Best Morning Habits To Naturally Boost Energy Levels All Day

Intro

One thing most people wouldn’t expect is that your body naturally releases a spike of cortisol when you wake 30-45 minutes after waking. It is the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), the body’s natural alarm clock system that acknowledges what lies ahead of you for the day.

The problem? Most of us start to sabotage it right off the bat — by hitting snooze, checking out stressful news feeds, heading to work without breakfast, or putting water in coffee and no coffee in the water. Each of these habits dampens your natural energy systems even before you get up in the morning.

The positive side is that if we can synchronize our morning practices with our physiology, then we can find natural and lasting energy, avoiding stimulants. Let’s take apart the words.

Signs Your Morning Routine Is Draining You

Before we tackle solutions, let’s be sure that we’re fixing the right problem. Let’s take a look at the top indicators that your morning routine is negatively impacting your energy:

• When you snooze two or more times you still wake up groggy.

• You get your phone or social media before you get up the first five minutes.

• You don’t have breakfast or you choose to eat something sweet (juice, sweetened cereal or pastry).

• You can’t even get out of bed without having to go for a cup of coffee.

• Becomes anxious or overwhelmed even before they leave home.

• You have a hard energy collapse, daily, between 2-3 pm.

• Even after a good night’s sleep you are still tired.

Any ticking two or more of these boxes is not in your favor — but you can easily fix your morning routine!

Best Morning Habits To Naturally Boost Energy Levels All Day

1. Stop Hitting Snooze For Good

With no additional hitting to do, an alarm is no longer an annoyance. This is a difficult one to know. But, pushing the snooze button is definitely one of the worst things you can do in terms of energy drain. Why? Alarms start waking your brain out of deep sleep. Each time you snooze and fall back to sleep, you’re beginning a new sleep cycle that you will never complete. This is known as ‘sleep inertia’ and causes you to feel more confused and groggy than when you first wake up.

My hack: I placed my cell a distance away. That’s it. I have to stand to turn off the alarm so I’m standing – standing’s 50% of the battle!

2. Drink 16 to 20 Ounces of Water Before Anything Else

Did you know that when you sleep you breathe out, perspire and lose water naturally through your body’s processes as much as one liter per night? Every day you are getting up a little bit dehydrated — and dehydration is one of the lesser-known reasons for feeling tired every morning.

This is the one rule I follow: 16 to 20 ounces of water before I sip on coffee, check out my cell phone — let alone anything. I will have a glass beside my bed so there’s no friction whatsoever. In approximately 15 minutes, I am able to feel my digestion come on and I am noticeably more alert.

You may wring some fresh lemon in for an extra bit of zest – lemon water helps aid digestion and provides a little vitamin C to kick off the day.

3. Get Outside and Soak Up Morning Sunlight

This can be the most effective habit on this list and it’s so inexpensive, it’s free! Natural light upon waking within 1 hour, it is directly communicated to the brain to inhibit the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin, and stimulate the release of serotonin, a mood and energy hormone.

I suggest going outdoors, for at least 10-15mins within the first hour of waking up. Not necessarily direct sunlight; even outdoor light that is not sunny enhances the indoor light many times over, and can trigger the bodies “wake up” response.

Add a brief walk and you have one of the best and easiest natural energy habits going–and it’s free!

4. Splash Your Face With Cold Water — Or Try a Cold Shower

Though this appears excessive, it’s not necessarily. You’re ‘jolted’ by the coldness and activate your sympathetic nervous system, which is a biological ‘wake up’ switch — this happens within 30 seconds of your face, neck & wrists getting into the cold water. It promotes blood flow, greater alertness, and production of a stimulant, called norepinephrine, that is produced by your brain.

Beginning with just cold water on face and wrists each morning. I daresay that after 2 weeks, I had built up enough courage to do a 60 seconds cold water bath at the end of my shower. The contrast is incredible between focused and clear-minded vs. a fuzzy head, and I don’t need caffeine help.

Don’t use this one and ask your doctor if you do have heart conditions or Raynaud’s disease.

5. Do a 5 to 10-Minute Stretch or Light Movement

Your body has been inactive for 7-9 hours. Muscles feel tight, fascia feels stiff and the circulation feels slow. There is probably nothing faster to get blood and oxygen flowing to your brain faster than a brief stretch.

Do not have to engage in a full gym program. I do about 5 minutes of the stretching immediately after I get out of bed, a spinal twist, a chest opener, a hip flexor stretch and a forward fold. When I finish, I feel more awake than ever after coffee.

If you’re looking to go the extra mile, try a 10-minute morning stroll outdoors so you get the two-in-one – the exercise and the sun.

6. Eat a High-Protein, Low-Sugar Breakfast

This is where most Americans get it wrong: They consume a sugary breakfast, a flavored yogurt, a bowl of cereal, a glass of orange juice, a bagel and the like and by 10 a.m. are experiencing a crash.

Protein, however, is digested slowly and helps to stabilize blood sugar for hours. In my case, I make sure that I get at least 20 or 25 grams of protein in my breakfast meal. Some of my favorites:

• Eggs (scrambled, poached or veggie omlet)

• Greek Yogurt (plain, full-fat) with Berries & Chia seeds

• Overnight oats with nut butter and flaxseeds

• Cottage cheese and chopped fruit and walnuts

• Protein Smoothie (Spinach, Banana, Almond butter and unsweetened almond milk)

Protein eaten with a healthy fat (such as avocado, nuts or olive oil) and a source of complex carbs (oats or whole grain toast, sweet potato) will keep you energized for a period of 4 to 6 hours without an energy crash.

7. Time Your Caffeine — Don’t Just Drink It

I was truly amazed the first time I picked up this attack, and it’s game-changing. Most of us drink coffee on waking up, but this is when there is a high level of cortisol in the body — not a good time to have coffee. Excessive cortisol plus additional caffeine means that the caffeine ratchet is dulled and usually results in a greater crash at the end of the day.

I wait an hour and a half before I have my first cup of coffee since waking up. The outcome is an improved, more sustainable energy release—free of the mid-morning crash. Use it for one week – it makes a difference right away!

Also try to avoid caffeinated beverages after 2pm as caffeine has a half life of 5-6 hours (e.g. 3pm – 50% is still in your system at 8pm, causing poor sleep quality and early morning fatigue).

8. Do Something Fun or Purposeful First Thing

This is a sign on which we have been blind, as it seems too straightforward, though it’s one of the most invigorating things to do. When you perform tasks you enjoy and that have meaning for you in the morning, this triggers your brain to release a chemical called dopamine and this is the primary motivating chemical in your brain.

It doesn’t have to be an extensive one. I read 10 pages of my favorite book. Some make a journal, listen to a favorite podcast or do a creative activity for five minutes. What is important is that it is out of your control, and something that you are choosing to watch, rather than being something you have to do (such as emails or the news). This deliberate and deliberate choice sets a positive tone for the rest of the day.

9. Manage Your Stress Before It Manages You

Stress is one of the largest culprits that deplete your energy in the American lifestyle. During the stress period, your body depletes its glucose supply rapidly, keeps cortisol levels high outside of the normal range and keeps your nervous system in a constant state of fight or flight – which is very draining.

So, what I do every morning to get myself to a zero stress zone before heading out the door:

• Box breathing for 5 minutes (in/out/hold/hold) = 4, 4, 4, 4

• Brain dump: (Most common) all the things I am worrying about on paper, so that it’s out of my head.

• Determine what is the one priority for me — the one thing that I need to do today!

• ARMS UP 30 mins for NO NEWS or NO SOCIAL media in the morning.

These 4 items total approximately 10 minutes. They provide ample mental clarity and calm energy for the few seconds it takes.

10. Protect Your Sleep — Your Morning Starts the Night Before

Let me be very clear, here, nothing will make up for the chronic lack of sleep — not any morning habit. Even if you’re taking care of your body in the morning if you’re not getting a restful sleep or less than 7 hours of sleep each night, your energy will take a hit.

Without deep sleep, the body will not replenish energy at the cellular level – it’s non-negotiable. I have it protected like this:

• The same bedtime each night including weekends

• Eat 2-3 hours before going to sleep

• No screen time in last 60 minutes before bedtime.

• Sleep at the suggested temperature of 65 – 68°F (the best temperature).

• Blackout curtains or sleep mask.

Everything is built on a solid base that is 7 to 9 hours of high quality sleep. If you get this right, then everything else you do in the morning is going to be significant.

Sample Morning Routine for All-Day Natural Energy

How Long Before You Feel a Difference?

True, this is what to expect:

• Days 1-3: The water and not sleeping overs will make you feel more awake within the first morning.

• Weeks 1-2: Better focus of mind, energy and mood through mid-morning.

• Weeks 3-4: Minimum drop in afternoon crashes, improved quality of sleep and naturally elevated energy baseline.

• After Month 2: When your circadian rhythm stabilizes, you’ll experience more sustained all-day energy levels.

Make 2-3 habits — don’t try and change everything all at once. Consistency is better than intensity!

Energy Myths That Are Keeping You Tired

• Myth: “The more coffee, the more energy the better.” Truth: It’s not about quantity, it’s about timing! Excessive caffeine too soon, desensitizes the natural cortisol response, leading to greater crashes.

• Myth: “More sleep makes everything better.” Reality: It’s the quality of sleep, not the quantity. 7 hours of good sleep is better than nine hours of broken sleep.

• Myth: “Skipping breakfast will save time and have no impact at all.” Reality: By mid morning, the lack of protein in the morning causes blood sugar levels to fluctuate, which leads to a loss of energy.

• Myth: “Energy drinks are a legitimate energy source.” Fact: They increase blood sugar and cortisol, which results in a greater “crash” and may interfere with sleep during the night.

When to See a Doctor About Fatigue

After practicing good morning habits routinely for about four to six weeks, if you still feel tired on a constant basis, it’s time to consult your healthcare provider. Continued tiredness can be a sign of:

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

• Iron deficiency anemia

• Sleep apnea (particularly if you snore, or wake up feeling tired)

• Depression or anxiety

• Lack of vitamin D or B12

DON’T NEGLECT CHRONIC FATIGUE! Most of these conditions can be ruled out rapidly with a simple blood test.