Do you need some effective, but healthy morning energy boosters that ideally come without any caffeine? I hear you! Caffeine makes me nervous, jittery and anxious. And still, getting some help for waking up in the morning is super nice. Especially in those cold and dark winter months.
The good news: There are some natural ways that can help you get moving in the early hours of the day. Let’s check them out!
Related: My Morning Routine: a tool for focus, success, and growth
Related: How to get motivated: 25 ways for more drive
Disclosure: Some of the links below are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
What gives energy in the morning?
So to understand how to wake up better, we need to know what kinds of things can give us energy in the morning. Effectively there are three ways to have more energy.
- You can “put energy into your body”. As in, drinking or eating some morning energy boosters.
- You can “absorb energy”. Meaning, you can create an environment that stimulates the right hormones.
- You can adjust your behaviors to create more energy. The human body is amazing like that.
Natural morning energy boosters
Just to be completely clear on what this is about: All of the tips here are completely natural morning energy boosters.
Yes, you could use some drugs to wake you up. But honestly, the natural way will probably be more efficient and more sustainable. Plus, it doesn’t have any negative side effects.
How to get energy in the morning
So now let’s finally look at all the ways in which you can get energy in the morning: 10 natural morning energy boosters you can start using right away. They are in no particular order, so have a go at all of them!
1. The best source of energy in the morning
You know what is the best way to tell your brain that its time to wake up? Light! Light is what tells our brain to slow down on the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
So if you are lucky enough to have some proper sunlight happening by the time you wake up, open the blinds, go on the balcony or stand by the window for a few minutes. If you have a dog, take him out now.
And for those of us who have to survive those super dark winter mornings, daylight lamps*
2. What to drink instead of coffee to wake up
If you are used to drinking coffee in the morning, you might want to look at some alternatives to coffee for energy. In fact, there are quite a few healthy morning drinks to wake you up. And none of them have caffeine in them!
A huge glass of water
Ideally, you start your morning with a big glass of water. After some hours of sleep, you are quite dehydrated. So kickstart blood flow and digestion with a huge gulp of water!
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is a great morning drink. It is hot, the right kind of spicy and boosts your immune system, too!
Hot Water with Lemon
Especially for cold season but also any other time of the year. The hot water jumpstarts your digestion and the lemon boosts your energy and fights any kinds of bacteria.
Decaf
My drink of choice. I am one of these weird people who actually like the taste of coffee and don’t drink it for the caffeine. Caffeine makes me a nervous wreck. So if you have internalized that the smell and feel of coffee wake you up, decaf might just do the trick for you. Check out, for example, this fair trade organic decaf*. No pesticides!
A herbal tea of your choice
Herbal teas are also great early morning energy boosters. Just make sure you don’t accidentally go for green or black tea if you want to abstain from caffeine.
A hot cup of cocoa
Did you know that the Aztecs used to drink “Xocoatl” before going to war? They knew about the stimulant effect of cocoa. For health reasons, I recommend making your own, sugar-free version. I sometimes simply mix cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla with coconut milk and drink it like that. My hubby, who prefers it a little sweeter, adds some whey protein powder as well.
3. Foods that help wake you up in the morning
To give you more energy, you want to make sure that you eat the right foods in the morning.
After sleeping for a few hours, your body needs some healthy fuel and vitamins to start the day. So look out for foods that have good amounts of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs.
Perfect morning foods are, for example:
- Oatmeal
- Eggs
- Avocados
- Quinoa porridge (I make mine like this)
- Nuts
Related: 5 foods that make you happy
Related: How to easily improve your diet with Dr Greger’s daily dozen
4. Have a snooze-free morning
Do you hit the snooze button every morning? Be honest!
Most of us do this, thinking we would stop snoozing if we just had more energy in the mornings. Turns out, we have it all wrong. Snoozing actually makes us MORE tired!
Not only does it lower our morning energy and causes the infamous drowsiness. It also affects your energy levels throughout the entire day.
So get up immediately when you wake up. If it’s hard, try Mel Robbin’s 5-second-rule. She actually made up this rule to beat snoozing and look what she achieved with it!
5. Get moving
One of the ways in which you can generate energy out of thin air (literally!) is to get moving. About anything that gets your blood flowing and your heart beating a little faster will boost your energy levels.
And you don’t even need to do a full-fledged workout for this. Do a few jumping jacks or dance to your favorite song. Just move it a little and feel your energy levels increasing immediately!
Added bonus: Your mood will improve along with your vitality.
Related: How to help your lymph system with dry brushing
6. Pump up the color
If you are chronically sluggish in the mornings, decorate your kitchen or living room with bright colors like a strong red or violet. (Don’t put it in your bedroom, you don’t want to disturb your sleep.)
Add a splash of color with some bright red throw pillows*, wall images or other decorative pieces. Go wild!
The reason why this helps in boosting your energy is that looking at bright colors makes your body produce more adrenaline.
7. Create energy from your mind
You know that feeling when you can’t wait for something? Being all antsy, not being able to sit still? That is your brain creating masses and masses of energy from anticipation.
You can use that mechanism to boost your energy in the mornings as well!
Find something you look forward to and imagine it in all its details. Feel the rush of anticipation and let it flow through you.
For me, visualizing some goal of mine is a regular part of my morning routine and I can only recommend it!
8. Listen to uplifting music
Listening to the right kind of music in the morning will wake you up and put you in a good mood. Researchers found that music that builds up slowly, spreads positivity and has a nice, strong beat works best for the wee hours of the morning.
A music psychologist from the University of Cambridge even created the perfect morning playlist from a scientific point of view on Spotify. Find it here: The scientific morning playlist
9. Make your bed
Wondering how making your bed in the morning is supposed to give you more energy?
Well, it comes from the sense of accomplishment you get when checking off tasks. So “making your bed” really is only a placeholder here for checking off anything of your to-do list early in the morning, no matter how small.
For me, this is either meditating or going for a quick walk outside. Both are things I KNOW are very good for my mental and physical health, but I always need to push myself a little to do them.
So once I have those checked off, I feel accomplished already, which in turn makes me feel like I can tackle the day better!
Related: How to meditate for beginners
10. Get a good night’s sleep
Okay, this one is a no-brainer. But for the sake of completeness, it needs to be on the list.
Obviously, getting a good night’s sleep is fundamental for waking up refreshed and having an easy morning. If you struggle with this a little, check out my 8 tips for a better night’s sleep!
What is your favorite morning energy booster?
Tell me in the comments about your favorite morning energy booster and make sure to share this with someone!
*These links are so-called provision links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I can earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
