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Sophie Addison
The way you start your day can have a strong effect on your energy levels in the afternoon and even in the evening. A healthy breakfast, a good exercise routine, and a practical outfit are just some things to consider for feeling great as the day goes on. These things can impact your productivity at work, your mental focus, and your general well-being.
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Sun salutation to start the day
If you’re not someone who likes the idea of vigorous exercising just after getting out of bed, then sun salutations may be a better alternative for you. This yoga sequence energizes your body while strengthening every major muscle group.
You can do one sun salutation in the morning which requires only 5 minutes of your time, but the sequence is usually repeated 2 to 6 times in a row. As far as scientific evidence for this traditional yoga practices goes, a study published in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that the sun salutation is “an ideal exercise to keep oneself in the optimum level of fitness”.
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Have some oatmeal with chia seeds
Oatmeal is often touted as the perfect breakfast option and for good reasons also. Oatmeal is a nutritional powerhouse with unique health benefits. A bowl of oats will provide you with enough fiber, protein, carbs, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and much more.
But oats combined with chia seeds is an especially great option if you wondered how to improve your memory. Oatmeal is a great source of choline, an essential nutrient important for neurotransmitter synthesis. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are important for normal brain functioning.
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Have a cold shower
Skip the morning coffee and have a cold shower instead. A splash of cold water will get your heart pumping, stimulate your sympathetic nervous system, boost your immunity, and studies even showed that cold showers work better than antidepressants. The reason for this being that exposure to cold stimulates peripheral nerve endings that send signals to the brain.
The result of this bodily reaction is increased neurotransmitter synthesis. Coffee, on the other hand, is a known stimulant that inevitably leads to an afternoon crash, something you don’t need if you want to stay wide awake and fresh all day.
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Set goals for the day
Setting a goal for the day will help keep you motivated, even if you don’t manage to fulfill the said goal. Motivation is the key word here because having a strong motive to do achieve something will keep your energy levels up all day and every day.
You can either make a mental picture of what it is you want to achieve in a given day or even write it down on paper. But make sure to also think of ways on how you plan to achieve those goals to give yourself an additional motivation boost to keep you striving as the day goes on.
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Pack a green smoothie
Green smoothies are all the rage now. They’re packed with nutrients and are much healthier than other types of smoothies. They’re low in calories but dense in valuable nutrients such as vitamin C, B vitamins, fiber, calcium, and potassium. Making a green smoothie takes 2-3 minutes and if you pack this delicious drink for later, you have a fast-acting energy boost to keep you going as the day progresses.
However, don’t drink green smoothies every single day as there is a slight chance that green smoothies contribute to the formation of kidney stones by boosting calcium oxalate depositing as explained in a paper published in the Frontiers of Bioscience.
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Dress to feel comfortable
Functional clothing is important for productivity. If your job does not require that you wear a uniform, then choose clothing items in which you feel confident, comfortable, and that goes with the weather. Tight, sliding, and generally uncomfortable clothing will drain you of your energy so make sure to wear something that isn’t a distraction to your productivity.
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Don’t multitask
If you start multitasking early in the morning, you may be draining yourself of your mental and physical resources. Multitasking is difficult, even if you’re, say, making breakfast while getting ready for work. This was even scientifically proven to be true in a study published in the Journal of Nursing Management in which nurses stated that they’ve found that of all things, multitasking causes most mental and physical fatigue.
Conclusion
Starting your day with these 7 tips can make a big difference in your daily energy and productivity levels. If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you may want to save the day by following these simple bits of advice. A simple exercise routine, a healthy breakfast, great snack ideas, and comfortable clothing can make any day enjoyable and keep your energy levels high as you tackle your daily chores.