Do you wake up in the morning and feel happy and bright, ready to face the day ahead? Or do you dread the alarm going off and hide under your blankets because you are feeling negative? Many of us feel that way in the morning, and it can mean that the whole day takes on a negative tone which has an effect on our productivity and general enjoyment levels.
Wake Up Feeling Positive
If you want to wake up feeling more positive, it is possible. It’s possible even if you have a lot to do and even if you’re not looking forward to going to work (or to whatever else the day has in store for you). Here are some tips on how to wake up in a better mood.
Remember Your Dreams
Dreams are a wonderful way to help you to feel more positive right from the start of the day. Keep a dream journal next to your bed so that you can make notes when you wake up (this might involve you setting the alarm five minutes earlier, or not hitting the snooze button, both of which will also help you get ready for the day) otherwise you will easily forget your dreams as the day goes on.
It can be hard to remember dreams at first, and you might only be able to note down snippets or half-thought fragments, but over time, if you practice every day, you should be able to remember more and more. Remembering your dreams and taking the time to note them down will help you be more positive because it will wake you up with a pleasant task to do right away, plus those dreams can be fascinating to analyze.
Breathe
As the day wears on and we are tasked with more things to do, it’s easy for anxiety to build and stress to heighten. The more stressed we become, the shallower our breathing gets, and that means that less oxygen is getting to our vital organs. When you wake up, focus on your breathing. Take deep breaths and let them out slowly. Doing this will improve your circulation, and it will get oxygen to where it is needed (including the brain) so that you can start your day feeling more energized, less stressed, and much happier.
Don’t Drink Too Much The Night Before
Something that will always make the morning seem much more negative is if you have had too much alcohol the night before. Not only will you be fighting the stress and anxiety factors, but you will also be battling against a hangover. You will be dehydrated, your head will be pounding, and you may feel nauseated too.
Although these feelings will wear off as the day goes on, it’s not a good way to begin. Drinking in moderation is not a problem, and can be an enjoyable way to relax, but too much will begin to affect your life in many ways. If you find that you are unable to stop drinking when you need to, you should consider speaking to an expert about how to quit drinking alcohol. It will be much better for you in the long term.
What Makes You Happy?
Another thing you can do as soon as you wake up (but before you actually get up) is to think about what makes you happy in life. When you have positive thoughts, it is much easier to create positive emotions to go with them. Emotions and thoughts have an extremely powerful effect on your physical and mental well-being, and if you can visualize all the things that make you happy, you will start your day off with the right tone.
If you can also express gratitude for these things that’s even better. Practicing gratitude will help you to get out of the negative thought cycle that is so easy to fall into. List out five things that you are grateful for when you wake up (these might be the same things that make you happy), and your entire mindset will be completely shifted to a better place.
Don’t Use Social Media
Do you reach for your smartphone or tablet as soon as you wake up so that you can scroll through your social media feeds or check your email? That’s not good for you. Try not to touch your social media accounts until you are already feeling positive. Maybe wait until you’re up, washed, dressed, and have had something to eat and drink before you delve into them. A morning without social media is a much happier and more relaxed one.
You might be tempted to look because you use your phone as an alarm clock. Many people do. However, if you can leave your phone in another room overnight and use a traditional alarm clock instead, it will be much better for you. Firstly, you will get a better night’s sleep because the blue light emitted from the phone won’t disturb you, and neither will the buzzing and beeping of messages. Secondly, it will be far easier to ignore social media for at least an hour or so at the start of the day.
Have Breakfast
Now that you have more time in the mornings because you’re not on Facebook or Twitter, you can prepare a great breakfast. A good, healthy, filling breakfast will help to engage your brain and jumpstart your energy levels so that you can be more productive and have a much sunnier outlook on an entire day. Eating breakfast also means that you won’t snack so much before lunch and accidentally overeat.
Go For A Run
Going for a run first thing in the morning is a wonderful way to start your day on a positive note. Running (as well as every other kind of exercise) releases endorphins into your body. These endorphins give you a rush of energy and positivity; you’ll feel great once your run is over. If you don’t like running then perhaps look for a morning workout class or boot camp. It’s good to get out in the fresh air to do your exercising as it will get even more oxygen into your body, and completely wake you up.
