Wake Up Without Caffeine in the Morning
Awaken the Mind and Body Naturally Without Stimulants
Oct 6, 2009
Many people rise in the morning and fill their bellies with a steaming cup of coffee or tea first thing before doing anything else. Someone from another planet may see this and think it is an important morning ritual for humans, yet most people do it just to awaken their mind and body enough to get on with the day.
There's the soothing aroma and bittersweet taste to enjoy, but most people are also aware of the negative caffeine effects; edginess, stomach ache, and nighttime sleeplessness to name a few. For those ready to ditch their caffeine addiction, there are healthy, natural ways to wake up and feel energized for the day.
Wake Up Mind and Body Before Getting Out of Bed
For those who like to linger under the warmth of a cozy comforter before getting out of bed, the following suggestions will help to awaken the neurons in your brain and the energy in your body.
- Breathe fully. Increase the oxygen flow to the mind and body by taking in a few deep breaths while lying in bed. This will naturally awaken all the senses.
- Wake up the face. Do face stretches – open the mouth and jaw fully, open eyes wide then scrunch close and open again, move jaw gently from side to side.
- Stretch comfortably. Twist and turn into comfortable stretches, extending arms and legs in opposite directions. Then try other stretches while still in bed. Pull one knee up to your chest, then the other, then both. With knees bent, lean them over to one side to rotate the spine. Open and close your hands a few times and then shake them gently in the air. Rotate your ankles, jiggle your legs up and down on the bed..
- Arouse the brain. Use your eyes to awaken and balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain. With eyes only, look up and to the far left, then down to the lower right, then up to the far right and then down to the lower left. Rotate eyes clockwise as if following the hand on a large clock, then rotate counter clockwise. Do these several times each.
After breathing, stretching and lighting up the brain neurons, you will feel more awake and ready to greet the day. If grogginess still ensues, read on.
Get Energized for the Day
Once you've dragged your body out of bed, there are several healthy ways to feel stimulated and energized without the need for caffeine.
- Splash the face with cold water. There's nothing more refreshing than the feel of cold water splashed against the face. For a gentler approach, begin splashing with warm water then slowly decrease the warmth, allowing the face to adjust to the cold.
- Breathe in fresh air. Stimulate the whole body by breathing in fresh, outdoor air. Stand by an open window or step outside and take in a full breath. Fully release your breath until you feel your diaphragm and lungs shrink, then slowly fill them up with a fresh, full breath.
- Soothe with a warm drink. As the body deals with caffeine withdrawal it can be helpful to still give it a warm, soothing drink – herbal tea, pretend coffee, or hot water with a fresh squeeze of lemon can be invigorating and hydrating.
- Enliven the soul. Instead of depressing your mind and soul with the latest horrors in the newspaper, radio or television, read or listen to something inspiring and uplifting. This will enliven your spirit and add joy to your day.
- Energize the body. Nothing gets the energy flowing in the body quicker than exercise. Even 10 to 15 minutes of stretching, walking, yoga, tai chi or chi gong will activate the flow of blood and energy to the brain and body.
Using natural techniques to awaken and stimulate the mind and body will reduce the need for caffeine in the morning. Throughout the day, if sluggishness resumes, try these same activities to reawaken the mind and body.
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