How to Get Energy in the Morning

Waking up on the right side of the bed can make the challenges of each day seem much more surmountable. How we treat our body and mind in the morning can affect how we go through the rest of the day, so you want to do it right! Here are some tips on how to get energy in the morning. When you wake up, getting some quick exposure to sunlight (taking a walk in your backyard, drinking a glass of cold water on the porch) can support your circadian rhythm and help you wake up to face the day, as exposure to light in the morning helps the body suppress Melatonin.[1]

Setting yourself a simple wake-up task like solving a math problem, word game, or puzzle can also benefit your productivity, helping to break the sleep inertia that can have you slamming the snooze button on your alarm clock.[2] Try these energizing morning habits to get yourself moving in the morning!

Energizing Morning Habits

Breakfast

It's common wisdom that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why is that? Many people opt to skip breakfast due to time constraints, but eating a high-nutrient breakfast can help increase your body's daily energy.

Pick nutrient-rich foods when you're putting together your morning meal. Many of the grab-and-go foods people reach for in the mornings, such as toaster pastries, baked goods, or cold cereals can be lacking in nutrients – and instead are full of sugar, which can send your hunger and energy levels on a rollercoaster ride later in the day. Choosing foods from multiple food groups creates a balanced meal that can help keep you satisfied and your energy levels stable. Combining whole grains, fiber, and protein is a winning breakfast combination. Try whole grain toast with peanut butter and a banana, oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts, or even whole-wheat avocado toast with a boiled egg on top.

Morning Exercise

The morning is a great time to get some physical activity in! A regular workout routine can help to reduce fatigue and give you energy![3] Here are a couple of quick and effective morning exercises that can give your day an active, healthy start.

• These 5 Yoga Moves You Can Do At Homeare easy, effective, and fun!
• Go for a brisk walk and include stair climbing to get your leg muscles working. Walking isn't just good for energy; it also has a number of other health benefits!

Keeping your body active is an effective way to give yourself some morning energy.

Hydration

Human bodies are mostly water, so it makes sense that how hydrated we keep ourselves affects our energy levels. A lack of adequate hydration can affect our cognition[4], which can lead to a feeling of slowness in the morning. So pour yourself a big cup of water! In the morning, try to drink at least a whole glass of water before drinking any caffeinated beverages like coffee or green tea. Highly caffeinated drinks can have a diuretic effect, flushing out electrolytes in your urine.[5]

Mindfulness

Mornings are an excellent time to practice mindfulness and stress-management techniques. A study of medical staff has claimed that perceived stress is interlinked with fatigue and sleepiness.[6] If you find your mind racing with the upcoming day's challenges, try taking a moment to slow down, meditate, focus on breathing, and express gratitude. Nature Made's experts have collected 14 Tips for Stress Relief that you can use to help perfect your morning routine.

Nature Made B-Vitamins: Your Morning Energy‡ Support

B Vitamins play a vital role in your body's metabolism. Your metabolism is how your body takes in what you eat, processes it, and turns it into what your body needs. As part of their role in this process, B Vitamins help to convert food into cellular energy. Nature Made® offers a variety of B Vitamin supplements, such as Super B Energy Complex, which provides all 8 B Vitamins to help convert the food you eat into cellular energy.†

If you follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, you may not get enough Vitamin B12 through your diet alone. Vitamin B12, also known as Cyanocobalamin, is found primarily in animal products, so vegans and vegetarians may need to focus on different sources to ensure they get enough from their diet.

Nature Made® Vitamin B12 1000 mcg Fast Dissolve Tablets provide 1000 mcg of Vitamin B12 per serving to help convert food into cellular energy and can help reduce fatigue for those low in B12.†

What Else Can You Do to Get Energy?

One of the best ways to get yourself off on the right foot when it comes to energy is to build consistent sleeping habits for better quality sleep! The Nature Made team has some tips on How to Get Better Sleep. The CDC recommends limiting alcohol, large meals, and caffeine before bedtime and going to bed at the same time every night, even on weekends.[9] These tips help your body keep a natural, steady sleep cycle.

For occasional sleep support, Melatonin can help your body ease back into a regular sleep schedule. Nature Made® Extended Release Melatonin uses a specially formulated dual-action tablet to release Melatonin both immediately and gradually throughout the night to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.†

Follow these tips on how to get energy in the morning to start your day off right!

‡Helps convert food into cellular energy.†

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

1. Blume C, Garbazza C, Spitschan M. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms, sleep and mood. Somnologie (Berl). 2019;23(3):147-156. doi:10.1007/s11818-019-00215-x
2. Oh KT, Ko J, Shin J, Ko M. Using Wake-Up Tasks for Morning Behavior Change: Development and Usability Study [published correction appears in JMIR Form Res. 2022 Oct 3;6(10):e42926]. JMIR Form Res. 2022;6(9):e39497. Published 2022 Sep 21. doi:10.2196/39497
3. NIH National Institute on Aging. " Real-Life Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity" NIH National Institute of Health. Accessed on: Nov 14, 2023. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/real-life-benefits-exercise-and-physical-activity
4. Zhang N, Du SM, Zhang JF, Ma GS. Effects of Dehydration and Rehydration on Cognitive Performance and Mood among Male College Students in Cangzhou, China: A Self-Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(11):1891. Published 2019 May 29. doi:10.3390/ijerph16111891
5. Seal AD, Bardis CN, Gavrieli A, et al. Coffee with High but Not Low Caffeine Content Augments Fluid and Electrolyte Excretion at Rest. Front Nutr. 2017;4:40. Published 2017 Aug 18. doi:10.3389/fnut.2017.00040
6. Lang X, Wang Q, Huang S, Feng D, Ding F, Wang W. Relations among perceived stress, fatigue, and sleepiness, and their effects on the ambulatory arterial stiffness index in medical staff: A cross-sectional study [published correction appears in Front Psychol. 2023 Jan 04;13:1117115]. Front Psychol. 2022;13:1010647. Published 2022 Oct 28. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010647
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Tips for Better Sleep" U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Accessed on: Nov 14, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html