5 Ways To Kick-Start Your Morning Without Caffeine

We’ve all been there.  Those groggy mornings where we just can’t seem to wake up! So we grab for coffee, teas, energy drinks, anything to get our caffeine fix, hoping it kicks in fast enough to get going for the day.  We may even shove sugary, carb-filled breakfast treats down our throats for an additional energy boost.  But then the inevitable happens a few hours later when we experience that mid-morning crash, resulting in more caffeine and sugary treats, and the vicious cycle continues.

But what if I told you there were other ways to kick-start your morning without ever needing caffeine or sugary carbs?!  Healthier ways to start your day off with sustainable energy that will last you throughout the whole morning using simple, natural methods that are easy to incorporate into your daily lives?!

As someone who has suffered from Chronic Lyme disease, severe adrenal fatigue, and a digestive tract that reeks havoc when it came in contact with coffee, mornings and I did NOT get along!  But since I found these 5 ways to kick-start my mornings without caffeine, I have truly been able to rock mornings like I never could before!  If these tips can help someone like me kick-start my mornings, imagine how well they could help you with yours?!

#1 - HYDRATE WITH A MINERAL COCKTAIL!

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy!!  In addition to that, water is one of the most important sources of energy for your body!  We simply can not properly function if we're dehydrated. 

If you're like the average person, getting a full 7-8 hours of sleep at night means you're also not getting any liquids into your body during that time, which could lead to dehydration. What's even worse, is due to evaporation, breathing, and sweating under those bed covers, your body can actually lose one to two pounds of water overnight! Crazy, right?  So before you do anything else, make sure to hydrate!

My favorite way to hydrate first thing in the morning: The MORNING MINERAL COCKTAIL!  With 3 simple ingredients, it's easy, affordable, and quite tasty if I do say so myself! So what is it?!?

Simple! Right?

The water hydrates while the Sea Salt replenishes lost electrolytes! Pink Himalayan Salt is my personal preference, as it has less sodium than other Sea Salt and can contain up to 85 trace minerals, but any Sea Salt will work.   

The lemon helps kick-start digestion, flushes out toxins, boosts immunity and energy while providing vitamins and antioxidants, making it a perfect way to start your morning off right!

#2 - GET MOVING

Just like a car needs a minute to warm up before taking it on the road, our bodies need a moment to warm up before taking it out into the world!  Movement first thing in the morning has amazing benefits: warms up joints, improves focus, boosts energy, and strengthens your heart beat.  This doesn't mean you should do a full-blown workout first thing in the morning, but you should be getting your heart pumping and blood flowing with some type of movement to let your body know it's time to get going for the day!  

This can be done in numerous ways and should only take a few minutes (10 max): Go out for a walk around the neighborhood, play with your pup when you let him outside in the morning, wrestle with the kiddos as you get them up for school! Do some stretches, jumping jacks, run in place, etc.  You can even turn on your favorite tunes and have yourself a little dance party! The type of movement is totally up to you! Make it fun, but make it happen!

#3 - LIGHT IT UP

Natural blue light triggers the photo-receptors in our eyes and skin. When we are exposed to this natural blue light, it triggers the circadian rhythm within our bodies to let us know it's time to wake up and get going!

Natural blue light is most dominant in sunlight.  So after we've gotten out of bed and drank our mineral cocktail, it's time to get outside and get some sunshine to help us start our morning the right way!  10-15 minutes in the sun should be enough to trigger those photo-receptors to allow the body to release the hormones needed to wake up and start functioning properly!  This can be combined with your movement to save time and kill two birds with one stone!

#4 - BURRRING IT ON!

Another way to boost that energy in the morning is to take a cold shower! My favorite way to do this is to take a nice warm shower as normal, and then when I'm finished, turn down the heat and do a final rinse with cold water!  It's quite exhilarating! 

When attempting this yourself, try to work your way up to 3 minutes of withstanding the cold temperatures...if you can!  You may only be able to stand a few seconds at first, but the more you do it, the more you'll get use to it and will be able to withstand it longer.

Not only will these cold showers boost energy, but they are also known to have several other benefits including: improved immunity, fat loss, lower stress levels, enhance skin and hair, and better sleep at night (just to name a few!).

[Note: If you can't stand the thought of cold showers or are just unable to handle it, splashing your face with cold water is a great alternative that will still get the job done!]

#5 - DIFFUSE THE SITUATION

One of my favorite ways to boost energy naturally without the caffeine is by diffusing some invigorating essential oils! My favorite energizing combo is peppermint, orange, and frankincense. Sometimes I'll even add a little rosemary and eucalyptus as well! Any mint or citrus oil (or a combination of the two) will do the trick quite nicely! 

I'll also apply a diluted energizing blend to the back of my neck and on my inner wrists for an additional boost! I actually carry one of my Focus & Energy Roller Bottles in my bag everywhere I go, just in case I'm in need of a little pick-me-up throughout the day! (It comes in especially handy for those late afternoon slumps!)

So there you have it!  5 simple ways to boost your energy without needing that caffeine! I challenge you to try at least the first 3 listed within the first half hour you're awake and see how it makes you feel! You may be pleasantly surprised! 

This doesn't mean you can't also enjoy a nice cup of coffee, but you might find that instead of desperately needing the coffee, you will be drinking it more for the enjoyment of it instead!