If you are anything like me, a morning cup of coffee is a necessity. Without my morning coffee, I spend the first half of my day walking around like a zombie, feeling like I am about to fall asleep on the spot. And let's not even talk about my mood before I get coffee in my system (hint: stay away!). My morning cup of coffee has become an addiction.
Recently, I have decided to wean myself off my morning cup of coffee. Why? I have no idea. Maybe it's because I’m tired of seeing a giant decrease in my bank account because of all my Starbucks runs, or maybe it's because I’m sick of depending on caffeine. So, in order to replace my morning coffee fix, I looked into some alternative ways to wake myself up in the morning…
1. Eat an apple:
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and it helps wake you up! Apples contain natural sugars and other carbohydrates that help stabilize your blood sugars. Other fruits, like oranges and bananas, will do the same.
2. Take a cold shower
If the idea of taking a freezing cold shower doesn’t sound so appealing to you, try putting down the temperature of your morning shower just towards the end of it. An instant change in your temperature can relieve stress and make you feel more alert.
If even that sounds bad, try just splashing your face with cold water when you wake up. It will have similar effects and give you the jolt you need to start your day.
3. Drink a cold glass of water:
Another way to trigger your adrenaline and increase the blood flow to your brain is by drinking an ice cold glass of water as soon as you wake up. It’ll help you start your day feeling fresh and hydrated.
4. Stimulate your brain:
Giving yourself a fun, stimulating task will automatically help your brain feel more alert. Try doing a crossword puzzle or a Sudoku. There are even apps that you can download on your phone that can help you do this.
5. Swap out coffee for tea:
If you enjoy sipping something in the morning, try trading in your cup of coffee for tea. This drink still has some caffeine in it in order to give you the small buzz that you need to start your day. Plus, tea helps strengthen your immune system and help lower blood pressure.
6. Make yourself a morning playlist:
Take some time and make yourself a pump up playlist for the morning. It will help wake you up, and let you start your day feeling happy. Mix this with some dancing, and this can be the ideal way to get yourself moving in the morning.
7. Give someone a call:
Talking to someone you care about for even five minutes can help can bring you back to reality and help wake you up. Call your friend, a sibling or a parent -- just be sure to make sure to call while on your way to school or work so that it doesn't take up your entire day!
8. Get your circulation going:
Whether it’s doing 10 jumping jacks, stretching, or even flipping your head upside down, try to increase your circulation in the morning. The more blood flowing to your brain, the more awake you feel. Take 2 minutes and do a couple of stretches. It could change how you feel the entire day.
9. Give yourself a massage:
Although this might sounds strange, massaging your five pressure points for three minutes each can help reduce fatigue. The 5 pressure points are: the top of your head, the space between your thumb and index finger, right below the center of your kneecap, below the ball of your foot, and the base of your neck. So, as weird as it might seem, you should try it!
10. Work out:
The last thing a person wants do in the morning is wake up earlier than you have to and go to the gym. But, exercise improves your circulation, provides an energy boost and releases mood- boosting endorphins. If you want to get some fresh air, take a quick job or even a short walk. And if you really don’t want to wake up early, try the 7-minute workout.
So, if, like me, you want to stop depending on coffee in the morning, try some of these. Who knows -- maybe one of these, or a mix of them, will help you get rid of your addiction.
