Rituals for a better morning: 5 steps to help you get up better

Step 1: Avoid the snooze button

If you’re not a morning person, read our tips. We’ll tell you what to do in the morning to start your day with a smile. Maybe mornings will become your favourite part of the day!

Are you trigger happy with the snooze button, or have to set multiple alarms? If so, try to break the habit. The quality of sleep in those last minutes is not great anyway, and you’re wasting time that could have given you peace of mind in the morning. Just turn off the snooze function or, if you think it’s truly impossible – put your phone across the room from you so you have to get up to turn it off. There are even special alarm clocks that you have to chase to switch off! The first few days of this can be rough, but trust that your morning will be better without the snooze.

Step 2: Stretch in bed

It’s easy – set your alarm three minutes earlier, and when it goes off, dedicate it to stretching. You can stay in bed while you do this, because all you have to do is move your feet. Curl your feet at the ankles, stretch your toes and move them up and down. This morning stretch will firstly, get your blood flowing and secondly, tick off the foot exercises that most people neglect – did you know that the toes should be just as mobile as the fingers?

Step 3: Drink a glass of water when you wake up

Did you know that the human body loses up to a litre of fluid during sleep? In order to function well, it is recommended to drink three litres of water first thing in the morning. Simply prepare a bottle on your bedside table in the evening and drink it all before you get out of bed. This will kick-start your metabolism, kidneys and digestion.

Caution: Water in a bottle is preferable to water in a glass, as unwanted micro-organisms can start to multiply overnight.

Step 4: Breathe in fresh air

As soon as you get up and get hydrated,go to the window. Open it and peek out for at least half a minute to let the daylight in. This has positive effects even when it’s cloudy or raining outside! This gives you two benefits:

• You let fresh air into the room, which is refreshing and wakes you up on its own.
• By exposing your body to daylight, you let your body know that you’re waking up and kick-start its metabolic clock. The adrenal glands and pancreas in particular start working.

Step 5: Have at least a little breakfast

In the morning, our pancreas is ready to release insulin after some food and prepare the body for activity and concentration. Not everyone is in the mood for breakfast in the morning, but treat yourself to at least a little something. Avoid sugars and opt for quality, whole grain carbohydrates that release energy slowly. Smoothies and similar blended drinks made from fruit, milk and cereal are great. Alternatively, a bowl of cereal, yoghurt and a piece of fruit. If you’re in a hurry, pack at least something small for you to eat on the commute.