Shake off Morning Grogginess and Have a More Productive Work Day

Today’s guest post is by Lenore Holditch.

If you’re anything like me, waking up for work each morning just gets harder and harder with each day. I’m not saying that I hate my job. I love it actually. But taking care of a household after an 8-hour work day definitely takes its toll: come the following morning I am a complete zombie. It’s hard for me to just get up and start moving—my morning cup of Joe doesn’t even kick-in until about an hour after I’ve sat in my office chair. Luckily, there are tons of natural stimulants that can ensure that we get rid of morning grogginess and be productive employees from the very beginning. To learn what they are, continue reading below.

1. Catch Some Real ZZZ’s. This is probably the hardest thing to do for busy career women with families but by far the easiest way to greet the sun with ease—get 8 proper hours of sleep. According to researchers, lack of sleep can greatly interfere with your performance at work. For example, sleep deprivation can heavily affect your levels of concentration, it can prevent you from understanding complicated information and instructions, and it can even affect your creativity process—and as you may already know, slacking in these areas can easily get you terminated. So to make sure you are performing at your best at all times, get some good shut eye.

2. Take a Shower, Polar Bear Style. Choosing to take a cold shower in the mornings as opposed to a warm one is an excellent way to perk up and rid any lethargic feelings in the mornings simply because cold water will immediately activate your central nervous system and give you a jolt of energy that can last for hours.  If the cold water seems too uncomfortable, you can also just end with a splash of cold water to receive some of the same boosting effects—meaning start with warm water and then quickly turn to cold as your shower comes to an end. This warm to cold technique will also improve your circulation system. Good circulation is a great way to perk you up since it helps oxygen travel through your muscles and brain, which brings up to tip number 3

3. Take a Morning Jog. Jogging, or participating in any form of exercise in the a.m. really, is the perfect way to invigorate your body and stay energized throughout the entire day. Exercise, like taking a cold shower, helps send oxygen throughout your muscles and gets your heart pumping which helps you become more alert at a faster rate. Exercising will also help your body build more endorphins which are chemicals that make you “happy.” And a happy employee generally performs better.

4. Eat Breakfast. Even if you have to grab a bite on the road or eat at your desk, eating breakfast is crucial. There’s a reason why experts say it’s the most important meal of the day—breakfast increases your glycogen levels; when they are low, you feel exceptionally tired. So eating a breakfast that includes some protein, carbohydrates and “some” fat, like a whole wheat waffle with some blueberries and a soft boiled egg (it’s a more suitable on-the-go option)  should be able to keep you going till lunch.

5. Supplements. There are a ton of supplements and vitamins available to boost your energy and improve your health.  Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, thiamine and niacin all support the energy metabolism process.  Or look into a wakefulness promoting smart drug to really kick start your day.

Tips for an Afternoon Boost

If you feel yourself getting drowsy mid-day, skip the cup of coffee and other caffeinated beverages; they’ll only dehydrate you and make you feel even more tired an hour or two later. Instead, try these simple tips to give you a little boost:

• Drink Water: simply put, your brain is comprised of 90 percent water. Thus is only makes sense that your brain needs a substantial amount of water to help it function correctly and improve concentration. It also regulates your blood volume, which keeps you alert.  So drinking 6 to 8 hours of water throughout your work day can do wonders. As a bonus, the urge to release all the liquids will keep you wide awake.
• Get Some Sunlight: Stepping outside and soaking in some sun rays is a great way to beat mid-day grogginess. This is because our bodies naturally respond to changes in light, which means simply going from dim lighting to bright lightning can trigger your body to “wake up.” While florescent lighting can help perk you up too, the sun on the other hand has the highest levels of short wavelength blue-light and works better.
• Eat a Healthy Snack: Lastly, munching on fruits, especially apples, when you feel sluggish is a sure fire way to give you a quick jolt of energy. This is because apples are easily digestible which means that you can acquire the emergency fuel you need to finish your work day.