How to wake up happy
Rise and shine: What you do in the hour after you get up can help you look and feel your best for the rest of the day. Here's how to start the day refreshed and ready to go.
1. Cue energy with color. Seeing a bright, vibrant hue when you open your eyes gets your adrenaline going — and that sudden surge of energy helps clear the cobwebs and kicks you into gear. Put a red, orange, yellow or fuchsia throw pillow, blanket or piece of art in the area you first see in the morning, or slip on a robe in one of these shades. You can even make breakfast visually stimulating (and get a nutritional boost) by pouring yourself a glass of antioxidant-rich pomegranate or cranberry juice with a sweet slice of orange.
2. Stop snoozing. When you hit snooze, your brain knows it will go off again in a few minutes — so you won't go into the deeper, more restful stages of slumber. That means you'll be more tired than if you'd gotten up when it first sounded. A better strategy: Set your alarm for when you really need to get up. That extra, uninterrupted sleep makes you feel more rested and refreshed when you get out of bed.
3. Drink instant energy. Drinking a big glass of water as soon as you get up is a good way to replenish the fluid your body loses overnight, and it provides instant energy. Everything that happens in your body requires water. Without enough of it, your systems have to work harder in every respect — which can cause fatigue. Indeed, even a 2 percent drop in water stores can tire you physically and mentally.
4. Give yourself a face rub. Massaging your face boosts circulation, making it a surefire way to wake up. Starting at your forehead and working down to your chin, lightly flutter tap or drum your fingertips, varying the velocity, intensity and location until you've touched your entire face. Bonus: These moves give you a quick healthy glow.
McClatchy News Service
