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: 20 tips 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 energy boosters without caffeine!
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.
So we’ll stick to those natural ways to get energy in the morning.
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 without coffee: 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.
(And that is also why blue light blockers work, read about my thorough test here!)
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* are definitely worth an investment. You can even be woken up by the light with a daylight alarm clock*. No better morning energy booster than that!
Related: 9 winter self-care ideas to make your cold season more amazing
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!
Related: The amazing health benefits of ginger for menstruation
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 decaf*!
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. This might be the best way to get energy in the morning for me personally!
My husband, 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 (this is my Quinoa porridge recipe)
- Nuts
Related: 8 low GI snacks for a quick energy boost
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!
Related: My favorite hack to relieve fatigue – quickly and healthily!
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!
Personally, I am planning to add some color to my life when implementing the next few of my balcony garden ideas!
The reason why all of this decorating helps in boosting your energy is that looking at bright colors makes your body produce more adrenaline.
