As the winter mornings grow darker and chillier, waking up can become a daunting task.
Yet Burak Ozdemir, founder of Online Alarm Kur, has come through with professional guidance on mastering the art of emerging from bed feeling invigorated as the mornings draw in and the temperatures drop.
Initiating the day with an upbeat routine can significantly improve your morning enthusiasm, contributing to a more luminous sensation throughout your waking hours.
Contrary to the natural tendency to decide in favour of a cosy shower amidst the freezing conditions, Burak insists that embracing a bracing cold shower can make a remarkable difference to your vigour and general health.
He explains: “Cold showers may seem daunting, especially on a frosty morning, but they offer great, revitalising benefits. Studies have found that cold water can boost circulation, enhance alertness, and even elevate your mood by boosting endorphins.”
For those who are not accustomed to the shock of cold water first thing, Burak advises to gradually decrease the temperature towards the end of your shower for about thirty seconds, increasing the duration under the icy flow progressively until it turns into a regular part of your morning drill.
There’s also a clever trick to encourage rising from your slumber – positioning your alarm far from your bedside. This simple tip obliges you to leave your bed to silence the alarm, effectively averting the temptation of hitting that snooze button.
Starting your day, you might fancy some tunes during your morning routine. Burak suggests you queue up tracks with 100-130 BPM to pep up your energy without being too much to handle early on.
He offers specific recommendations for music lovers: “For pop lovers, Sabrina Carpenter’s number one hit, Taste, has a tempo of 113 BPM, perfectly within the range to give you that morning energy boost. For fans of more classic songs, Earth, Wind and Fire’s 1978 hit, September, clocks in at 126 BPM, and also ensures a positive and motivated start to the day.
“Not to mention, for people keen to lean into the season and get a jump start on the festive feels, the perfect Christmas tune to start the day off in the best way is Last Christmas by Wham! which has a BPM of 108. While other festive hits may provide more lulling effects, tempting you to stay snoozing in bed or even be too intense after you’ve just woken up.”
Moving onto breakfast choices, Burak believes bananas are spot on as they are crammed with potassium, vitamins, and fibre.
He also recommends going for oatmeal instead of sugar-laden cereals to dodge the dreaded mid-morning slump. His tip for toast fans: pick wholemeal and consider adding eggs and/or avocado for a nutritious topping.