How to Fight the Morning Grogs

Sleep inertia, or morning grogginess, is the feeling of wooziness experienced between awakening and full alertness. Morning grogginess causes impaired mental functioning similar to drunkeness that lasts for approximately the first 10 minutes after waking. Morning grogginess is normal and experienced by everyone to some degree, but a few simple techniques can help you increase morning alertness and energy.

Instructions

• 1

  Set your alarm for the actual time you need to get up to give yourself a longer period of uninterrupted sleep. Repeatedly hitting the "Snooze" button interrupts your sleep cycle, resulting in poor quality sleep.

• 2

  Turn on the lights or expose yourself to sunlight as soon as you wake up. Light signals to the body that it is time to wake up.

• 3

  Take several deep breaths before getting out of bed. This gives you time to reorient yourself to wakefulness.

• 4

  Start moving as soon as you wake up. This may include simply sitting up and swinging your legs over the side of the bed or doing some light stretches. Movement improves blood circulation to the brain which decreases grogginess.

• 5

  Exercise first thing in the morning to energize your mind and body. Make sure you are getting adequate sleep, however. Do not sacrifice necessary sleeping time to exercise.

• 6

  Take a slightly cool shower shortly after waking up to stimulate your mind and body.