March is Caffeine Awareness Month! For many of us, nothing beats rolling out of bed in the morning (or crawling…) and enjoying that first cup of piping hot Joe. It’s become a regular addiction for many. Think you’re not addicted? Try skipping a day and see how you feel! Believe it or not, there are other things that can actually help you get up and get moving with your day. If you’ve considered cutting back on the caffeine, the easiest way to do this may be to delay your first cup of coffee until you get to work or just having it later in the morning… and make that your only cup of coffee! You may be asking yourself “if I don’t have one first thing in the morning how will I wake up to get ready for my day??” Well, below may have some answers for you!
Let the Music Move you! Several studies have been done on the motivational properties of music… it really gets you moving! Set your alarm to go off with some rockin’ beats, throw a peppy playlist on your phone to play while you’re getting a shower and getting ready, and boogie woogie your way out the door!
Light ‘em up! This might seem like a no-brainer, but turning on a light or opening up the drapes and doing a little light morning stretching can get your blood flowing and clear those cobwebs out of your mind. If you’re normally an early riser open the blinds before you go to sleep the night before and rise and shine with the sun.
Pump it Up! The last thing many of us are thinking of when we first wake up is jumping right into some exercise, but it really does get your system up and ready for the day. Getting a workout in first thing in the morning not only helps to wake you up but can help give you sustained energy throughout the day… plus it feels great to get your exercising done!
Eat Breakfast. There have been studies back and forth about whether or not breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. You can’t really refute the fact that after 8-10 hours of putting nothing in your body, it probably could use some fuel. Eat a healthy breakfast and start your day off on the right foot.
Chocolate! Now, while this isn’t recommended as an “every morning” type thing due to the fatty content, there’s no denying that properties in cocoa beans when ingested can give you close to immediate comfort and energy. Give yourself a “chocolate treat” on Monday mornings and maybe starting off your week will be a lot better! Even if you’re not looking for a long term reduction of caffeine, in the spirit of Caffeine Awareness Month, give this a try just for the month. And for those who might want to make a permanent cut of java, check out Keep Calm, and Put Down the Coffee!
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Source Url: http://gobelmont.ca/caffeine-awareness-month/