you with what matters most to you.
SUGGESTIONS: You can do this directly in bed, while you are brushing your teeth or when preparing or eating breakfast. Tweak it into your schedule where it fits best.
If you have one minute: Mentally think of 3-5 people, things or experiences that you are grateful for. Remember how blessed you are.
If you have 5 minutes: Write it down. Get specific. Keep a notebook by your bed, in the bathroom or in the kitchen.
Stop waking up tired TWEAK #3 -SET AN INTENTION FOR THE DAY
Setting intentions for your day every day, sets you up to stay on track. It may help you avoid showing up in a way that is not in alignment with your authentic values and beliefs.
Ask yourself: WHAT DO I WANT THIS DAY TO BE ABOUT?
It may be kindness, joy, presence, playfulness, forgiveness, self-love, productivity, creativity, cultivating a relationship, breaking that habit, spending as much time outdoors, learning something new.
Take a moment to think about where you are going to direct your focus and loving energy throughout the day.
And remember:
- There is no right or wrong intention as long as it matters most to you.
- The more specific you are about your intention, the more likely you are to return to your intention during the course of the day.
- Preparing for your day is worth your time.
- Setting intentions may feel weird at first. But with time, you will look forward to this brief moment.
SUGGESTIONS: On most days, I set intentions while I am on my yoga mat either before or after my practice. It has become a daily ritual along with the other tweaks I am mentioning here. However again, you can do this anywhere even before getting out of bed.
It doesn’t have to take lots of time. Although you can do this as a form of meditation or longer contemplation, a minute or two is sufficient.
Close your eyes, feel how you are feeling and feel your way to your greatest intention for the day.
Stop waking up tired TWEAK #4 – Get PHYSICAL n.1: Move & stretch
You may have your regular exercise routine that you do sometime during the day or maybe (absolutely NO judgment but honestly, I cringe at saying it.) you do not dedicate anytime to daily physical activity. In either case, I highly recommend moving and stretching briefly in the morning.
If you already have a morning fitness routine, great! You can skip this.
However, if you are more active later in the day or you are not active at all, this is a great little tweak to add first thing in the morning because movement massages out the cramps and kinks and it jumpstarts our energy after hours of stillness.
Regular physical activity, especially when done outdoors, also has a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, stress and other negative emotions.
No time? As I remind you in the post, HOW TO RESET YOUR MIND & LOVE YOURSELF – 7 DETOX SECRETS FOR THE BEST YOU (a true mini guide to health):
No excuses darling friend. As I always tell my clients, a 10 minute mini workout is ALWAYS possible. Anywhere. And it does much more than you think on the level of the body, mind and spirit.
Actually, even a couple of minutes is enough to get you started in the morning.
ALL MOVEMENT THAT FEELS GREAT FOR YOU IS GREAT. IT IS REALLY ABOUT CONNECTING WITH YOUR BODY BEFORE YOU HEAD TOWARDS THE REST OF THE DAY.
HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO GET YOU STARTED:
If you have one minute: Stretch your body right in bed. Either stretch the part of the body that feels the most stiff or choose one stretch a day and hold it for a minute – 90 seconds. Changing the type of stretch you do each day will give you the opportunity to stretch your body in all the directions it was made to move in. (forward bends, back bends, side stretches, lateral stretches, etc.). Go slow.
Stretching can feel challenging, but it should never hurt.
If you have 5 minutes: Stretch your body for one minute, like above (either in bed, or in another space.) and then choose 4 other stretches or exercises to do for one minute each.
When I am short on time, I use a ProBody pilates ring that I keep next to my bed. I place the ring between my thighs and do 30 crunches, 30 alternating side crunches, 30 crunches with my knees at 90 degrees, 30 inner thigh squeezes and 30 moving bridges, lifting and lowering my butt.
IF DOING THIS IN BED, THIS IS ONLY TO BE DONE ON A HARD MATTRESS. Otherwise, move to a mat on the floor.
If you have 10 minutes:
MY PERSONAL “NO TIME FOR MORE” GO-TO
3 minutes abs, 3 minutes sun salutations, 4 minutes longer held stretches. This quickie is a genuine full body and bad mood reliever.
Or do a 10 minute power yoga practice for flexibility.
If you have 20 minutes: Do 2-3 sets of 5 minute option or do the 10 minute option and then…
add a walk around the block (even with your dog) or do a 20 minute gentle yoga practice to ease into the day.
BONUS TWEAK: GET SOME NATURAL LIGHT AND FRESH AIR. Whether you just stick your head out the window for a few moments, step out on your balcony or in your garden to drink a glass of water or read, or you go out to get some exercise, going briefly outside first thing in the morning has an immediate affect on your mood in a very postive way.
Stop waking up tired TWEAK #5 – Get PHYSICAL n.2: THE POWER OF TOUCH
There is nothing more energetic than connecting physically with another living being. So before you start your day make sure that you get physical with a person, an animal, your garden, a tree, yourself.
A hug, hand holding, a brief massage or rub, a kiss… LINGER THERE. If you have time, get x rated with your partner!
If you are alone:
Close your eyes and touch your feet.Take another breath. Feel yourself present and grounded. Again, you can do this before getting out of bed.
When I am feeling tired, there is nothing like abandoning myself into the arms of someone who cares about me to remind me that I am here, alive and full of energy.
Give and receive love and affection every morning and as often as you can throughout the day. It is all about feeling connected.
Stop waking up tired TWEAK #6 – SWEET SELF-TALK
Who do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror? How do you speak to yourself?
In a world that gives importance to titles, labels and appearances, there is ALWAYS a choice for each one of us to look beyond. It starts with us.
We are so hard on ourselves. Much harder than we are on anybody else. We pretend that we can actually be perfect.
“DON’T TURN AWAY. KEEP YOUR EYES FOCUSED ON THE BANDAGE PLACE BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE THE LIGHT ENTERS YOU.” – RUMI
It is difficult to feel energized, joy or connected when we are not loving liking or accepting of ourselves.
Self-love is the king of all love. May we remind ourselves every morning that we are loveable and complete in this very moment.
So speak with kindness and compassion. See what the divine already sees in you.
Wake up and give yourself love. Give yourself love while you are getting ready. Look at yourself in the mirror and give your reflection love. Repeat an affirmation or two while you are preparing breakfast.
TWEAK SELF-LOVE INTO YOUR MORNING ROUTINE WHEREVER IT FITS BEST.
Dedicate one of your main intentions to loving yourself every day and see what happens.
SUGGESTIONS for affirmation practice
- FEEL FREE TO CREATE YOUR OWN PHRASES and MODIFY THEM FROM DAY TO DAY. It is important that they stir up real emotion of love and empowerment within.
- If you have never used affirmations or personal mantra and you have never meditated before, it may feel awkward at first. Most of us are not accustomed to saying loving things to ourselves. Give this practice time to naturally teach you how to love yourself.
- Keep a list of self-loving affirmations next to your toothbrush, on the fridge, attached to the rear-view mirror of your car, inside the book you are reading. This will serve as a reminder to reconnect with yourself throughout the day.
AFFIRMATIONS TO GET YOU STARTED
- FOR EMPOWERMENT: I am strong. I am worthy. I am withstanding. I stand with. I am whole.
- FOR LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE: My life is beautiful. I am blessed. I can flow gracefully. At my own pace I embrace it all.
- FOR THE PROMISE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: I risolve to love myself completely as I am right now. I risolve to love myself completely as I am right now. I risolve to love myself completely as I am right now.
Stop waking up tired TWEAK #7 – Break-fast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but not in the way you may think. The BIGGEST UNTRUTH about our morning routine is that we must have a big breakfast for energy.
OMG! How many times have you heard (with studies backing it all up) that a balanced breakfast is the best way to increase energy and motivation?
Well, I am here to tell you that it is all a lie.
And there is also science and research that shows that SKIPPING BREAKFAST or having a later breakfast (dare I suggest) can help with increased mental clarity, physical strength, and energy.
The highly promoted balanced breakfast made up of protein, slowly digested carbohydrates, and healthy fats, along with some fruit or vegetables is a complete energy drainer.
Instead, (if not skipping breakfast completely) the best breakfast is made up of a freshly pressed juice extract, a simple green smoothie, a plate of seasonal, (preferribly local and organic) fruit respecting the proper fruit combining guidelines (see image below).
Briefly, this is why…
- You fast every night while you are sleeping and this is why it is called break-fast. This is extremely healthy as is fasting in general. SEE MY DETOX POST for more deets.
- Any type of fast should be interrupted in a gentle way. There is nothing gentle about the consumption of all the food groups included in the healthy, balanced breakfast. You will wind up being even more tired afterwards.
- Fruit truly is the perfect food. It’s the easiest for our bodies to digest, You feel more energetic because your bodily system is not busy using all your energy to break down balanced breakfast.
FULL ATTENTION HERE:
DO NOT BELIEVE ME. TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!!!!
SUGGESTIONS: Try the following for 3-4 weeks and see how you feel!
- SKIP BREAKFAST, HAVE A LATER BREAKFAST (3 hours after you wake up) or HAVE A FRUIT-VEGETABLE BASED BREAKFAST. (see below for resources)
- LET THE COFFEE WAIT – You are not supposed to give yourself a cortisol spike as soon as you wake up. So it is not going to be your Go-To source of energy anymore. Your feeling of deep connection (obtained by tweaking in all the suggestions here) is. Have your coffee, but enjoy it a couple of hours after you wake up. Are you shaking your head again thinking, “I NEED my coffee!“. Believe me it is just habit. Once again, give this new habit time to kick in. It may feel uncomfortable at first. This is normal and necessary. Your body is giving you the sign that it is transitioning. Trust. We do not grow with easy.
Substitute your coffee with water and lemon, a fresh juice extract, a green smoothie or herbal tea.
I WAS A HUGE COFFEE DRINKER AND I STILL LOVE COFFEE, BUT I DRINK IT TOWARDS 11.30AM NOW. INSTEAD OF GIVING MYSELF AN UNHEALTHY CORTISOL SHOT AS SOON AS I WAKE UP, COFFEE IS MY JOYFUL, MID-MORNING PAUSE. I really look forward to it.
RESOURCES:
FOR GREAT BREAKFAST OPTIONS (IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PREPARE A BEAUTIFUL PLATE OF FRUIT. 🍇🍈🍓🍑🍌
BOOKS: You will notice that these are not newly published books. I have used so many throughout the years and these remain my favorites.
RAW ENERGY by Stephanie L. Tourles
THE BLENDER GIRL SMOOTHIES – 100 Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Paleo-Friendly Recipes by Tess Masters
OTHER RESOURCES:
LOVING IT VEGAN (ALSO GREAT FOR PLANT BASED RECIPES)
JUICERS & BLENDERS:
Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 48 oz. Container
NutriBullet NB9-1301S Pro 13 Pcs Silver, 900W
Final Note – Stop Waking Up Tired and Work it.
You cannot expect a beautiful day without putting any beauty into it. And this beauty requires your effort. You gotta work it. If you want a healthy mind, a strong body, a grateful heart, deeper connection and more energy, enthusiasm, joy and fullness… WORK IT.
What do I mean by WORK IT?
Do the work, the hard. Stay in discomfort. Go towards your edge. Stretch your full being. Be curious. Cultivate patience. Practice.
Responsibility is an amazing word. It means that you have the ability to respond!
When you lose your way – and you will – remember why you are doing everything that you are doing:
You are tired of waking up tired. You are ready to take responsibility for your well-being, your day and your life.
There are no shortcuts. Ever.
You think you are so wise to know how to skip over the hard. I promise you that you are cheating yourself out of an essential experience to learn, flex, expand and strengthen.
Do not be scared of the challenge of putting in the work. THE CHALLENGE IS YOUR BEST SELF’S BEST BUDDY.
Like all the other information I share here, it works under two conditions:
1. You gotta actually do it and
2. You gotta do it with your best effort every day….
especially on the days when you are just not feeling it or you think you do not have time.On days like these. Do double.
I love this quote:
“I have so much to accomplish today that I must meditate for two hours instead of one.” – Mahatma Gandhi
NOT ABOUT ALWAYS BEING FULL OF ENERGY OR LOVING EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR DAY
Lastly, we are not practicing ourselves or our day towards perfection. Our ordinary schedules consume a ton of our energy. Much of the time this is unavoidable.
Life is going to distract you and make you forget how to live it fully. It is ok.
Take the pressure off yourself.
- Trust the signs. Waking up tired day after day is a huge one.
- RETURN AS OFTEN AS YOU NEED to the basics. Return to what makes you feel connected.
- Take responsibility for what you can actually be responsible for.
- Remember that everyday is only once. Love yourself as you are right now. If not now, when?
So waking up feeling energetic, joyful and connected is not going to be an everyday experience, but by tweaking in some of the things we discussed here, you will be ready for the OFF days.
Ready to accept. Ready to remind yourself what you need to do to pick yourself back up and return to a more energetic, connected experience of your life.
And this darling friend is the true goal of our best self journey. Always. May you feel energize and connected and may you have an AMAZING DAY!
Do you have any tweaks of your own? Please share in the comments below.
My heart reaching out to yours,
Disclosure
This post contains affiliate marketing. This means that when you purchase a product through the link provided, I will receive a small commission with no extra cost to you. This is a small way that you can thank me for my writing. I really appreciate your support. If you want to purchase any of the items or books click on the item or title.
