Tips for waking up happy

Yogi Julie Montagu knows just the thing to get you going in the morning. Check out her tips for waking up happy.

The way in which we start the morning impacts our whole day. Anyone who’s had one of those mornings (you wake up late, forget your lunch, miss the bus, spill your tea) will know how a bad morning nearly always gives birth to a bad day – earlier events often prove hard to shake off. Making a few simple changes to your routine, however, can ensure you wake up happy and start the day refreshed, organised and positive – and veteran yogi Julie Montagu knows just what we need.

Stretch

Stretching your entire body as soon as you wake up is a great way to get the blood flowing and to release some endorphins to help kick start your day with a smile. The increased blood flow to your muscles will also mean that you have more energy to get up and get going!

Plan your morning

If you know that you have a big morning ahead then take some time to prepare for it the night before. Pack your bag, choose your outfit and organise any other essentials. You will certainly thank yourself for this forethought in the morning when you wake up ready for the day, instead of waking up stressed out about all that you have to do! You may even find that not worrying about having a busy morning can help you to sleep better, which goes even further to helping you wake up happy and refreshed.

Prepare a breakfast

There are several amazingly delicious and nutritious breakfasts that you can prepare the night before to save time in the mornings! Check out the endless recipes for overnight oats online, or pack your blender full of goodness before you head to bed and then simply hit the blitz button for a healthy smoothie when you wake.

Stay away from the snooze button

You might think that you are doing your body a favour when you snooze your alarm and let yourself stay cosy under the duvet, but what you are actually doing is confusing your body and mind! When your alarm goes off you will naturally start to wake up, but when the alarm gets snoozed and you drift off again then this effort is wasted. The more times you wake and snooze, the more confused your body will get, resulting in a bad mood and low energy when you do finally drag yourself out of bed.

Stay away from social media

As well as staying away from the snooze button, you should also avoid social media in the bedroom! Scrolling through your news feeds before you try to sleep can stimulate your brain with a range of emotions, and this is certainly not conducive to falling easily into a deep sleep. Similarly, if you get connected as soon as you wake up, then you are likely to feel overwhelmed by information and super stressed out as you start your day. Turn your phone off before you go to bed and leave it outside of the bedroom!

Make a playlist

Waking up to your favourite upbeat tunes is a surefire way to get anyone in a good mood. Create a list of great tracks that you can hit play on as soon as you wake, or you can even invest in an alarm clock that you can programme to play music to wake you up!

Get organised

When you live in clutter it is inevitable that your mind starts to feel quite cluttered also. Spending ten minutes organising your bedroom before you get into bed can help to create a sense of calm. This can be some light cleaning, moving unnecessary items to another room or folding clothes etc. Completing these small tasks before bedtime can help to soothe you into a peaceful sleep, and you can then wake fully rested with a clear mind.

Don’t close the curtains

Waking up with the sun on your face is a beautiful way to start the day, and can help to motivate you to get out of bed. Keeping your curtains at least partially open in your bedroom can allow some sunlight to sneak in and help you to wake up happy. This can also help you to avoid pressing the snooze button as you can see that the day is already starting without you!

Indulge

Waking up can often seem like more of a chore if you deny yourself the things that you enjoy. Indulging should obviously have its limits, but if you need that second cup of coffee, or sweet treat first thing in the morning then allow yourself to have it. Moderation is always key, and if you do make unhealthy choices in the morning then make up for it later in the day. You can easily do so by having an extra green juice, or sticking to super healthy food choices for the rest of your meals and snacks that day.

Choose a positive affirmation

Having a different positive affirmation for each day of the week is a great way to start each morning with a unique burst of inspiration. Every Sunday try to select seven positive affirmations and write them down on a piece of paper that you can keep near your bed. Repeat your daily positive affirmation to yourself several times out loud as soon as you wake and you will always begin each day with a smile on your face!

For more small moments of self-care visit truly-julie.com