Waking up on a Sunday morning always feels like a treat. For most people, you just have a whole day where you don’t need to do much, if anything at all.
But how can you take advantage of this precious window of time? What can you do to make the most of it?
Let’s take a look at some ideas.
Wake Up Naturally
Number one, you’ll want to wake up naturally. You don’t want to be getting buzzed because of some awful alarm.
When you wake up naturally, you generally feel much better for the rest of the day. You’re ready for whatever the world wants to throw at you.
If you use an alarm it increases “inertia.” You’re less able to get going, something that can drag on until mid-morning.
Expose Yourself To Bright Light Quickly
Within 10 minutes of waking up, you also want to expose yourself to bright light quickly. Studies show that people who get morning light exposure are much more likely to calibrate their circadian clock properly, increasing things like serotonin that are required for nervous system and brain health.
Drink Coffee 60 To 90 Minutes After Waking
When you wake up, it peaks your cortisol, encouraging you to get on with the day. So when you drink coffee at this time, it can actually blunt the effect.
Therefore, wait about an hour after you wake up before putting your favorite specialty coffee in your machine. If you can aim for your first coffee between 9 am and 11 am.
Move For 20 Minutes
If you can move for 20 minutes after you wake up, that’s another great policy. Getting going early is among the most powerful things you can do, reducing anxiety and potentially increasing your working memory.
You may also find that it boosts BDNF, a special factor in the brain that helps with the growth and proliferation of brain cells. The more of this you can generate, the healthier your cognition will be.
Eat a Low-GI Breakfast
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and the evidence is now finally catching up. People who eat earlier in the day seem to do better overall.
If you can give yourself something filling and rammed with fiber, that’s also a good policy. Again, these foods reduce cravings and keep you away from the biscuit tin compared to many other options.
Be Mindful For A Few Minutes
You also want to be mindful for a few minutes in the morning. If you can find space for daily gratitude, that manner of thinking can help you throughout your day, transforming how you feel.
Even if you don’t feel it’s going in, your unconscious mind will be paying attention. It can have a big impact if practiced over many weeks and months.
Get Your Water In
When you wake up, you can sometimes feel dehydrated. That’s why it’s such a good idea to get your water early. If you can hydrate yourself early in the morning, it boosts cognitive performance and helps you get your best work done. Usually, you’re so productive after you wake up, you can get around 50% of essential tasks for the day done in the first couple of hours.
Listen To Something Relaxing As You Get Ready For The Day
Because it’s Sunday, you don’t need to hype yourself up to get through the day ahead. You can start at whatever leisurely pace you want.
Because of this, a lot of people like to listen to gentle music from their past. What you put on the speakers is your choice but it should make you feel like it’s Sunday morning and not just another weekday.
Plan Your Keystone Task
Finally, you want to plan your keystone task for the day. This should be the activity that everything else falls around. It’s a good idea to have this, even on a Sunday.
One task could be just to connect with someone you love that you haven’t been able to do during the week because of a lack of time. Another thing you could do is write down your thoughts in a journal or tend to the garden. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it helps you organize your day and make the most of it.
So there you have it: what we advise you to do if you’re looking to enjoy the perfect Sunday morning. Combining just a few of these steps can massively improve how you feel.